diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/AbstractMenu.jl b/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/AbstractMenu.jl
index 1b935d333013f..f6895858590c5 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/AbstractMenu.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/AbstractMenu.jl
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ subtypes.
 
   - `header(m::AbstractMenu)`
   - `keypress(m::AbstractMenu, i::UInt32)`
+  - `cursorstart(m::AbstractMenu)`
 
 """
 abstract type AbstractMenu end
@@ -108,6 +109,12 @@ If `true` is returned, `request()` will exit.
 keypress(m::AbstractMenu, i::UInt32) = false
 
 
+"""
+    cursorstart(m::AbstractMenu) -> Int
+
+Compute the starting cursor position.
+"""
+cursorstart(m::AbstractMenu) = 1
 
 
 """
@@ -119,7 +126,7 @@ varies based on menu type.
 request(m::AbstractMenu) = request(terminal, m)
 
 function request(term::REPL.Terminals.TTYTerminal, m::AbstractMenu)
-    cursor = 1
+    cursor = cursorstart(m)
 
     menu_header = header(m)
     !CONFIG[:supress_output] && menu_header != "" && println(term.out_stream, menu_header)
@@ -234,7 +241,7 @@ function printMenu(out, m::AbstractMenu, cursor::Int; init::Bool=false)
     lines = m.pagesize-1
 
     if init
-        m.pageoffset = 0
+        m.pageoffset = min(max(cursor-m.pagesize+1, 0), length(options(m))-m.pagesize)
     else
         # Move the cursor to the beginning of where it should print
         print(buf, "\x1b[999D\x1b[$(lines)A")
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/MultiSelectMenu.jl b/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/MultiSelectMenu.jl
index 76177169384fa..cfd6aab258e59 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/MultiSelectMenu.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/MultiSelectMenu.jl
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ end
 
 """
 
-    MultiSelectMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10)
+    MultiSelectMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10, default=Set{Int}())
 
 Create a MultiSelectMenu object. Use `request(menu::MultiSelectMenu)` to get
 user input. `request()` returns a `Set` containing the indices of options that
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ were selected by the user.
 
   - `options::Array{String, 1}`: Options to be displayed
   - `pagesize::Int=10`: The number of options to be displayed at one time, the menu will scroll if length(options) > pagesize
+  - `default=Set{Int}()`: The indices of options which are first selected, must be a collection of `Int`s
 """
-function MultiSelectMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10)
+function MultiSelectMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10, default=Int[])
     length(options) < 2 && error("MultiSelectMenu must have at least two options")
 
     # if pagesize is -1, use automatic paging
@@ -57,9 +58,13 @@ function MultiSelectMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10)
     pagesize = min(length(options), pagesize)
     # after other checks, pagesize must be greater than 2
     pagesize < 2 && error("pagesize must be >= 2")
+    # defaults must be in the range of the options
+    if !all(d -> 0 < d <= length(options), default)
+        error("defaults must be > 0 and <= $(length(options))")
+    end
 
     pageoffset = 0
-    selected = Set{Int}() # none
+    selected = Set{Int}(default)
 
     MultiSelectMenu(options, pagesize, pageoffset, selected)
 end
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/RadioMenu.jl b/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/RadioMenu.jl
index 5c8137ff0e61d..860bbc45babba 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/RadioMenu.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/src/TerminalMenus/RadioMenu.jl
@@ -24,12 +24,13 @@ mutable struct RadioMenu <: AbstractMenu
     pagesize::Int
     pageoffset::Int
     selected::Int
+    default::Int
 end
 
 
 """
 
-    RadioMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10)
+    RadioMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10, default::Int=1)
 
 Create a RadioMenu object. Use `request(menu::RadioMenu)` to get user input.
 `request()` returns an `Int` which is the index of the option selected by the
@@ -39,8 +40,9 @@ user.
 
   - `options::Array{String, 1}`: Options to be displayed
   - `pagesize::Int=10`: The number of options to be displayed at one time, the menu will scroll if length(options) > pagesize
+  - `default::Int=1`: The index of the option which is first selected
 """
-function RadioMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10)
+function RadioMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10, default::Int=1)
     length(options) < 2 && error("RadioMenu must have at least two options")
 
     # if pagesize is -1, use automatic paging
@@ -49,11 +51,13 @@ function RadioMenu(options::Array{String,1}; pagesize::Int=10)
     pagesize = min(length(options), pagesize)
     # after other checks, pagesize must be greater than 2
     pagesize < 2 && error("pagesize must be >= 2")
+    # default must be in the range of the options
+    0 < default <= length(options) || error("default must be > 0 and <= $(length(options))")
 
     pageoffset = 0
     selected = -1 # none
 
-    RadioMenu(options, pagesize, pageoffset, selected)
+    RadioMenu(options, pagesize, pageoffset, selected, default)
 end
 
 
@@ -66,9 +70,11 @@ options(m::RadioMenu) = m.options
 
 cancel(m::RadioMenu) = m.selected = -1
 
+cursorstart(m::RadioMenu) = m.default
+
 function pick(menu::RadioMenu, cursor::Int)
     menu.selected = cursor
-    return true #break out of the menu
+    return true # break out of the menu
 end
 
 function writeLine(buf::IOBuffer, menu::RadioMenu, idx::Int, cursor::Bool)
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/multiselect_menu.jl b/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/multiselect_menu.jl
index 5fb97c91bf00b..9b9e2e13626f7 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/multiselect_menu.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/multiselect_menu.jl
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 # Invalid Menu Params
 @test_throws ErrorException MultiSelectMenu(["one"])
 @test_throws ErrorException MultiSelectMenu(["one", "two", "three"], pagesize=1)
+@test_throws ErrorException MultiSelectMenu(["one", "two", "three"], default=[0, 1, 2])
+@test_throws ErrorException MultiSelectMenu(["one", "two", "three"], default=[2, 3, 4])
 
 # Constructor
 @test MultiSelectMenu(["one", "two", "three"]).pagesize == 3
@@ -13,7 +15,8 @@
 @test MultiSelectMenu(string.(1:4), pagesize=10).pagesize == 4
 @test MultiSelectMenu(string.(1:100)).pagesize == 10
 
-multi_menu = MultiSelectMenu(string.(1:20))
+multi_menu = MultiSelectMenu(string.(1:20), default=[2, 4, 6])
+@test multi_menu.selected == Set([2, 4, 6])
 @test TerminalMenus.options(multi_menu) == string.(1:20)
 @test TerminalMenus.header(multi_menu) == "[press: d=done, a=all, n=none]"
 
diff --git a/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/radio_menu.jl b/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/radio_menu.jl
index d94622b3efb8d..2a495868e6aa5 100644
--- a/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/radio_menu.jl
+++ b/stdlib/REPL/test/TerminalMenus/radio_menu.jl
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@
 # Invalid Menu Params
 @test_throws ErrorException RadioMenu(["one"])
 @test_throws ErrorException RadioMenu(["one", "two", "three"], pagesize=1)
+@test_throws ErrorException RadioMenu(["one"], default=0)
+@test_throws ErrorException RadioMenu(["one"], default=2)
 
 # Constructor
 @test RadioMenu(["one", "two", "three"]).pagesize == 3
 @test RadioMenu(string.(1:30), pagesize=-1).pagesize == 30
 @test RadioMenu(string.(1:4), pagesize=10).pagesize == 4
 @test RadioMenu(string.(1:100)).pagesize == 10
+@test RadioMenu(string.(1:20), default=10).default == 10
 
 radio_menu = RadioMenu(string.(1:20))
 @test TerminalMenus.options(radio_menu) == string.(1:20)