diff --git a/build/groovy/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/MacDistributionBuilder.groovy b/build/groovy/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/MacDistributionBuilder.groovy
index f9656ec2fc24..39f043ed2ceb 100644
--- a/build/groovy/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/MacDistributionBuilder.groovy
+++ b/build/groovy/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/MacDistributionBuilder.groovy
@@ -309,6 +309,7 @@ class MacDistributionBuilder {
        "java.endorsed.dirs"                    : "",
        "idea.smooth.progress"                  : "false",
        "apple.laf.useScreenMenuBar"            : "true",
+       "apple.awt.fileDialogForDirectories"    : "true",
        "apple.awt.graphics.UseQuartz"          : "true",
        "apple.awt.fullscreencapturealldisplays": "false"]
     if (buildContext.productProperties.platformPrefix != null) {
diff --git a/build/scripts/utils.gant b/build/scripts/utils.gant
index 6f154c16a638..99be254d31be 100644
--- a/build/scripts/utils.gant
+++ b/build/scripts/utils.gant
@@ -814,6 +814,7 @@ private Map readIdeaProperties(Map args) {
                            "java.endorsed.dirs": "",
                            "idea.smooth.progress": "false",
                            "apple.laf.useScreenMenuBar": "true",
+                           "apple.awt.fileDialogForDirectories": "true",
                            "apple.awt.graphics.UseQuartz": "true",
                            "apple.awt.fullscreencapturealldisplays": "false"]
   if (args.platform_prefix != null) {
diff --git a/plugins/devkit/src/run/PluginRunConfiguration.java b/plugins/devkit/src/run/PluginRunConfiguration.java
index d9bdc0ad0c40..c64bf99f13e7 100644
--- a/plugins/devkit/src/run/PluginRunConfiguration.java
+++ b/plugins/devkit/src/run/PluginRunConfiguration.java
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ public class PluginRunConfiguration extends RunConfigurationBase implements Modu
         if (SystemInfo.isMac) {
           vm.defineProperty("idea.smooth.progress", "false");
           vm.defineProperty("apple.laf.useScreenMenuBar", "true");
+          vm.defineProperty("apple.awt.fileDialogForDirectories", "true");
         }
 
         if (SystemInfo.isXWindow) {