diff --git a/src/emu/ui/filesel.cpp b/src/emu/ui/filesel.cpp
index 18555c4809b..ec8d4c2ea22 100644
--- a/src/emu/ui/filesel.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/ui/filesel.cpp
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ void ui_menu_file_selector::handle()
 				// from current entry to the end
 				for (entry = cur_selected; entry != nullptr; entry = entry->next)
 				{
-					if (entry->basename != nullptr && m_filename_buffer != nullptr)
+					if (entry->basename != nullptr && m_filename_buffer[0] != '\0')
 					{
 						int match = 0;
 						for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_LENGTH(m_filename_buffer); i++)
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ void ui_menu_file_selector::handle()
 				// and from the first entry to current one
 				for (entry = m_entrylist; entry != cur_selected; entry = entry->next)
 				{
-					if (entry->basename != nullptr && m_filename_buffer != nullptr)
+					if (entry->basename != nullptr && m_filename_buffer[0] != '\0')
 					{
 						int match = 0;
 						for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_LENGTH(m_filename_buffer); i++)
diff --git a/src/emu/ui/menu.cpp b/src/emu/ui/menu.cpp
index f6154c41638..56c41062afd 100644
--- a/src/emu/ui/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/ui/menu.cpp
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ void ui_menu::draw(bool customonly, bool noimage, bool noinput)
 		machine().ui().draw_outlined_box(container, x1, y1, x2, y2, UI_BACKGROUND_COLOR);
 
 	// determine the first visible line based on the current selection
-	if (selected > top_line + visible_lines)
+	if (selected > top_line + visible_lines || selected < top_line - visible_lines)
 		top_line = selected - (visible_lines / 2);
 	if (top_line < 0 || selected == 0)
 		top_line = 0;