diff --git a/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.cpp b/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.cpp
index c83d5750c..17f12900a 100644
--- a/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.cpp
+++ b/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.cpp
@@ -284,6 +284,24 @@ void ForwardingSlaveBase::del(const KURL &url, bool isfile)
     }
 }
 
+void ForwardingSlaveBase::localURL(const KURL& remoteURL)
+{
+    kdDebug() << "ForwardingSlaveBase::localURL: " << remoteURL << endl;
+
+    KURL new_url;
+    if ( internalRewriteURL(remoteURL, new_url) )
+    {
+        KIO::LocalURLJob *job = KIO::localURL(new_url);
+        connectLocalURLJob(job);
+
+        tqApp->eventLoop()->enterLoop();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // Let the slave base emit the required signals
+        SlaveBase::localURL(remoteURL);
+    }
+}
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
@@ -343,6 +361,13 @@ void ForwardingSlaveBase::connectTransferJob(KIO::TransferJob *job)
              this, TQT_SLOT( slotCanResume(KIO::Job *, KIO::filesize_t) ) );
 }
 
+void ForwardingSlaveBase::connectLocalURLJob(KIO::LocalURLJob *job)
+{
+    connectJob(job);
+    connect( job, TQT_SIGNAL( localURL(KIO::Job *, const KURL&, bool) ),
+             this, TQT_SLOT( slotLocalURL(KIO::Job *, const KURL&, bool) ) );
+}
+
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 void ForwardingSlaveBase::slotResult(KIO::Job *job)
@@ -439,6 +464,11 @@ void ForwardingSlaveBase::slotCanResume (KIO::Job* /*job*/, KIO::filesize_t offs
     canResume(offset);
 }
 
+void ForwardingSlaveBase::slotLocalURL(KIO::Job *, const KURL& url, bool)
+{
+    SlaveBase::localURL(url);
+}
+
 }
 
 #include "forwardingslavebase.moc"
diff --git a/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.h b/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.h
index a536a9f02..1e6d303ee 100644
--- a/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.h
+++ b/kio/kio/forwardingslavebase.h
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ public:
 
     virtual void del(const KURL &url, bool isfile);
 
+    virtual void localURL(const KURL& remoteURL);
+
 protected:
     /**
      * Rewrite an url to it's forwarded counterpart. It should return
@@ -170,6 +172,7 @@ private:
     void connectSimpleJob(SimpleJob *job);
     void connectListJob(ListJob *job);
     void connectTransferJob(TransferJob *job);
+    void connectLocalURLJob(LocalURLJob *job);
 
 private slots:
     // KIO::Job
@@ -191,6 +194,9 @@ private slots:
     void slotDataReq(KIO::Job *job, TQByteArray &data);
     void slotMimetype (KIO::Job *job, const TQString &type);
     void slotCanResume (KIO::Job *job, KIO::filesize_t offset);
+
+    // KIO::LocalURLJob
+    void slotLocalURL(KIO::Job *, const KURL&, bool);
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/kio/kio/global.h b/kio/kio/global.h
index 03fb61dcc..6b0408c04 100644
--- a/kio/kio/global.h
+++ b/kio/kio/global.h
@@ -163,7 +163,8 @@ namespace KIO
     CMD_MESSAGEBOXANSWER = 'S', // 83
     CMD_RESUMEANSWER = 'T', // 84
     CMD_CONFIG = 'U', // 85
-    CMD_MULTI_GET = 'V' // 86
+    CMD_MULTI_GET = 'V', // 86
+    CMD_LOCALURL = 'W' // 87
     // Add new ones here once a release is done, to avoid breaking binary compatibility.
     // Note that protocol-specific commands shouldn't be added here, but should use special.
   };
diff --git a/kio/kio/job.cpp b/kio/kio/job.cpp
index fc1a9645f..69b363392 100644
--- a/kio/kio/job.cpp
+++ b/kio/kio/job.cpp
@@ -808,6 +808,40 @@ SimpleJob *KIO::unmount( const TQString& point, bool showProgressInfo )
     return job;
 }
 
+//////////
+LocalURLJob::LocalURLJob( const KURL& url, int command,
+                    const TQByteArray &packedArgs, bool showProgressInfo )
+    : SimpleJob(url, command, packedArgs, showProgressInfo)
+{
+
+}
+
+void LocalURLJob::start(Slave *slave)
+{
+    connect( slave, TQT_SIGNAL( localURL(const KURL &, bool) ),
+             TQT_SLOT( slotLocalURL(const KURL &, bool) ) );
+
+    SimpleJob::start(slave);
+}
+
+// Slave sent a response!
+void LocalURLJob::slotLocalURL(const KURL &url, bool isLocal)
+{
+     kdDebug(7007) << "LocalURLJob::slotLocalURL(" << url << ")" << endl;
+     emit localURL(this, url, isLocal);
+}
+
+void LocalURLJob::slotFinished()
+{
+    // Return slave to the scheduler
+    SimpleJob::slotFinished();
+}
+
+LocalURLJob *KIO::localURL( const KURL& remoteUrl )
+{
+    KIO_ARGS << remoteUrl;
+    return new LocalURLJob(remoteUrl, CMD_LOCALURL, packedArgs, false);
+}
 
 
 //////////
@@ -4773,5 +4807,8 @@ void CopyJob::virtual_hook( int id, void* data )
 void DeleteJob::virtual_hook( int id, void* data )
 { Job::virtual_hook( id, data ); }
 
+void LocalURLJob::virtual_hook( int id, void* data )
+{ Job::virtual_hook( id, data ); }
+
 
 #include "jobclasses.moc"
diff --git a/kio/kio/job.h b/kio/kio/job.h
index 03edb5024..fed6f82ab 100644
--- a/kio/kio/job.h
+++ b/kio/kio/job.h
@@ -128,6 +128,14 @@ namespace KIO {
      */
     KIO_EXPORT SimpleJob *unmount( const TQString & point, bool showProgressInfo = true );
 
+    /**
+     * Retrieve local URL if available
+     *
+     * @param remoteURL the remote URL to get the local URL for
+     * @return the job handling the operation.
+     */
+    KIO_EXPORT LocalURLJob *localURL( const KURL& remoteUrl );
+
     /**
      * HTTP cache update
      *
diff --git a/kio/kio/jobclasses.h b/kio/kio/jobclasses.h
index 03ff3d452..d937e8700 100644
--- a/kio/kio/jobclasses.h
+++ b/kio/kio/jobclasses.h
@@ -1858,6 +1858,52 @@ namespace KIO {
 	class DeleteJobPrivate* d;
     };
 
+    /**
+     * A KIO job that finds a local URL
+     * @see KIO::localURL()
+     * @since R14.0.0
+     */
+    class KIO_EXPORT LocalURLJob : public SimpleJob {
+
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+    public:
+        /**
+	 * Do not use this constructor to create a LocalURLJob, use KIO::localURL() instead.
+	 * @param url the url of the file or directory to check
+	 * @param command the command to issue
+	 * @param packedArgs the arguments
+	 * @param showProgressInfo true to show progress information to the user
+	 */
+        LocalURLJob(const KURL& url, int command, const TQByteArray &packedArgs, bool showProgressInfo);
+
+        /**
+	 * @internal
+         * Called by the scheduler when a @p slave gets to
+         * work on this job.
+	 * @param slave the slave that starts working on this job
+         */
+        virtual void start( Slave *slave );
+
+    signals:
+        /**
+	 * @param job the job that emitted this signal
+	 * @param url the local url
+	 * @param isLocal true if the returned URL is local, false if not
+         */
+        void localURL( KIO::Job *job, const KURL &url, bool isLocal );
+
+    protected slots:
+        void slotLocalURL( const KURL &url, bool isLocal );
+        virtual void slotFinished();
+
+    protected:
+	virtual void virtual_hook( int id, void* data );
+    private:
+        class LocalURLJobPrivate;
+        LocalURLJobPrivate *d;
+    };
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/kio/kio/kdirlister.cpp b/kio/kio/kdirlister.cpp
index a7fa515d7..0641645a6 100644
--- a/kio/kio/kdirlister.cpp
+++ b/kio/kio/kdirlister.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <tqregexp.h>
 #include <tqptrlist.h>
 #include <tqtimer.h>
+#include <tqeventloop.h>
 
 #include <kapplication.h>
 #include <kdebug.h>
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "kdirlister_p.h"
 
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 KDirListerCache* KDirListerCache::s_pSelf = 0;
 static KStaticDeleter<KDirListerCache> sd_KDirListerCache;
@@ -1862,7 +1864,39 @@ bool KDirLister::openURL( const KURL& _url, bool _keep, bool _reload )
 
   d->changes = NONE;
 
-  return s_pCache->listDir( this, _url, _keep, _reload );
+  // If a local path is available, monitor that instead of the given remote URL...
+  KURL realURL = _url;
+  if (!realURL.isLocalFile()) {
+      KIO::LocalURLJob* localURLJob = KIO::localURL(_url);
+      if (localURLJob) {
+          connect(localURLJob, TQT_SIGNAL(localURL(KIO::Job*, const KURL&, bool)), this, TQT_SLOT(slotLocalURL(KIO::Job*, const KURL&, bool)));
+          connect(localURLJob, TQT_SIGNAL(destroyed()), this, TQT_SLOT(slotLocalURLKIODestroyed()));
+          d->localURLSlotFired = false;
+          while (!d->localURLSlotFired) {
+              tqApp->eventLoop()->processEvents(TQEventLoop::ExcludeUserInput);
+              usleep(1000);
+          }
+          if (d->localURLResultIsLocal) {
+              realURL = d->localURLResultURL;
+          }
+      }
+  }
+
+  return s_pCache->listDir( this, realURL, _keep, _reload );
+}
+
+void KDirLister::slotLocalURL(KIO::Job *job, const KURL& url, bool isLocal) {
+  d->localURLSlotFired = true;
+  d->localURLResultURL = url;
+  d->localURLResultIsLocal = isLocal;
+}
+
+void KDirLister::slotLocalURLKIODestroyed() {
+  if (!d->localURLSlotFired) {
+    d->localURLSlotFired = true;
+    d->localURLResultURL = KURL();
+    d->localURLResultIsLocal = false;
+  }
 }
 
 void KDirLister::stop()
diff --git a/kio/kio/kdirlister.h b/kio/kio/kdirlister.h
index cd657f47a..2271b2a70 100644
--- a/kio/kio/kdirlister.h
+++ b/kio/kio/kdirlister.h
@@ -609,6 +609,8 @@ private slots:
   void slotTotalSize( KIO::Job *, KIO::filesize_t );
   void slotProcessedSize( KIO::Job *, KIO::filesize_t );
   void slotSpeed( KIO::Job *, unsigned long );
+  void slotLocalURL( KIO::Job *, const KURL&, bool );
+  void slotLocalURLKIODestroyed( );
 
 private:
   void jobStarted( KIO::ListJob * );
diff --git a/kio/kio/kdirlister_p.h b/kio/kio/kdirlister_p.h
index a98521905..047c83148 100644
--- a/kio/kio/kdirlister_p.h
+++ b/kio/kio/kdirlister_p.h
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ public:
   TQPtrList<TQRegExp> lstFilters, oldFilters;
   TQStringList mimeFilter, oldMimeFilter;
   TQStringList mimeExcludeFilter, oldMimeExcludeFilter;
+
+  bool localURLSlotFired;
+  KURL localURLResultURL;
+  bool localURLResultIsLocal;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/kio/kio/slavebase.cpp b/kio/kio/slavebase.cpp
index c237bd490..d0734105c 100644
--- a/kio/kio/slavebase.cpp
+++ b/kio/kio/slavebase.cpp
@@ -809,6 +809,23 @@ void SlaveBase::reparseConfiguration()
 {
 }
 
+void SlaveBase::localURL(const KURL& remoteURL)
+{
+    bool local = remoteURL.isLocalFile();
+    TQ_INT8 islocal;
+    KURL retURL;
+    if (local) {
+        islocal = true;
+        retURL = remoteURL;
+    }
+    else {
+        islocal = false;
+        retURL = remoteURL;
+    }
+    KIO_DATA << islocal << retURL;
+    m_pConnection->send( INF_LOCALURL, data );
+}
+
 bool SlaveBase::dispatch()
 {
     assert( m_pConnection );
@@ -1130,6 +1147,11 @@ void SlaveBase::dispatch( int command, const TQByteArray &data )
     case CMD_MULTI_GET:
         multiGet( data );
         break;
+    case CMD_LOCALURL:
+    {
+        stream >> url;
+        localURL( url );
+    } break;
     default:
         // Some command we don't understand.
         // Just ignore it, it may come from some future version of KDE.
diff --git a/kio/kio/slavebase.h b/kio/kio/slavebase.h
index 82370ce56..b6e48d5b6 100644
--- a/kio/kio/slavebase.h
+++ b/kio/kio/slavebase.h
@@ -515,6 +515,12 @@ public:
      */
     virtual void reparseConfiguration();
 
+    /**
+      * For use with for ForwardingSlaveBase
+      * Returns the local URL of the given remote URL if possible
+      * @since R14.0.0
+      */
+    virtual void localURL( const KURL& remoteURL );
 
     /**
      * @return timeout value for connecting to remote host.
diff --git a/kio/kio/slaveinterface.cpp b/kio/kio/slaveinterface.cpp
index 62c64d566..05036cf8a 100644
--- a/kio/kio/slaveinterface.cpp
+++ b/kio/kio/slaveinterface.cpp
@@ -375,6 +375,13 @@ bool SlaveInterface::dispatch( int _cmd, const TQByteArray &rawdata )
         metaData(meta_data);
         break;
     }
+    case INF_LOCALURL: {
+        TQ_INT8 islocal;
+        KURL url;
+        stream >> islocal >> url;
+        emit localURL( url, islocal );
+        break;
+    }
     case MSG_NET_REQUEST: {
         TQString host;
 	TQString slaveid;
diff --git a/kio/kio/slaveinterface.h b/kio/kio/slaveinterface.h
index d5b680f63..9d278adfc 100644
--- a/kio/kio/slaveinterface.h
+++ b/kio/kio/slaveinterface.h
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ class SlaveInterfacePrivate;
    INF_INFOMESSAGE,
    INF_META_DATA,
    INF_NETWORK_STATUS,
-   INF_MESSAGEBOX
+   INF_MESSAGEBOX,
+   INF_LOCALURL
    // add new ones here once a release is done, to avoid breaking binary compatibility
  };
 
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ signals:
     void totalSize( KIO::filesize_t ) ;
     void processedSize( KIO::filesize_t ) ;
     void redirection( const KURL& ) ;
+    void localURL( const KURL&, bool ) ;
 
     void speed( unsigned long ) ;
     void errorPage() ;