diff --git a/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareBranches.html b/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareBranches.html
index 890f17c5..bd34590b 100644
--- a/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareBranches.html
+++ b/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareBranches.html
@@ -9,9 +9,19 @@
                 class="p-1 border border-gray-200 bg-white dark:bg-gray-700 dark:text-white dark:border-gray-600"
             >
                 <option disabled selected>source branch</option>
+
+                {{ $recent := index .Branches 0 }}
                 {{ range .Branches }}
-                    <option value="{{ .Reference.Name }}" class="py-1">
+                    {{ $isRecent := eq .Reference.Name $recent.Reference.Name }}
+                    <option
+                        value="{{ .Reference.Name }}"
+                        {{ if $isRecent }}
+                            selected
+                        {{ end }}
+                        class="py-1"
+                    >
                         {{ .Reference.Name }}
+                        {{ if $isRecent }}(new){{ end }}
                     </option>
                 {{ end }}
             </select>
diff --git a/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareForksBranches.html b/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareForksBranches.html
index d2dc3bb8..cc426f5f 100644
--- a/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareForksBranches.html
+++ b/appview/pages/templates/repo/pulls/fragments/pullCompareForksBranches.html
@@ -5,9 +5,19 @@
             class="p-1 border border-gray-200 bg-white dark:bg-gray-700 dark:text-white dark:border-gray-600"
         >
             <option disabled selected>source branch</option>
+
+            {{ $recent := index .SourceBranches 0 }}
             {{ range .SourceBranches }}
-                <option value="{{ .Reference.Name }}" class="py-1">
+                {{ $isRecent := eq .Reference.Name $recent.Reference.Name }}
+                <option
+                    value="{{ .Reference.Name }}"
+                    {{ if $isRecent }}
+                        selected
+                    {{ end }}
+                    class="py-1"
+                >
                     {{ .Reference.Name }}
+                    {{ if $isRecent }}(new){{ end }}
                 </option>
             {{ end }}
         </select>
diff --git a/appview/state/pull.go b/appview/state/pull.go
index 6bb2ac27..bee6a774 100644
--- a/appview/state/pull.go
+++ b/appview/state/pull.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
+	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
@@ -991,9 +992,22 @@ func (s *State) CompareBranchesFragment(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 		return
 	}
 
+	branches := result.Branches
+	sort.Slice(branches, func(i int, j int) bool {
+		return branches[i].Commit.Committer.When.After(branches[j].Commit.Committer.When)
+	})
+
+	withoutDefault := []types.Branch{}
+	for _, b := range branches {
+		if b.IsDefault {
+			continue
+		}
+		withoutDefault = append(withoutDefault, b)
+	}
+
 	s.pages.PullCompareBranchesFragment(w, pages.PullCompareBranchesParams{
 		RepoInfo: f.RepoInfo(s, user),
-		Branches: result.Branches,
+		Branches: withoutDefault,
 	})
 }
 
@@ -1089,6 +1103,11 @@ func (s *State) CompareForksBranchesFragment(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 		return
 	}
 
+	sourceBranches := sourceResult.Branches
+	sort.Slice(sourceBranches, func(i int, j int) bool {
+		return sourceBranches[i].Commit.Committer.When.After(sourceBranches[j].Commit.Committer.When)
+	})
+
 	s.pages.PullCompareForkBranchesFragment(w, pages.PullCompareForkBranchesParams{
 		RepoInfo:       f.RepoInfo(s, user),
 		SourceBranches: sourceResult.Branches,