diff --git a/src/list.c b/src/list.c
index 1975bde..9e016f5 100644
--- a/src/list.c
+++ b/src/list.c
@@ -1441,6 +1441,57 @@ list_create_widget (GtkWidget *dlg)
   if (options.list_data.tree_expanded)
     gtk_tree_view_expand_all (GTK_TREE_VIEW (list_view));
 
+  /* pre-select rows if specified */
+  if (options.list_data.select_row && !options.list_data.no_selection)
+    {
+      GtkTreeSelection *sel = gtk_tree_view_get_selection (GTK_TREE_VIEW (list_view));
+      GtkTreeModel *model = gtk_tree_view_get_model (GTK_TREE_VIEW (list_view));
+      gchar **rows = g_strsplit (options.list_data.select_row, ",", -1);
+      gint i;
+      GtkTreePath *first_path = NULL;
+
+      /* block select_action handler during initial selection */
+      if (select_hndl)
+        g_signal_handler_block (G_OBJECT (sel), select_hndl);
+
+      for (i = 0; rows[i]; i++)
+        {
+          gint row_num = atoi (rows[i]);
+          if (row_num > 0)
+            {
+              GtkTreePath *path = gtk_tree_path_new_from_indices (row_num - 1, -1);
+              GtkTreeIter iter;
+
+              if (gtk_tree_model_get_iter (model, &iter, path))
+                {
+                  gtk_tree_selection_select_path (sel, path);
+                  if (!first_path)
+                    first_path = gtk_tree_path_copy (path);
+
+                  /* for single selection, only select first valid row */
+                  if (gtk_tree_selection_get_mode (sel) != GTK_SELECTION_MULTIPLE)
+                    {
+                      gtk_tree_path_free (path);
+                      break;
+                    }
+                }
+              gtk_tree_path_free (path);
+            }
+        }
+
+      /* scroll to first selected row */
+      if (first_path)
+        {
+          gtk_tree_view_scroll_to_cell (GTK_TREE_VIEW (list_view), first_path, NULL, TRUE, 0.5, 0.0);
+          gtk_tree_path_free (first_path);
+        }
+
+      if (select_hndl)
+        g_signal_handler_unblock (G_OBJECT (sel), select_hndl);
+
+      g_strfreev (rows);
+    }
+
   return w;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/option.c b/src/option.c
index 11e48e5..0620daf 100644
--- a/src/option.c
+++ b/src/option.c
@@ -526,6 +526,8 @@ static GOptionEntry list_options[] = {
     N_("Set columns alignment"), N_("STRING") },
   { "header-align", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING, &options.list_data.hdr_align,
     N_("Set headers alignment"), N_("STRING") },
+  { "select-row", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING, &options.list_data.select_row,
+    N_("Pre-select row by number (1-based, comma-separated for multiple)"), N_("ROW[,ROW...]") },
   { NULL }
 };
 
@@ -1885,6 +1887,7 @@ yad_options_init (void)
   options.list_data.header_tips = FALSE;
   options.list_data.col_align = NULL;
   options.list_data.hdr_align = NULL;
+  options.list_data.select_row = NULL;
 
   /* Initialize notebook data */
   options.notebook_data.tabs = NULL;
diff --git a/src/yad.h b/src/yad.h
index 649ba4f..2f6314b 100644
--- a/src/yad.h
+++ b/src/yad.h
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ typedef struct {
   gboolean header_tips;
   gchar *col_align;
   gchar *hdr_align;
+  gchar *select_row;
 } YadListData;
 
 typedef struct {