diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index 61ff696790..a71930021e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ __copyright__ = '2008, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>'
 """ The GUI """
 import os, sys, Queue, threading, glob
 from contextlib import contextmanager
-from threading import RLock, Lock
+from threading import RLock, Lock, Thread
 from urllib import unquote
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QStyle  # Gives a nicer error message than import from Qt
 from PyQt5.Qt import (
@@ -1140,6 +1140,15 @@ def open_local_file(path):
     if iswindows:
         with sanitize_env_vars():
             os.startfile(os.path.normpath(path))
+    elif islinux or isbsd:
+        import subprocess
+        if isinstance(path, unicode):
+            path = path.encode(filesystem_encoding)
+        with sanitize_env_vars():
+            p = subprocess.Popen(['xdg-open', path])
+        t = Thread(name='WaitXDGOpen', target=p.wait)
+        t.daemon = True
+        t.start()
     else:
         url = QUrl.fromLocalFile(path)
         open_url(url)