diff --git a/kate/katequickopen.cpp b/kate/katequickopen.cpp
--- a/kate/katequickopen.cpp
+++ b/kate/katequickopen.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
 void KateQuickOpen::slotReturnPressed()
 {
     const auto index = m_listView->model()->index(m_listView->currentIndex().row(), KateQuickOpenModel::Columns::FilePath);
-    auto url = QUrl(index.data(Qt::DisplayRole).toString());
+    auto url = QUrl::fromLocalFile(index.data(Qt::DisplayRole).toString()); // we need fromLocalFile because in katequickopenmodel.cpp we stripped the file:/// protocol from the view (otherwise we hit the assertion 'ASSERT: "!protocol.isEmpty()" in frameworks/kio/src/core/kprotocolinfofactory.cpp, line 72' on the next line)
     m_mainWindow->wrapper()->openUrl(url);
     m_mainWindow->slotWindowActivated();
     m_inputLine->clear();