diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/birth.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/birth.cpp
index 4837821e0a..99d6605d33 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/birth.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/birth.cpp
@@ -133,8 +133,6 @@ void BirthDialog::updateBirths()
     const MWWorld::Store<ESM::BirthSign> &signs =
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getStore().get<ESM::BirthSign>();
 
-    int index = 0;
-
     // sort by name
     std::vector < std::pair<std::string, const ESM::BirthSign*> > birthSigns;
 
@@ -145,12 +143,20 @@ void BirthDialog::updateBirths()
     }
     std::sort(birthSigns.begin(), birthSigns.end(), sortBirthSigns);
 
-    for (std::vector < std::pair<std::string, const ESM::BirthSign*> >::const_iterator it2 = birthSigns.begin(); it2 != birthSigns.end(); ++it2)
+    int index = 0;
+    for (std::vector<std::pair<std::string, const ESM::BirthSign*> >::const_iterator it2 = birthSigns.begin();
+         it2 != birthSigns.end(); ++it2, ++index)
     {
         mBirthList->addItem(it2->second->mName, it2->first);
-        if (boost::iequals(it2->first, mCurrentBirthId))
+        if (mCurrentBirthId.empty())
+        {
             mBirthList->setIndexSelected(index);
-        ++index;
+            mCurrentBirthId = it2->first;
+        }
+        else if (boost::iequals(it2->first, mCurrentBirthId))
+        {
+            mBirthList->setIndexSelected(index);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/class.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/class.cpp
index c14c7f74b5..475efaab31 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/class.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/class.cpp
@@ -197,8 +197,15 @@ void PickClassDialog::updateClasses()
 
         const std::string &id = it->mId;
         mClassList->addItem(it->mName, id);
-        if (boost::iequals(id, mCurrentClassId))
+        if (mCurrentClassId.empty())
+        {
+            mCurrentClassId = id;
             mClassList->setIndexSelected(index);
+        }
+        else if (boost::iequals(id, mCurrentClassId))
+        {
+            mClassList->setIndexSelected(index);
+        }
         ++index;
     }
 }