Use nautilus instead of thunar with desktop folders?

I've installed Nautilus and removed Thunar in a Debian Wheezy XFCE install. I've gone into the settings and set Nautilus as the default application for the file manager under Settings > Preferred Applications > Utilities > File Manager. That worked file as far as getting Nautilus to handle the file manager when opened from the application menu. However, when I try to open folders I have placed on my desktop I get this message:

Failed to execute program /usr/bin/Thunar: Success

I even went into the mimeapps.list file to edit the applications there and the error still persists when I try to open a folder on my desktop.

~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list:

[Added Associations]
x-scheme-handler/file=exo-file-manager.desktop
x-scheme-handler/trash=exo-file-manager.desktop
image/png=mirage.desktop;
audio/mp4=rhythmbox-device.desktop;
image/gif=google-chrome.desktop;
image/jpeg=google-chrome.desktop;
inode/directory=file-roller.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/http=exo-web-browser.desktop
x-scheme-handler/https=exo-web-browser.desktop

[Default Applications]
inode/directory=nautilus.desktop
application=nautilus.desktop

Is there any way to get Nautilus to handle the desktop? Do I have to start using another desktop manager or can I continue to use xfdesktop?