diff --git a/lib/widget.js b/lib/widget.js
index 73bb851..f7673e1 100644
--- a/lib/widget.js
+++ b/lib/widget.js
@@ -3936,11 +3936,7 @@ function List(options) {
     options.items.forEach(this.add.bind(this));
   }
 
-  if (this.children.length) {
-    // Will throw if this.parent is not set!
-    // Probably not good to have in a constructor.
-    // this.select(0);
-  }
+  this.select(0);
 
   if (options.mouse) {
     this.screen._listenMouse(this);
@@ -4109,6 +4105,10 @@ List.prototype.appendItem = function(item) {
   this.items.push(item);
   this.append(item);
 
+  if (this.items.length === 1) {
+    this.select(0);
+  }
+
   if (this.mouse) {
     item.on('click', function(data) {
       if (self.items[self.selected] === item) {
@@ -4131,6 +4131,9 @@ List.prototype.removeItem = function(child) {
     child = this.items.splice(i, 1)[0];
     this.ritems.splice(i, 1);
     this.remove(child);
+    if (i === this.selected) {
+      this.select(i - 1);
+    }
   }
 };
 
@@ -4163,7 +4166,12 @@ List.prototype.setItems = function(items) {
 };
 
 List.prototype.select = function(index) {
-  if (!this.items.length) return;
+  if (!this.items.length) {
+    this.selected = 0;
+    this.value = '';
+    this.scrollTo(0);
+    return;
+  }
 
   if (typeof index === 'object') {
     index = this.items.indexOf(index);