diff --git a/browser/main/NoteList/index.js b/browser/main/NoteList/index.js
index d6b7f846..3c32dc11 100644
--- a/browser/main/NoteList/index.js
+++ b/browser/main/NoteList/index.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types'
 import React from 'react'
 import CSSModules from 'browser/lib/CSSModules'
+import debounceRender from 'react-debounce-render'
 import styles from './NoteList.styl'
 import moment from 'moment'
 import _ from 'lodash'
@@ -947,16 +948,24 @@ class NoteList extends React.Component {
     })
 
     const viewType = this.getViewType()
+    
+    const autoSelectFirst = notes.length === 1 
+      || selectedNoteKeys.length === 0
+      || notes.every( note => !selectedNoteKeys.includes(note.key))
 
     const noteList = notes
-      .map(note => {
+      .map( (note, index) => {
         if (note == null) {
           return null
         }
 
         const isDefault = config.listStyle === 'DEFAULT'
         const uniqueKey = getNoteKey(note)
-        const isActive = selectedNoteKeys.includes(uniqueKey)
+
+        const isActive = 
+          selectedNoteKeys.includes(uniqueKey) 
+          || notes.length === 1
+          || (autoSelectFirst && index === 0)
         const dateDisplay = moment(
           config.sortBy === 'CREATED_AT'
             ? note.createdAt : note.updatedAt
@@ -1058,4 +1067,4 @@ NoteList.propTypes = {
   })
 }
 
-export default CSSModules(NoteList, styles)
+export default debounceRender(CSSModules(NoteList, styles))
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0617900b..187f8603 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@
     "raphael": "^2.2.7",
     "react": "^15.5.4",
     "react-codemirror": "^0.3.0",
+    "react-debounce-render": "^4.0.1",
     "react-dom": "^15.0.2",
     "react-redux": "^4.4.5",
     "react-sortable-hoc": "^0.6.7",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 6659d9ac..23ba4c45 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # THIS IS AN AUTOGENERATED FILE. DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE DIRECTLY.
 # yarn lockfile v1
 
+
 "@ava/babel-plugin-throws-helper@^2.0.0":
   version "2.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@ava/babel-plugin-throws-helper/-/babel-plugin-throws-helper-2.0.0.tgz#2fc1fe3c211a71071a4eca7b8f7af5842cd1ae7c"
@@ -6891,6 +6892,12 @@ react-css-modules@^3.7.6:
     lodash "^4.6.1"
     object-unfreeze "^1.0.2"
 
+react-debounce-render@^4.0.1:
+  version "4.0.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/react-debounce-render/-/react-debounce-render-4.0.1.tgz#3a1814f67eca17e91d3101799805a7a4e2128a84"
+  dependencies:
+    lodash "^4.17.4"
+
 react-deep-force-update@^1.0.0:
   version "1.1.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/react-deep-force-update/-/react-deep-force-update-1.1.1.tgz#bcd31478027b64b3339f108921ab520b4313dc2c"