* net/browse-url.el (browse-url):

Use `unhandled-file-name-directory' when setting `default-directory',
in order to circumvent stalled remote connections.

Fixes: debbugs:17425

lisp/ChangeLog

+2014-05-13  Michael Albinus  <michael.albinus@gmx.de>
+
+	* net/browse-url.el (browse-url):
+	Use `unhandled-file-name-directory' when setting `default-directory',
+	in order to circumvent stalled remote connections.  (Bug#17425)
+
 2014-05-12  Stefan Monnier  <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
 
 	* emacs-lisp/nadvice.el (advice--interactive-form): Don't get fooled
@@ -97,7 +103,7 @@
 	Remove HISTFILE and HISTSIZE; it's too late to set them here.
 	Add :version entry.
 	(tramp-open-shell): Do not let-bind `tramp-end-of-output'.
-	Add "HISTSIZE=/dev/null" to the shell's env arguments.  Do not send
+	Add "HISTFILE=/dev/null" to the shell's env arguments.  Do not send
 	extra "PSx=..." commands.
 	(tramp-maybe-open-connection): Setenv HISTFILE to /dev/null.
 	(Bug#17295)

lisp/net/browse-url.el

@@ -807,15 +807,15 @@ first, if that exists."
   (interactive (browse-url-interactive-arg "URL: "))
   (unless (called-interactively-p 'interactive)
     (setq args (or args (list browse-url-new-window-flag))))
+  (when (and url-handler-mode (not (file-name-absolute-p url)))
+    (setq url (expand-file-name url)))
   (let ((process-environment (copy-sequence process-environment))
 	(function (or (and (string-match "\\`mailto:" url)
 			   browse-url-mailto-function)
 		      browse-url-browser-function))
 	;; Ensure that `default-directory' exists and is readable (b#6077).
-	(default-directory (if (and (file-directory-p default-directory)
-				    (file-readable-p default-directory))
-			       default-directory
-			     (expand-file-name "~/"))))
+	(default-directory (or (unhandled-file-name-directory default-directory)
+			       (expand-file-name "~/"))))
     ;; When connected to various displays, be careful to use the display of
     ;; the currently selected frame, rather than the original start display,
     ;; which may not even exist any more.