Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MainApplication.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MainApplication.java	(revision 11508)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MainApplication.java	(revision 11509)
@@ -283,5 +283,5 @@
             for (String i : args.get(Option.LOAD_PREFERENCES)) {
                 info("Reading preferences from " + i);
-                try (InputStream is = HttpClient.create(new URL(i)).connect().getContent()) {
+                try (InputStream is = openStream(new URL(i))) {
                     config.openAndReadXML(is);
                 } catch (IOException ex) {
@@ -382,4 +382,12 @@
             info("Enabled EDT checker, wrongful access to gui from non EDT thread will be printed to console");
             RepaintManager.setCurrentManager(new CheckThreadViolationRepaintManager());
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static InputStream openStream(URL url) throws IOException {
+        if ("file".equals(url.getProtocol())) {
+            return url.openStream();
+        } else {
+            return HttpClient.create(url).connect().getContent();
         }
     }