@@ -361,6 +361,9 @@ pub struct ZbugsApp {
     /// Scroll to the selected issue once the list has it: after a launch
     /// restores the selection.
     reveal_selected: bool,
+    /// Select the list's first issue once it has rows: a launch with no
+    /// selection to restore (`select_first`).
+    select_first: bool,
     /// The first rows on screen and where they were, to keep them on
     /// screen when rows above them come and go.
     anchor: Vec<(String, usize)>,
@@ -437,7 +440,10 @@ impl ZbugsApp {
             }),
             // On every change, drawn or not: a window that isn't drawing
             // still marks the issue it shows viewed.
-            cx.observe_self(|this, cx| this.mark_viewed(cx)),
+            cx.observe_self(|this, cx| {
+                this.select_first(cx);
+                this.mark_viewed(cx);
+            }),
             // Light or dark, as the system is.
             cx.observe_window_appearance(window, |_, window, cx| {
                 Theme::sync_system_appearance(Some(window), cx)
@@ -498,6 +504,7 @@ impl ZbugsApp {
             detail_focus: cx.focus_handle(),
             checked: None,
             reveal_selected: false,
+            select_first: true,
             anchor: Vec::new(),
             search,
             comment,
@@ -516,6 +523,7 @@ impl ZbugsApp {
         if let Some(id) = saved.and_then(|s| s.selected) {
             app.select(id, cx);
             app.reveal_selected = true;
+            app.select_first = false;
         }
         // Keeps the relative times ("5 minutes ago") current.
         app._tasks.push(cx.spawn(async move |this, cx| {
@@ -1041,6 +1049,28 @@ impl ZbugsApp {
         cx.notify();
     }
 
+    /// With no issue selected at launch, selects the list's first one once
+    /// it has rows, as zbugs-swift does, so the issue column shows one.
+    /// Only the first time: an issue deleted later leaves none selected.
+    fn select_first(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
+        if !self.select_first {
+            return;
+        }
+        let first = self
+            .list
+            .snapshot()
+            .value
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|rows| Some(rows.first()?.id.clone()));
+        let Some(id) = first else {
+            return;
+        };
+        self.select_first = false;
+        if self.selected.is_none() {
+            self.select(id, cx);
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Selects the issue `delta` rows from the selected one, or the first.
     fn move_selection(&mut self, delta: isize, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
         let next = {
 
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 //! a user would through its own controls' handlers, and exits 0 when every
 //! step shows up, or 1 with the step that didn't.
 //!
-//! - `ZBUGS_E2E=online`: lists issues, creates and deletes one, creates
+//! - `ZBUGS_E2E=online`: lists issues and opens the first, creates and deletes one, creates
 //!   two more and deletes them together, creates another, goes to the
 //!   next issue and back with j and k, unsubscribes from it, comments,
 //!   edits and deletes comments, reacts in a skin tone, labels it (with a label it makes
@@ -138,6 +138,11 @@ async fn online(window: AnyWindowHandle, app: &Entity<ZbugsApp>, cx: &mut AsyncA
         app.list.is_synced() && app.count.is_synced() && !rows(app).is_empty()
     })
     .await?;
+    // With no selection saved, the list's first issue opens.
+    until(app, cx, "the list's first issue selected", |app| {
+        app.selected.is_some() && app.selected.as_ref() == rows(app).first().map(|i| &i.id)
+    })
+    .await?;
     let open = app.read_with(cx, |app, _| app.count.snapshot().value.unwrap_or(0));
     shot("1-list");
 
 
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # zbugs-rune against zbugs' backend, end to end: the app runs headless on
-# the wall clock (`--realtime`), steps away from an open issue and back with
+# the wall clock (`--realtime`), opens at the list's first issue with no
+# selection saved, steps away from an open issue and back with
 # the arrow keys, then opens it, comments on it, reacts
 # to it, labels it, closes it, edits the comment, creates a label for it,
 # makes it internal, and unsubscribes from it, pressing its controls as a
@@ -24,7 +25,19 @@ issue=$(sql "select id from issue i where open and not exists
   (select 1 from comment c where c.\"issueID\" = i.id)
   order by length(description), \"shortID\" limit 1")
 
-# First the arrow keys: down twice, up, then k must land back on the issue,
+# With no selection saved, the app opens at the list's first issue (open
+# ones in the zero project, last modified first) and saves it.
+first_issue=$(sql "select i.id from issue i join project p on p.id = i.\"projectID\"
+  where i.open and p.\"lowerCaseName\" = 'zero'
+  order by i.modified desc, i.id collate \"C\" desc limit 1")
+mkdir -p "$out/first"
+echo '{"events": []}' > "$out/first.json"
+ZBUGS_RUNE_DIR="$out/first" cargo run --locked --quiet -- --realtime \
+  --script "$out/first.json" --at 12 --size 1180x760 >/dev/null
+first=$(node -e 'console.log(JSON.parse(require("fs").readFileSync(process.argv[1])).selection)' \
+  "$out/first/settings.json")
+
+# Then the arrow keys: down twice, up, then k must land back on the issue,
 # which the app saves as its selection. Before the view-state reset below,
 # as this run marks the issue viewed.
 mkdir -p "$out/arrows"
@@ -92,6 +105,7 @@ fail=0
 check() {
   if [ "$2" = "$3" ]; then echo "ok: $1"; else echo "FAILED: $1: got '$2', want '$3'"; fail=1; fi
 }
+check "the first issue, with none saved" "$first" "$first_issue"
 check "the arrow keys" "$arrows" "$issue"
 check "the comment, edited" \
   "$(sql "select count(*) from comment where \"issueID\" = '$issue' and body = '$body edited'")" 1
 
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ pub struct App {
     pub checked: Vec<String>,
     /// Scroll the list to the selected issue once it's there (a relaunch).
     reveal_selected: bool,
+    /// Select the list's first issue once it has rows: a launch with no
+    /// selection to restore.
+    select_first: bool,
     pub detail: Option<Issue>,
     pub detail_result: ResultType,
     pub comments: Vec<Comment>,
@@ -276,6 +279,7 @@ impl App {
             select_mode: false,
             checked: Vec::new(),
             reveal_selected: false,
+            select_first: true,
             detail: None,
             detail_result: ResultType::Unknown,
             comments: Vec::new(),
@@ -307,9 +311,11 @@ impl App {
             saved,
         };
         app.restart();
-        // A relaunch opens at the issue it was showing.
+        // A relaunch opens at the issue it was showing, or else at the
+        // list's first (`apply_issues`).
         if let Some(id) = app.saved.selection.clone() {
             app.reveal_selected = true;
+            app.select_first = false;
             app.select(id);
         }
         app
@@ -1135,6 +1141,17 @@ impl App {
 fn apply_issues(s: &mut App, rows: Vec<Issue>, result_type: ResultType, tx: &mut Tx) {
     s.issues = rows;
     s.issues_result = result_type;
+    // With no issue selected at launch, the list's first, as zbugs-swift
+    // does, so the issue column shows one. Only the first time: an issue
+    // deleted later leaves none selected.
+    if s.select_first
+        && let Some(id) = s.issues.first().map(|i| i.id.clone())
+    {
+        s.select_first = false;
+        if s.selected.is_none() {
+            s.select(id);
+        }
+    }
     if s.reveal_selected
         && let Some(id) = &s.selected
         && s.issues.iter().any(|i| &i.id == id)