diff --git a/xLights/BulkEditControls.cpp b/xLights/BulkEditControls.cpp
index caaf99f78..81a229472 100644
--- a/xLights/BulkEditControls.cpp
+++ b/xLights/BulkEditControls.cpp
@@ -100,12 +100,12 @@ void BulkEditFilePickerCtrl::ValidateControl()
         GetTextCtrl()->SetBackgroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX));
     } else {
         auto file = GetFileName().GetFullPath();
-        if (file.Contains(',')) {
-            GetTextCtrl()->SetBackgroundColour(*wxYELLOW);
-            SetToolTip("File " + file + " contains characters in the path or filename that will cause issues in xLights. Please rename it.");
-        } else if (!FileExists(file)) {
+        if (!FileExists(file)) {
             GetTextCtrl()->SetBackgroundColour(*wxRED);
             SetToolTip("File " + file + " does not exist.");
+        } else if (!file.empty() && !IsXmlSafe(file)) {
+            GetTextCtrl()->SetBackgroundColour(*wxYELLOW);
+            SetToolTip("File " + file + " contains characters in the path or filename that will cause issues in xLights. Please rename it.");
         } else {
             if (GetToolTipText() != "") { // we do this because setting tooltips seems slow
                 SetToolTip("");
diff --git a/xLights/UtilFunctions.cpp b/xLights/UtilFunctions.cpp
index 748492904..fb317d55f 100644
--- a/xLights/UtilFunctions.cpp
+++ b/xLights/UtilFunctions.cpp
@@ -541,6 +541,20 @@ std::string XmlSafe(const std::string& s) {
     return res;
 }
 
+bool IsXmlSafe(const std::string& s) {
+    bool res = true;
+    for (auto c = s.begin(); c != s.end(); ++c) {
+        if ((int)(*c) < 32 || (int)(*c) > 127) {
+            res = false;
+        } else if (*c == ',') {
+            res = false;
+        } else if (*c == '\'') {
+            res = false;
+        }
+    }
+    return res;
+}
+
 // This takes a string and removes all problematic characters from it for an XML file
 std::string RemoveUnsafeXmlChars(const std::string& s) {
     std::string res;
diff --git a/xLights/UtilFunctions.h b/xLights/UtilFunctions.h
index 214da7d17..98e936d00 100644
--- a/xLights/UtilFunctions.h
+++ b/xLights/UtilFunctions.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ bool IsVersionOlder(const std::string &compare, const std::string &version);
 std::string JSONSafe(const std::string& s);
 std::string UnXmlSafe(const std::string &s);
 std::string XmlSafe(const std::string& s);
+bool IsXmlSafe(const std::string& s);
 std::string RemoveUnsafeXmlChars(const std::string& s);
 std::string EscapeCSV(const std::string& s);
 std::string EscapeRegex(const std::string& s);
diff --git a/xLights/effects/PicturesPanel.cpp b/xLights/effects/PicturesPanel.cpp
index 60a697567..b8918b761 100644
--- a/xLights/effects/PicturesPanel.cpp
+++ b/xLights/effects/PicturesPanel.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "EffectPanelUtils.h"
 #include "GIFImage.h"
 #include "../ExternalHooks.h"
+#include "UtilFunctions.h"
 
 //(*IdInit(PicturesPanel)
 const long PicturesPanel::ID_FILEPICKER_Pictures_Filename = wxNewId();
@@ -382,5 +383,15 @@ void PicturesPanel::ValidateWindow()
     CheckBox_LoopGIF->Enable(enable);
     CheckBox_SuppressGIFBackground->Enable(enable);
 
-    FilePickerCtrl1->SetToolTip(wxFileName(FilePickerCtrl1->GetFileName()).GetFullName());
+	auto file = FilePickerCtrl1->GetFileName().GetFullPath();
+	if (!file.empty() && !FileExists(file)) {
+		FilePickerCtrl1->SetBackgroundColour(*wxRED);
+		SetToolTip("File " + file + " does not exist.");
+	} else if (!file.empty() && !IsXmlSafe(file)) {
+		FilePickerCtrl1->SetBackgroundColour(*wxYELLOW);
+		SetToolTip("File " + file + " contains characters in the path or filename that will cause issues in xLights. Please rename it.");
+	} else {
+		FilePickerCtrl1->SetBackgroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX));
+		SetToolTip(file);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/xLights/effects/ShaderPanel.cpp b/xLights/effects/ShaderPanel.cpp
index e0498586d..f64d8287b 100644
--- a/xLights/effects/ShaderPanel.cpp
+++ b/xLights/effects/ShaderPanel.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "../xLightsMain.h"
 #include "../xLightsApp.h"
 #include "../TimingPanel.h"
+#include "UtilFunctions.h"
 
  //(*InternalHeaders(ShaderPanel)
  #include <wx/bitmap.h>
@@ -182,6 +183,17 @@ ShaderPanel::~ShaderPanel()
 
 void ShaderPanel::ValidateWindow()
 {
+    auto file = FilePickerCtrl1->GetFileName().GetFullPath();
+    if (!file.empty() && !FileExists(file)) {
+        FilePickerCtrl1->SetBackgroundColour(*wxRED);
+        SetToolTip("File " + file + " does not exist.");
+    } else if (!file.empty() && !IsXmlSafe(file)) {
+        FilePickerCtrl1->SetBackgroundColour(*wxYELLOW);
+        SetToolTip("File " + file + " contains characters in the path or filename that will cause issues in xLights. Please rename it.");
+    } else {
+        FilePickerCtrl1->SetBackgroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX));
+        SetToolTip(file);
+    }
 }
 
 void ShaderPanel::OnFilePickerCtrl1FileChanged(wxFileDirPickerEvent& event)
@@ -196,6 +208,8 @@ void ShaderPanel::OnFilePickerCtrl1FileChanged(wxFileDirPickerEvent& event)
         return;
     }
 
+    ValidateWindow();
+
     // restore time to defaults
     BitmapButton_Shader_Speed->SetActive(false);
     BitmapButton_Shader_Offset_X->SetActive(false);
diff --git a/xLights/effects/VideoPanel.cpp b/xLights/effects/VideoPanel.cpp
index ce6fc23fc..7a5b7df52 100644
--- a/xLights/effects/VideoPanel.cpp
+++ b/xLights/effects/VideoPanel.cpp
@@ -300,7 +300,6 @@ void VideoPanel::OnFilePicker_Video_FilenameFileChanged(wxFileDirPickerEvent& ev
         Slider_Video_Starttime->SetMax(99999);
         TextCtrl2->SetValue(FORMATTIME(0));
     }
-    FilePicker_Video_Filename->SetToolTip(fn.GetFullName());
 }
 
 void VideoPanel::OnCheckBox_SynchroniseWithAudioClick(wxCommandEvent& event)
@@ -343,6 +342,18 @@ void VideoPanel::ValidateWindow()
         TextCtrl_Video_Speed->Disable();
         BitmapButton_Video_Speed->Disable();
     }
+
+	auto file = FilePicker_Video_Filename->GetFileName().GetFullPath();
+	if (!file.empty() && !FileExists(file)) {
+		FilePicker_Video_Filename->SetBackgroundColour(*wxRED);
+		SetToolTip("File " + file + " does not exist.");
+	} else if (!file.empty() && !IsXmlSafe(file)) {
+		FilePicker_Video_Filename->SetBackgroundColour(*wxYELLOW);
+		SetToolTip("File " + file + " contains characters in the path or filename that will cause issues in xLights. Please rename it.");
+	} else {
+		FilePicker_Video_Filename->SetBackgroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX));
+		SetToolTip(file);
+	}
 }
 
 void VideoPanel::OnChoice_Video_DurationTreatmentSelect(wxCommandEvent& event)