Index: thunar-renamer-dialog.c
===================================================================
--- thunar-renamer-dialog.c	(revision 24111)
+++ thunar-renamer-dialog.c	(working copy)
@@ -1235,11 +1235,12 @@
   if (G_LIKELY (g_list_length (renamer_dialog->selected_files) == 1))
     {
       /* popup the properties dialog */
-      dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_new ();
+      dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_get ();
       gtk_window_set_modal (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), TRUE);
       gtk_window_set_destroy_with_parent (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), TRUE);
       gtk_window_set_transient_for (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), GTK_WINDOW (renamer_dialog));
       thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (dialog), renamer_dialog->selected_files->data);
+      gtk_window_present (GTK_WINDOW (dialog));
       gtk_widget_show (dialog);
     }
 }
Index: thunar-properties-dialog.c
===================================================================
--- thunar-properties-dialog.c	(revision 24111)
+++ thunar-properties-dialog.c	(working copy)
@@ -88,9 +88,10 @@
 static void     thunar_properties_dialog_update_providers     (ThunarPropertiesDialog      *dialog);
 static gboolean thunar_properties_dialog_rename_idle          (gpointer                     user_data);
 static void     thunar_properties_dialog_rename_idle_destroy  (gpointer                     user_data);
+static void     thunar_properties_dialog_nullify              (GtkWidget                   *dialog,
+                                                               GtkWidget                  **dialog_ptr);
 
 
-
 struct _ThunarPropertiesDialogClass
 {
   ThunarAbstractDialogClass __parent__;
@@ -1011,9 +1012,16 @@
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * Eww. Globals. Still, this is the only way to get both a
+ * "thunar_properties_dialog_get" and a coexisting 
+ * "thunar_properties_dialog_get_if_exists" function.
+ * So we have a global.
+ **/
+static GtkWidget *_singleton_dialog = NULL;
 
 /**
- * thunar_properties_dialog_new:
+ * thunar_properties_dialog_get:
  *
  * Allocates a new #ThunarPropertiesDialog instance,
  * that is not associated with any #ThunarFile.
@@ -1022,13 +1030,42 @@
  *               instance.
  **/
 GtkWidget*
-thunar_properties_dialog_new (void)
+thunar_properties_dialog_get (void)
 {
-  return g_object_new (THUNAR_TYPE_PROPERTIES_DIALOG, NULL);
+  /* if we haven't created the dialog, or  we've already destroyed it, create it. */
+  if (_singleton_dialog == NULL)
+    {
+      _singleton_dialog = g_object_new (THUNAR_TYPE_PROPERTIES_DIALOG, NULL);
+      /*connect a callback to nullify dialog on destroy */
+      g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(_singleton_dialog), "destroy", G_CALLBACK(thunar_properties_dialog_nullify), &_singleton_dialog);
+    }
+  return _singleton_dialog;
 }
 
+/**
+ * thunar_properties_dialog_get_if_exists:
+ *
+ * Return Value: a new #ThunarPropertiesDialog if 
+ *               one currently exists on the screen.
+ *               returns %NULL if there is no dialog
+ *               visible to the user.
+ **/
+GtkWidget*
+thunar_properties_dialog_get_if_exists (void)
+{
+  return _singleton_dialog;
+}
 
+/* callback for thunar_properties_dialog_get to nullify the singleton on destroy */
+static void
+thunar_properties_dialog_nullify(GtkWidget *dialog,  GtkWidget **dialog_ptr)
+{
+  _thunar_return_if_fail(THUNAR_IS_PROPERTIES_DIALOG(*dialog_ptr));
 
+  *dialog_ptr = NULL;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * thunar_properties_dialog_get_file:
  * @dialog : a #ThunarPropertiesDialog.
Index: thunar-properties-dialog.h
===================================================================
--- thunar-properties-dialog.h	(revision 24111)
+++ thunar-properties-dialog.h	(working copy)
@@ -34,14 +34,14 @@
 #define THUNAR_IS_PROPERTIES_DIALOG_CLASS(klass)  (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE ((klass), THUNAR_TYPE_PROPERTIES_DIALOG))
 #define THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG_GET_CLASS(obj)   (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_CLASS ((obj), THUNAR_TYPE_PROPERTIES_DIALOG, ThunarPropertiesDialog))
 
-GType       thunar_properties_dialog_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
+GType       thunar_properties_dialog_get_type       (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-GtkWidget  *thunar_properties_dialog_new      (void);
+GtkWidget  *thunar_properties_dialog_get            (void);
+GtkWidget  *thunar_properties_dialog_get_if_exists  (void);
+ThunarFile *thunar_properties_dialog_get_file       (ThunarPropertiesDialog *dialog);
+void        thunar_properties_dialog_set_file       (ThunarPropertiesDialog *dialog,  
+                                                     ThunarFile             *file);
 
-ThunarFile *thunar_properties_dialog_get_file (ThunarPropertiesDialog *dialog);
-void        thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (ThunarPropertiesDialog *dialog,  
-                                               ThunarFile             *file);
-
 G_END_DECLS;
 
 #endif /* !__THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG_H__ */
Index: thunar-standard-view.c
===================================================================
--- thunar-standard-view.c	(revision 24111)
+++ thunar-standard-view.c	(working copy)
@@ -1934,12 +1934,12 @@
       toplevel = gtk_widget_get_toplevel (GTK_WIDGET (standard_view));
       if (G_LIKELY (toplevel != NULL))
         {
-          dialog = g_object_new (THUNAR_TYPE_PROPERTIES_DIALOG,
-                                 "destroy-with-parent", TRUE,
-                                 "file", file,
-                                 NULL);
+          dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_get ();
+          gtk_window_set_destroy_with_parent (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), TRUE);
+          thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (dialog), file);
           gtk_window_set_transient_for (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), GTK_WINDOW (toplevel));
           gtk_widget_show (dialog);
+          gtk_window_present (GTK_WINDOW (dialog));
         }
     }
 }
@@ -3272,6 +3272,7 @@
 thunar_standard_view_selection_changed (ThunarStandardView *standard_view)
 {
   GtkTreeIter iter;
+  GtkWidget  *prop_dialog;
   ThunarFile *current_directory;
   gboolean    can_paste_into_folder;
   gboolean    restorable;
@@ -3340,6 +3341,34 @@
   /* update the "Properties" action */
   gtk_action_set_sensitive (standard_view->priv->action_properties, (n_selected_files == 1 || (n_selected_files == 0 && current_directory != NULL)));
 
+  /* update the contents of the properties dialog if needed */
+  prop_dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_get_if_exists ();
+  if (prop_dialog != NULL && G_LIKELY(current_directory != NULL))
+    {
+      /* set the dialog to be associated with the window we got the action in */
+      toplevel = gtk_widget_get_toplevel (GTK_WIDGET (standard_view));
+      if (G_LIKELY (toplevel != NULL && GTK_WIDGET_TOPLEVEL (toplevel)))
+        {
+          gtk_window_set_destroy_with_parent (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), TRUE);
+          gtk_window_set_transient_for (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), GTK_WINDOW (toplevel));
+        }
+
+      /* set the file in the properties dialog */
+      if (n_selected_files == 1)
+        {
+          thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (prop_dialog), selected_files->data);
+        }
+      else if (n_selected_files == 0 && current_directory != NULL)
+        {
+          thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (prop_dialog), current_directory);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (prop_dialog), NULL);
+        }
+      thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (dialog), directory);
+    }
+
   /* update the "Cut" action */
   g_object_set (G_OBJECT (standard_view->priv->action_cut),
                 "sensitive", (n_selected_files > 0) && writable,
Index: thunar-dbus-service.c
===================================================================
--- thunar-dbus-service.c	(revision 24111)
+++ thunar-dbus-service.c	(working copy)
@@ -446,10 +446,11 @@
     return FALSE;
 
   /* popup the file properties dialog */
-  dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_new ();
+  dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_get ();
   gtk_window_set_screen (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), screen);
   thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (dialog), file);
   gtk_widget_show (dialog);
+  gtk_window_present (GTK_WINDOW (dialog));  
 
   /* let the application take control over the dialog */
   application = thunar_application_get ();
Index: thunar-location-buttons.c
===================================================================
--- thunar-location-buttons.c	(revision 24111)
+++ thunar-location-buttons.c	(working copy)
@@ -1492,10 +1492,11 @@
       if (G_LIKELY (toplevel != NULL && GTK_WIDGET_TOPLEVEL (toplevel)))
         {
           /* popup the properties dialog */
-          dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_new ();
+          dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_get ();
           gtk_window_set_destroy_with_parent (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), TRUE);
           thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (dialog), directory);
           gtk_window_set_transient_for (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), GTK_WINDOW (toplevel));
+          gtk_window_present (GTK_WINDOW (dialog));
           gtk_widget_show (dialog);
         }
     }
Index: thunar-tree-view.c
===================================================================
--- thunar-tree-view.c	(revision 24111)
+++ thunar-tree-view.c	(working copy)
@@ -1701,10 +1701,11 @@
       if (G_LIKELY (toplevel != NULL && GTK_WIDGET_TOPLEVEL (toplevel)))
         {
           /* popup the properties dialog */
-          dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_new ();
+          dialog = thunar_properties_dialog_get ();
           gtk_window_set_destroy_with_parent (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), TRUE);
           thunar_properties_dialog_set_file (THUNAR_PROPERTIES_DIALOG (dialog), file);
           gtk_window_set_transient_for (GTK_WINDOW (dialog), GTK_WINDOW (toplevel));
+          gtk_window_present (GTK_WINDOW (dialog));
           gtk_widget_show (dialog);
         }