1 files changed, 9 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/etags.el b/lisp/progmodes/etags.el
index acd9c3a995a..cf21fa2e2b4 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/etags.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/etags.el
@@ -369,7 +369,15 @@ Returns t if it visits a tags table, or nil if there are no more in the list."
                      (not (tags-table-list-member tags-file-name))
                      tags-file-name)
                 ;; Fifth, use the user variable giving the table list.
-                (car tags-table-list)
+                ;; Find the first element of the list that actually exists.
+                (let ((list tags-table-list)
+                      file)
+                  (while (and list
+                              (setq file (tags-expand-table-name (car list)))
+                              (not (get-file-buffer file))
+                              (not (file-exists-p file)))
+                    (setq list (cdr list)))
+                  (car list))
                 ;; Finally, prompt the user for a file name.
                 (expand-file-name
                  (read-file-name "Visit tags table: (default TAGS) "