diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list.html
index 8c0b796967..a966ea8ed4 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/gr-change-list.html
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ limitations under the License.
         <div class="groupHeader">[[_groupTitle(groupIndex)]]</div>
       </template>
       <template is="dom-repeat" items="[[changeGroup]]" as="change">
-        <gr-change-list-item change="[[change]]"
-            selected="[[_isSelected(groupIndex, index)]]"></gr-change-list-item>
+        <gr-change-list-item change="[[change]]"></gr-change-list-item>
       </template>
     </template>
   </template>
@@ -118,10 +117,6 @@ limitations under the License.
         'j k o enter': '_handleKey',
       },
 
-      _isSelected: function(groupIndex, index) {
-        return index == this.selectedIndex;
-      },
-
       _changesChanged: function(changes) {
         this.groups = [changes];
       },
@@ -139,6 +134,13 @@ limitations under the License.
             }
           }
         }
+
+        // Allow for the elements to render before resetting the selectedIndex.
+        this.async(function() {
+          // Setting the property would have no effect if the index is 0 (e.g.
+          // at element init) so call the observer directly.
+          this._selectedIndexChanged(0);
+        }.bind(this), 1);
       },
 
       _groupTitle: function(groupIndex) {
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/test/gr-change-list-test.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/test/gr-change-list-test.html
index d713368659..3bcf4b59a0 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/test/gr-change-list-test.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/test/gr-change-list-test.html
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ limitations under the License.
       element = fixture('basic');
     });
 
-    test('keyboard shortcuts', function() {
+    test('keyboard shortcuts', function(done) {
       element.changes = [
         {_number: 0},
         {_number: 1},
@@ -60,28 +60,32 @@ limitations under the License.
       assert.equal(elementItems.length, 3);
       assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 0);
 
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 74);  // 'j'
-      assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 1);
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 74);  // 'j'
+      element.async(function() {
+        assert.isTrue(elementItems[0].selected);
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 74);  // 'j'
+        assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 1);
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 74);  // 'j'
 
-      var showStub = sinon.stub(page, 'show');
-      assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 2);
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 13);  // 'enter'
-      assert(showStub.lastCall.calledWithExactly('/c/2/'),
-          'Should navigate to /c/2/');
+        var showStub = sinon.stub(page, 'show');
+        assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 2);
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 13);  // 'enter'
+        assert(showStub.lastCall.calledWithExactly('/c/2/'),
+            'Should navigate to /c/2/');
 
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
-      assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 1);
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 13);  // 'enter'
-      assert(showStub.lastCall.calledWithExactly('/c/1/'),
-          'Should navigate to /c/1/');
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
+        assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 1);
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 13);  // 'enter'
+        assert(showStub.lastCall.calledWithExactly('/c/1/'),
+            'Should navigate to /c/1/');
 
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
-      MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
-      assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 0);
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
+        MockInteractions.pressAndReleaseKeyOn(element, 75);  // 'k'
+        assert.equal(element.selectedIndex, 0);
 
-      showStub.restore();
+        showStub.restore();
+        done()
+      }, 1);
     });
 
   });