diff --git a/R/launch_editor.R b/R/launch_editor.R
index 5da66e708..ae1e20caf 100644
--- a/R/launch_editor.R
+++ b/R/launch_editor.R
@@ -71,9 +71,15 @@ launch_editor <- function(app_loc,
   # "editing-app". This is used to know what to do on close
   server_mode <- "initializing"
 
+  # Validate that we're pointing to a directory. If the user has supplied a
+  # direct file. E.g. a app.R or app.py file we should back up the app loc to
+  # the parent location
+  app_loc <- validateAppLoc(app_loc)
+  
   # Type of app we're in. Can be "SINGLE-FILE", "MULTI-FILE", or "MISSING"
   app_type <- get_app_file_type(app_loc)
 
+
   # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   # Initialize classes for controling app preview and polling for updates
   # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/R/validateAppLoc.R b/R/validateAppLoc.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd15d0cd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/validateAppLoc.R
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Validate that we're pointing to a directory. If the user has supplied a
+# direct file. E.g. a app.R or app.py file we should back up the app loc to
+# the parent location
+validateAppLoc <- function(loc) {
+
+    # If the file ends in app.R or ui.R or server.R we should back up the
+    # location to the parent directory
+    if (fs::path_ext(loc) %in% "R") {
+        loc <- fs::path_dir(loc)
+    }
+
+    loc
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scratch/start_editor_non_interactive.R b/scratch/start_editor_non_interactive.R
index 796a72025..f1e223676 100644
--- a/scratch/start_editor_non_interactive.R
+++ b/scratch/start_editor_non_interactive.R
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 devtools::load_all(".")
 
 launch_editor(
-  app_loc =  here::here("scratch/a-brand-new-app3/"),
+  app_loc =  here::here("scratch/a-brand-new-app3"),
   port = 8888,
-  launch_browser = FALSE,
-  stop_on_browser_close = FALSE
+  # launch_browser = FALSE,
+  # stop_on_browser_close = FALSE
 )
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-app-location-validation.R b/tests/testthat/test-app-location-validation.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..32430416b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-app-location-validation.R
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+test_that("Handles being passed path directly to app script, or to folder container app", {
+  
+  expect_equal(
+    validateAppLoc("my/app/loc/app.R"),
+    validateAppLoc("my/app/loc")
+  )
+  
+  expect_equal(
+    validateAppLoc("my/app/loc/ui.R"),
+    validateAppLoc("my/app/loc")
+  )
+})
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-serialize_ast.R b/tests/testthat/test-serialize_ast.R
deleted file mode 100644
index ef3703276..000000000
--- a/tests/testthat/test-serialize_ast.R
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,39 +0,0 @@
-
-test_that("Can fill in unnamed named arguments", {
-  ui_expr <- rlang::expr({
-    library(gridlayout)
-    grid_card_text("myArea", content = "B")
-  })
-
-  serialized <- serialize_ast(ui_expr)
-
-  grid_card_name_arg <- serialized[[3]]$val[[2]]
-  expect_equal(
-    grid_card_name_arg$name,
-    "area"
-  )
-  expect_equal(
-    grid_card_name_arg$val,
-    "myArea"
-  )
-})
-
-
-test_that("Can handle functions declared in scope. E.g. reactives.", {
-  expr_with_fn_declaration <- rlang::expr({
-    my_fn <- function(name) paste("hello", name)
-    my_fn("shiny")
-  })
-
-  serialized <- serialize_ast(expr_with_fn_declaration)
-
-  my_fn_call <- serialized[[3]]
-
-  expect_equal(
-    my_fn_call$val,
-    list(
-      list(val = "my_fn", type = "s"),
-      list(val = "shiny", type = "c")
-    )
-  )
-})