diff --git a/dlls/user32/tests/winstation.c b/dlls/user32/tests/winstation.c
index 7f87eb50f7..20d68b28a0 100644
--- a/dlls/user32/tests/winstation.c
+++ b/dlls/user32/tests/winstation.c
@@ -278,7 +278,6 @@ static void test_handles(void)
     SetLastError( 0xdeadbeef );
     d2 = OpenDesktopA( "", 0, TRUE, DESKTOP_ALL_ACCESS );
     ok( !d2, "open mepty desktop succeeded\n" );
-    todo_wine
     ok( GetLastError() == ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE, "wrong error %u\n", GetLastError() );
 
     SetLastError( 0xdeadbeef );
@@ -289,7 +288,6 @@ static void test_handles(void)
     SetLastError( 0xdeadbeef );
     d2 = OpenDesktopA( "foo\\bar", 0, TRUE, DESKTOP_ALL_ACCESS );
     ok( !d2, "open desktop succeeded\n" );
-    todo_wine
     ok( GetLastError() == ERROR_BAD_PATHNAME, "wrong error %u\n", GetLastError() );
 
     d2 = CreateDesktopA( "foobar", NULL, NULL, 0, DESKTOP_ALL_ACCESS, NULL );
diff --git a/server/directory.c b/server/directory.c
index 9b85ac7e12..15ace1e1a1 100644
--- a/server/directory.c
+++ b/server/directory.c
@@ -261,21 +261,7 @@ void *create_named_object_dir( struct directory *root, const struct unicode_str
 void *open_object_dir( struct directory *root, const struct unicode_str *name,
                        unsigned int attr, const struct object_ops *ops )
 {
-    struct unicode_str name_left;
-    struct object *obj;
-
-    if ((obj = find_object_dir( root, name, attr, &name_left )))
-    {
-        if (name_left.len) /* not fully parsed */
-            set_error( STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND );
-        else if (ops && obj->ops != ops)
-            set_error( STATUS_OBJECT_TYPE_MISMATCH );
-        else
-            return obj;
-
-        release_object( obj );
-    }
-    return NULL;
+    return open_named_object( &root->obj, ops, name, attr );
 }
 
 /* retrieve an object type, creating it if needed */
diff --git a/server/object.c b/server/object.c
index c8e799b472..6137c7a17a 100644
--- a/server/object.c
+++ b/server/object.c
@@ -316,6 +316,27 @@ void *create_named_object( struct object *parent, const struct object_ops *ops,
     return new_obj;
 }
 
+/* open a object by name under the specified parent */
+void *open_named_object( struct object *parent, const struct object_ops *ops,
+                         const struct unicode_str *name, unsigned int attributes )
+{
+    struct unicode_str name_left;
+    struct object *obj;
+
+    if ((obj = lookup_named_object( parent, name, attributes, &name_left )))
+    {
+        if (name_left.len) /* not fully parsed */
+            set_error( STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND );
+        else if (ops && obj->ops != ops)
+            set_error( STATUS_OBJECT_TYPE_MISMATCH );
+        else
+            return obj;
+
+        release_object( obj );
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 /* recursive helper for dump_object_name */
 static void dump_name( struct object *obj )
 {
diff --git a/server/object.h b/server/object.h
index 287015e7c6..f51fc71ce8 100644
--- a/server/object.h
+++ b/server/object.h
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ extern void *create_object( struct object *parent, const struct object_ops *ops,
                             const struct unicode_str *name );
 extern void *create_named_object( struct object *parent, const struct object_ops *ops,
                                   const struct unicode_str *name, unsigned int attributes );
+extern void *open_named_object( struct object *parent, const struct object_ops *ops,
+                                const struct unicode_str *name, unsigned int attributes );
 extern void unlink_named_object( struct object *obj );
 extern void make_object_static( struct object *obj );
 extern struct namespace *create_namespace( unsigned int hash_size );
diff --git a/server/winstation.c b/server/winstation.c
index 4131a8291c..6cfbf1dc5d 100644
--- a/server/winstation.c
+++ b/server/winstation.c
@@ -534,13 +534,11 @@ DECL_HANDLER(open_desktop)
 
     if (!winstation) return;
 
-    if ((obj = find_object( winstation->desktop_names, &name, req->attributes )))
+    if ((obj = open_named_object( &winstation->obj, &desktop_ops, &name, req->attributes )))
     {
-        assert( obj->ops == &desktop_ops );
         reply->handle = alloc_handle( current->process, obj, req->access, req->attributes );
         release_object( obj );
     }
-    else set_error( STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND );
 
     release_object( winstation );
 }