diff --git a/autotests/kfilewidgettest.cpp b/autotests/kfilewidgettest.cpp
--- a/autotests/kfilewidgettest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/kfilewidgettest.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "kfilewidget.h"
 
 #include <QLabel>
+#include <QTemporaryDir>
 #include <QTest>
 #include <QStandardPaths>
 #include <QSignalSpy>
@@ -508,6 +509,28 @@
         QCOMPARE(urls.size(), 1);
         QCOMPARE(urls[0], fileUrl);
     }
+
+    void testCreateNestedNewFolders()
+    {
+        // when creating multiple nested new folders in the "save as" dialog, where folders are
+        //created and entered, kdirlister would hit an assert (in reinsert()), bug 408801
+        QTemporaryDir tempDir;
+        QVERIFY(tempDir.isValid());
+        const QString dir = tempDir.path();
+        const QUrl url = QUrl::fromLocalFile(dir);
+        KFileWidget fw(url);
+        fw.setOperationMode(KFileWidget::Saving);
+        fw.setMode(KFile::File);
+
+        // create the nested folders
+        for (int i = 1; i < 6; ++i) {
+            fw.dirOperator()->mkdir(QStringLiteral("folder%1").arg(i), true);
+            // simulate the time the user will take to type the new folder name
+            QTest::qWait(1000);
+        }
+
+        QVERIFY(QFile::exists(dir + QStringLiteral("/folder1/folder2/folder3/folder4/folder5")));
+    }
 };
 
 QTEST_MAIN(KFileWidgetTest)
diff --git a/src/core/kcoredirlister.cpp b/src/core/kcoredirlister.cpp
--- a/src/core/kcoredirlister.cpp
+++ b/src/core/kcoredirlister.cpp
@@ -644,12 +644,6 @@
 
     const QUrl dir = _dir.adjusted(QUrl::StripTrailingSlash);
     if (!checkUpdate(dir)) {
-        if (dir.isLocalFile() && !(findByUrl(nullptr, dir).isNull())) {
-            pendingUpdates.insert(dir.toLocalFile());
-            if (!pendingUpdateTimer.isActive()) {
-                pendingUpdateTimer.start(500);
-            }
-        }
         return;
     }