diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index 7a50e007b9b9..a2a6c7ea2ceb 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ impl Application {
             if first.is_dir() {
                 std::env::set_current_dir(first).context("set current dir")?;
                 editor.new_file(Action::VerticalSplit);
-                let picker = ui::file_picker(".".into(), &config.load().editor);
+                let picker = ui::file_picker(".".into(), None, &config.load().editor);
                 compositor.push(Box::new(overlayed(picker)));
             } else {
                 let nr_of_files = args.files.len();
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 2bac5be08e8d..3a4ac66ededc 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -1839,7 +1839,7 @@ fn make_search_word_bounded(cx: &mut Context) {
 }
 
 fn global_search(cx: &mut Context) {
-    #[derive(Debug)]
+    #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
     struct FileResult {
         path: PathBuf,
         /// 0 indexed lines
@@ -2007,6 +2007,7 @@ fn global_search(cx: &mut Context) {
                     |_editor, FileResult { path, line_num }| {
                         Some((path.clone().into(), Some((*line_num, *line_num))))
                     },
+                    None,
                 );
                 compositor.push(Box::new(overlayed(picker)));
             },
@@ -2286,19 +2287,24 @@ fn file_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
     // We don't specify language markers, root will be the root of the current
     // git repo or the current dir if we're not in a repo
     let root = find_root(None, &[]);
-    let picker = ui::file_picker(root, &cx.editor.config());
+
+    let doc = doc!(cx.editor);
+    let picker = ui::file_picker(root, doc.path().cloned(), &cx.editor.config());
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(overlayed(picker)));
 }
 
 fn file_picker_in_current_directory(cx: &mut Context) {
     let cwd = std::env::current_dir().unwrap_or_else(|_| PathBuf::from("./"));
-    let picker = ui::file_picker(cwd, &cx.editor.config());
+
+    let doc = doc!(cx.editor);
+    let picker = ui::file_picker(cwd, doc.path().cloned(), &cx.editor.config());
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(overlayed(picker)));
 }
 
 fn buffer_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
     let current = view!(cx.editor).doc;
 
+    #[derive(PartialEq)]
     struct BufferMeta {
         id: DocumentId,
         path: Option<PathBuf>,
@@ -2362,11 +2368,13 @@ fn buffer_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
                 .cursor_line(doc.text().slice(..));
             Some((meta.id.into(), Some((line, line))))
         },
+        None,
     );
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(overlayed(picker)));
 }
 
 fn jumplist_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
+    #[derive(PartialEq)]
     struct JumpMeta {
         id: DocumentId,
         path: Option<PathBuf>,
@@ -2444,6 +2452,7 @@ fn jumplist_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
             let line = meta.selection.primary().cursor_line(doc.text().slice(..));
             Some((meta.path.clone()?.into(), Some((line, line))))
         },
+        None,
     );
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(overlayed(picker)));
 }
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/dap.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/dap.rs
index b182f28c4284..cfffea02a3bb 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/dap.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/dap.rs
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ fn thread_picker(
                     ));
                     Some((path.into(), pos))
                 },
+                None,
             );
             compositor.push(Box::new(picker));
         },
@@ -714,6 +715,7 @@ pub fn dap_switch_stack_frame(cx: &mut Context) {
                     )
                 })
         },
+        None,
     );
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(picker))
 }
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/lsp.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/lsp.rs
index 810e3adf1115..3a2debd8cacf 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/lsp.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/lsp.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ struct DiagnosticStyles {
     error: Style,
 }
 
+#[derive(PartialEq)]
 struct PickerDiagnostic {
     url: lsp::Url,
     diag: lsp::Diagnostic,
@@ -241,6 +242,7 @@ fn sym_picker(
             }
         },
         move |_editor, symbol| Some(location_to_file_location(&symbol.location)),
+        None,
     )
     .truncate_start(false)
 }
@@ -304,6 +306,7 @@ fn diag_picker(
             let location = lsp::Location::new(url.clone(), diag.range);
             Some(location_to_file_location(&location))
         },
+        None,
     )
     .truncate_start(false)
 }
@@ -854,6 +857,7 @@ fn goto_impl(
                     jump_to_location(cx.editor, location, offset_encoding, action)
                 },
                 move |_editor, location| Some(location_to_file_location(location)),
+                None,
             );
             compositor.push(Box::new(overlayed(picker)));
         }
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs
index b9c1f9ded2e1..692f00f4b1c6 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/menu.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use fuzzy_matcher::FuzzyMatcher;
 use helix_view::{graphics::Rect, Editor};
 use tui::layout::Constraint;
 
-pub trait Item {
+pub trait Item: PartialEq {
     /// Additional editor state that is used for label calculation.
     type Data;
 
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
index f61c4c450c7d..2d7fce43a2b0 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,11 @@ pub fn regex_prompt(
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(prompt));
 }
 
-pub fn file_picker(root: PathBuf, config: &helix_view::editor::Config) -> FilePicker<PathBuf> {
+pub fn file_picker(
+    root: PathBuf,
+    default_path: Option<PathBuf>,
+    config: &helix_view::editor::Config,
+) -> FilePicker<PathBuf> {
     use ignore::{types::TypesBuilder, WalkBuilder};
     use std::time::Instant;
 
@@ -215,6 +219,12 @@ pub fn file_picker(root: PathBuf, config: &helix_view::editor::Config) -> FilePi
         files.take(MAX).collect()
     };
 
+    // Enforce the correct behavior based on the configuration.
+    let default_path = match default_path {
+        Some(path) if config.file_picker.highlight_current => Some(path),
+        _ => None,
+    };
+
     log::debug!("file_picker init {:?}", Instant::now().duration_since(now));
 
     FilePicker::new(
@@ -231,6 +241,7 @@ pub fn file_picker(root: PathBuf, config: &helix_view::editor::Config) -> FilePi
             }
         },
         |_editor, path| Some((path.clone().into(), None)),
+        default_path,
     )
 }
 
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
index 5e9ca3d887a5..b23ed21e700c 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/picker.rs
@@ -112,9 +112,11 @@ impl<T: Item> FilePicker<T> {
         editor_data: T::Data,
         callback_fn: impl Fn(&mut Context, &T, Action) + 'static,
         preview_fn: impl Fn(&Editor, &T) -> Option<FileLocation> + 'static,
+        initial_cursor: Option<T>,
     ) -> Self {
         let truncate_start = true;
-        let mut picker = Picker::new(options, editor_data, callback_fn);
+        let mut picker =
+            Picker::new(options, editor_data, callback_fn).with_default_item(initial_cursor);
         picker.truncate_start = truncate_start;
 
         Self {
@@ -365,6 +367,7 @@ impl Ord for PickerMatch {
 
 pub struct Picker<T: Item> {
     options: Vec<T>,
+    default_item: Option<T>,
     editor_data: T::Data,
     // filter: String,
     matcher: Box<Matcher>,
@@ -410,7 +413,9 @@ impl<T: Item> Picker<T> {
             show_preview: true,
             callback_fn: Box::new(callback_fn),
             completion_height: 0,
+            default_item: None,
         };
+        picker.cursor = picker.find_default_item_index().unwrap_or(0);
 
         // scoring on empty input:
         // TODO: just reuse score()
@@ -428,6 +433,11 @@ impl<T: Item> Picker<T> {
         picker
     }
 
+    pub fn with_default_item(mut self, default_item: Option<T>) -> Self {
+        self.default_item = default_item;
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn score(&mut self) {
         let now = Instant::now();
 
@@ -437,7 +447,7 @@ impl<T: Item> Picker<T> {
             return;
         }
 
-        if pattern.is_empty() {
+        let cursor = if pattern.is_empty() {
             // Fast path for no pattern.
             self.matches.clear();
             self.matches
@@ -449,6 +459,8 @@ impl<T: Item> Picker<T> {
                         len: text.chars().count(),
                     }
                 }));
+
+            self.find_default_item_index().unwrap_or(0)
         } else if pattern.starts_with(&self.previous_pattern) {
             let query = FuzzyQuery::new(pattern);
             // optimization: if the pattern is a more specific version of the previous one
@@ -468,6 +480,7 @@ impl<T: Item> Picker<T> {
             });
 
             self.matches.sort_unstable();
+            0
         } else {
             let query = FuzzyQuery::new(pattern);
             self.matches.clear();
@@ -488,15 +501,26 @@ impl<T: Item> Picker<T> {
                     }),
             );
             self.matches.sort_unstable();
-        }
+            0
+        };
 
         log::debug!("picker score {:?}", Instant::now().duration_since(now));
 
         // reset cursor position
-        self.cursor = 0;
+        self.cursor = cursor;
         self.previous_pattern.clone_from(pattern);
     }
 
+    fn find_default_item_index(&self) -> Option<usize> {
+        self.default_item
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|default_item| self.find_item_index(default_item))
+    }
+
+    fn find_item_index(&self, item: &T) -> Option<usize> {
+        self.options.iter().position(|option| item.eq(option))
+    }
+
     /// Move the cursor by a number of lines, either down (`Forward`) or up (`Backward`)
     pub fn move_by(&mut self, amount: usize, direction: Direction) {
         let len = self.matches.len();
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index 973cf82ea109..ca8097b30a8e 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ pub struct FilePickerConfig {
     /// WalkBuilder options
     /// Maximum Depth to recurse directories in file picker and global search. Defaults to `None`.
     pub max_depth: Option<usize>,
+    /// FilePicker option
+    /// If set the FilePicker selects the current doc's path by default from the list, if possible.
+    pub highlight_current: bool,
 }
 
 impl Default for FilePickerConfig {
@@ -111,6 +114,7 @@ impl Default for FilePickerConfig {
             git_global: true,
             git_exclude: true,
             max_depth: None,
+            highlight_current: true,
         }
     }
 }