2 files changed, 11 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/ChangeLog b/lisp/ChangeLog
index 650348ed7ab..7d083fb7976 100644
--- a/lisp/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2007-05-17  Martin Rudalics  <rudalics@gmx.at>
+
+        * textmodes/ispell.el (ispell-start-process): Defend against bad
+        default-directory.
+
 2007-05-17  Stefan Monnier  <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
 
         * vc-hooks.el (vc-find-root): Stop searching when the user changes.
diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el b/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
index a3c9575d90c..e4b2dd9f040 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
@@ -2483,7 +2483,12 @@ When asynchronous processes are not supported, `run' is always returned."
 (defun ispell-start-process ()
   "Start the ispell process, with support for no asynchronous processes.
 Keeps argument list for future ispell invocations for no async support."
-  (let (args)
+  (let ((default-directory default-directory)
+        args)
+    (unless (and (file-directory-p default-directory)
+                 (file-readable-p default-directory))
+      ;; Defend against bad `default-directory'.
+      (setq default-directory (expand-file-name "~/")))
     ;; Local dictionary becomes the global dictionary in use.
     (setq ispell-current-dictionary
           (or ispell-local-dictionary ispell-dictionary))