diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitBranchOperation.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitBranchOperation.java
index 456f6922f096..99a5a01bf2e7 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitBranchOperation.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitBranchOperation.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import com.intellij.util.Function;
 import com.intellij.util.ui.UIUtil;
 import git4idea.*;
 import git4idea.commands.GitMessageWithFilesDetector;
+import git4idea.config.GitVcsSettings;
 import git4idea.merge.GitConflictResolver;
 import git4idea.repo.GitRepository;
 import git4idea.util.UntrackedFilesNotifier;
@@ -59,18 +60,22 @@ abstract class GitBranchOperation {
 
   @NotNull protected final Project myProject;
   @NotNull private final Collection<GitRepository> myRepositories;
+  @NotNull private final String myCurrentBranchOrRev;
   @NotNull private final ProgressIndicator myIndicator;
+  private final GitVcsSettings mySettings;
 
   @NotNull private final Collection<GitRepository> mySuccessfulRepositories;
   @NotNull private final Collection<GitRepository> myRemainingRepositories;
 
   protected GitBranchOperation(@NotNull Project project, @NotNull Collection<GitRepository> repositories,
-                               @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
+                               @NotNull String currentBranchOrRev, @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
     myProject = project;
     myRepositories = repositories;
+    myCurrentBranchOrRev = currentBranchOrRev;
     myIndicator = indicator;
     mySuccessfulRepositories = new ArrayList<GitRepository>();
     myRemainingRepositories = new ArrayList<GitRepository>(myRepositories);
+    mySettings = GitVcsSettings.getInstance(myProject);
   }
 
   protected abstract void execute();
@@ -242,6 +247,20 @@ abstract class GitBranchOperation {
     return pluralize("repository", getSuccessfulRepositories().size());
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Updates the recently visited branch in the settings.
+   * This is to be performed after successful checkout operation.
+   */
+  protected void updateRecentBranch() {
+    if (getRepositories().size() == 1) {
+      GitRepository repository = myRepositories.iterator().next();
+      mySettings.setRecentBranchOfRepository(repository.getRoot().getPath(), myCurrentBranchOrRev);
+    }
+    else {
+      mySettings.setRecentCommonBranch(myCurrentBranchOrRev);
+    }
+  }
+
   private void showUnmergedFilesDialogWithRollback() {
     final AtomicBoolean ok = new AtomicBoolean();
     UIUtil.invokeAndWaitIfNeeded(new Runnable() {
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutNewBranchOperation.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutNewBranchOperation.java
index 27f135bac9a3..553277e329f4 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutNewBranchOperation.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutNewBranchOperation.java
@@ -44,9 +44,8 @@ class GitCheckoutNewBranchOperation extends GitBranchOperation {
   @NotNull private final String myPreviousBranch;
 
   GitCheckoutNewBranchOperation(@NotNull Project project, @NotNull Collection<GitRepository> repositories,
-                                       @NotNull String newBranchName, @NotNull String previousBranch,
-                                       @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
-    super(project, repositories, indicator);
+                                @NotNull String newBranchName, @NotNull String previousBranch, @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
+    super(project, repositories, previousBranch, indicator);
     myNewBranchName = newBranchName;
     myProject = project;
     myPreviousBranch = previousBranch;
@@ -77,6 +76,7 @@ class GitCheckoutNewBranchOperation extends GitBranchOperation {
 
     if (!fatalErrorHappened) {
       notifySuccess();
+      updateRecentBranch();
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutOperation.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutOperation.java
index 6585ce74fd73..e3530b19e040 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutOperation.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitCheckoutOperation.java
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class GitCheckoutOperation extends GitBranchOperation {
   GitCheckoutOperation(@NotNull Project project, @NotNull Collection<GitRepository> repositories,
                               @NotNull String startPointReference, @Nullable String newBranch, @NotNull String previousBranch, 
                               @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
-    super(project, repositories, indicator);
+    super(project, repositories, previousBranch, indicator);
     myStartPointReference = startPointReference;
     myNewBranch = newBranch;
     myPreviousBranch = previousBranch;
@@ -104,10 +104,11 @@ class GitCheckoutOperation extends GitBranchOperation {
 
     if (!fatalErrorHappened) {
       notifySuccess();
+      updateRecentBranch();
     }
   }
 
-  private boolean smartCheckoutOrNotify(@NotNull GitRepository repository, 
+  private boolean smartCheckoutOrNotify(@NotNull GitRepository repository,
                                         @NotNull GitMessageWithFilesDetector localChangesOverwrittenByCheckout) {
     Pair<List<GitRepository>, List<Change>> conflictingRepositoriesAndAffectedChanges =
       getConflictingRepositoriesAndAffectedChanges(repository, localChangesOverwrittenByCheckout, myPreviousBranch, myStartPointReference);
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitDeleteBranchOperation.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitDeleteBranchOperation.java
index 0c4c89fa3f69..b21d46ffc41b 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitDeleteBranchOperation.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitDeleteBranchOperation.java
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ class GitDeleteBranchOperation extends GitBranchOperation {
   private final String myCurrentBranch;
 
   GitDeleteBranchOperation(@NotNull Project project, @NotNull Collection<GitRepository> repositories,
-                                  @NotNull String branchName, @NotNull String currentBranch, @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
-    super(project, repositories, indicator);
+                           @NotNull String branchName, @NotNull String currentBranch, @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
+    super(project, repositories, currentBranch, indicator);
     myBranchName = branchName;
     myCurrentBranch = currentBranch;
   }
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitMergeOperation.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitMergeOperation.java
index dde3d9a2abac..5009f1ca5400 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitMergeOperation.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/branch/GitMergeOperation.java
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class GitMergeOperation extends GitBranchOperation {
                               @NotNull String branchToMerge, @NotNull String currentBranch, @NotNull GitRepository currentRepository,
                               @NotNull Map<GitRepository, String> currentRevisionsBeforeMerge,
                               @NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
-    super(project, repositories, indicator);
+    super(project, repositories, currentBranch, indicator);
     myBranchToMerge = branchToMerge;
     myCurrentBranch = currentBranch;
     myCurrentRepository = currentRepository;
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/config/GitVcsSettings.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/config/GitVcsSettings.java
index d5d7ef1f20e8..61ccb83bc04a 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/config/GitVcsSettings.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/config/GitVcsSettings.java
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 /**
  * Git VCS settings
@@ -70,6 +72,8 @@ public class GitVcsSettings implements PersistentStateComponent<GitVcsSettings.S
     public boolean PUSH_AUTO_UPDATE = false;
     public GitBranchSyncSetting SYNC_SETTING = GitBranchSyncSetting.NOT_DECIDED;
     public String RECENT_GIT_ROOT_PATH = null;
+    public Map<String, String> RECENT_BRANCH_BY_REPOSITORY = new HashMap<String, String>();
+    public String RECENT_COMMON_BRANCH = null;
   }
 
   public GitVcsSettings(GitVcsApplicationSettings appSettings) {
@@ -168,4 +172,22 @@ public class GitVcsSettings implements PersistentStateComponent<GitVcsSettings.S
     myState.RECENT_GIT_ROOT_PATH = recentGitRootPath;
   }
 
+  @NotNull
+  public Map<String, String> getRecentBranchesByRepository() {
+    return myState.RECENT_BRANCH_BY_REPOSITORY;
+  }
+
+  public void setRecentBranchOfRepository(@NotNull String repositoryPath, @NotNull String branch) {
+    myState.RECENT_BRANCH_BY_REPOSITORY.put(repositoryPath, branch);
+  }
+
+  @Nullable
+  public String getRecentCommonBranch() {
+    return myState.RECENT_COMMON_BRANCH;
+  }
+
+  public void setRecentCommonBranch(@NotNull String branch) {
+    myState.RECENT_COMMON_BRANCH = branch;
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopup.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopup.java
index 715e459f40ac..395488cd219d 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopup.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopup.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.options.ShowSettingsUtil;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
 import com.intellij.openapi.ui.popup.ListPopup;
 import com.intellij.openapi.ui.popup.PopupStep;
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.Condition;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.IconLoader;
 import com.intellij.ui.popup.PopupFactoryImpl;
 import com.intellij.ui.popup.WizardPopup;
@@ -88,10 +89,33 @@ class GitBranchPopup  {
 
     String title = createPopupTitle(currentRepository);
 
+    Condition<AnAction> preselectActionCondition = new Condition<AnAction>() {
+      @Override
+      public boolean value(AnAction action) {
+        if (action instanceof GitBranchPopupActions.LocalBranchActions) {
+          GitBranchPopupActions.LocalBranchActions branchAction = (GitBranchPopupActions.LocalBranchActions)action;
+          String branchName = branchAction.getBranchName();
+
+          String recentBranch;
+          List<GitRepository> repositories = branchAction.getRepositories();
+          if (repositories.size() == 1) {
+            recentBranch = myVcsSettings.getRecentBranchesByRepository().get(repositories.iterator().next().getRoot().getPath());
+          }
+          else {
+            recentBranch = myVcsSettings.getRecentCommonBranch();
+          }
+
+          if (recentBranch != null && recentBranch.equals(branchName)) {
+            return true;
+          }
+        }
+        return false;
+      }
+    };
     myPopup = new PopupFactoryImpl.ActionGroupPopup(
       title, createActions(),
       SimpleDataContext.getProjectContext(project),
-      false, false, false, true, null, -1, null, null) {
+      false, false, false, true, null, -1, preselectActionCondition, null) {
       @Override
       protected WizardPopup createPopup(WizardPopup parent, PopupStep step, Object parentValue) {
         WizardPopup popup = super.createPopup(parent, step, parentValue);
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopupActions.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopupActions.java
index ba4d118967ea..fa6e23495187 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopupActions.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/ui/branch/GitBranchPopupActions.java
@@ -180,6 +180,16 @@ class GitBranchPopupActions {
       }
     }
 
+    @NotNull
+    List<GitRepository> getRepositories() {
+      return myRepositories;
+    }
+
+    @NotNull
+    public String getBranchName() {
+      return myBranchName;
+    }
+
     @NotNull
     @Override
     public AnAction[] getChildren(@Nullable AnActionEvent e) {