diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-window.c b/mousepad/mousepad-window.c
index e73cccb..ab8658b 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-window.c
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-window.c
@@ -2426,7 +2426,7 @@ mousepad_window_menu_templates (GtkWidget      *item,
 {
   GtkWidget   *submenu;
   const gchar *homedir;
-  gchar       *templates_path;
+  const gchar *templates_path;
 
   g_return_if_fail (MOUSEPAD_IS_WINDOW (window));
   g_return_if_fail (GTK_IS_MENU_ITEM (item));
@@ -2434,13 +2434,19 @@ mousepad_window_menu_templates (GtkWidget      *item,
   /* schedule the idle build of the recent menu */
   mousepad_window_recent_menu (window);
 
-  /* get the home directory */
-  homedir = g_getenv ("HOME");
-  if (G_UNLIKELY (homedir == NULL))
-    homedir = g_get_home_dir ();
-
   /* get the templates path */
-  templates_path = g_build_filename (homedir, "Templates", NULL);
+  templates_path = g_get_user_special_dir (G_USER_DIRECTORY_TEMPLATES);
+
+  /* check if the the template directory is valid */
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (templates_path == NULL))
+    {
+      /* if not, fallback to "~/Templates" */
+      homedir = g_getenv ("HOME");
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (homedir == NULL))
+        homedir = g_get_home_dir ();
+
+      templates_path = g_build_filename (homedir, "Templates", NULL);
+    }
 
   /* check if the directory exists */
   if (g_file_test (templates_path, G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
@@ -2464,9 +2470,6 @@ mousepad_window_menu_templates (GtkWidget      *item,
       /* hide the templates menu item */
       gtk_widget_hide (item);
     }
-
-  /* cleanup */
-  g_free (templates_path);
 }