--- gnome-session-2.11.90/gnome-session/main.c
+++ gnome-session-2.11.90/gnome-session/main.c
@@ -391,6 +391,11 @@
   g_free (display_str);
   putenv (ep);
 
+  /* We are in a Gnome session, we want gnome-open to be the default
+   * launching application.
+   */
+  putenv ("DESKTOP_LAUNCH=gnome-open");
+
   ignore (SIGPIPE);
 
   /* Need DISPLAY set */