diff --git a/src/packages/command-panel/lib/command-panel-view.coffee b/src/packages/command-panel/lib/command-panel-view.coffee
index aa75656aa..188b1f3db 100644
--- a/src/packages/command-panel/lib/command-panel-view.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/command-panel/lib/command-panel-view.coffee
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class CommandPanelView extends View
 
     @subscribeToCommand rootView, 'command-panel:toggle', => @toggle()
     @subscribeToCommand rootView, 'command-panel:toggle-preview', => @togglePreview()
-    @subscribeToCommand rootView, 'command-panel:find-in-file', => @attach('/')
+    @subscribeToCommand rootView, 'command-panel:find-in-file', => @findInFile()
     @subscribeToCommand rootView, 'command-panel:find-in-project', => @attach('Xx/')
     @subscribeToCommand rootView, 'command-panel:repeat-relative-address', => @repeatRelativeAddress()
     @subscribeToCommand rootView, 'command-panel:repeat-relative-address-in-reverse', => @repeatRelativeAddress(reverse: true)
@@ -116,6 +116,13 @@ class CommandPanelView extends View
     @previewHeader.hide()
     super
 
+  findInFile: ->
+    if @miniEditor.getText()[0] is '/'
+      @attach()
+      @miniEditor.setSelectedBufferRange([[0, 1], [0, Infinity]])
+    else
+      @attach('/')
+
   escapedCommand: ->
     @miniEditor.getText()
 
diff --git a/src/packages/command-panel/spec/command-panel-spec.coffee b/src/packages/command-panel/spec/command-panel-spec.coffee
index 1d597dda0..892790c2b 100644
--- a/src/packages/command-panel/spec/command-panel-spec.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/command-panel/spec/command-panel-spec.coffee
@@ -299,16 +299,29 @@ describe "CommandPanel", ->
       expect(commandInterpreter.lastRelativeAddress.subcommands[0].regex.toString()).toEqual "/\\(items\\)/i"
 
   describe "when command-panel:find-in-file is triggered on an editor", ->
-    it "pre-populates the command panel's editor with / and moves the cursor to the last column", ->
-      spyOn(commandPanel, 'attach').andCallThrough()
-      commandPanel.miniEditor.setText("foo")
-      commandPanel.miniEditor.setCursorBufferPosition([0, 0])
+    describe "when the command panel's editor does not begin with /", ->
+      it "pre-populates the command panel's editor with / and moves the cursor to the last column", ->
+        spyOn(commandPanel, 'attach').andCallThrough()
+        commandPanel.miniEditor.setText("foo")
+        commandPanel.miniEditor.setCursorBufferPosition([0, 0])
 
-      rootView.getActiveView().trigger "command-panel:find-in-file"
-      expect(commandPanel.attach).toHaveBeenCalled()
-      expect(commandPanel.parent).not.toBeEmpty()
-      expect(commandPanel.miniEditor.getText()).toBe "/"
-      expect(commandPanel.miniEditor.getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [0, 1]
+        rootView.getActiveView().trigger "command-panel:find-in-file"
+        expect(commandPanel.attach).toHaveBeenCalled()
+        expect(commandPanel.parent).not.toBeEmpty()
+        expect(commandPanel.miniEditor.getText()).toBe "/"
+        expect(commandPanel.miniEditor.getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [0, 1]
+
+    describe "when the command panel's editor begins with /", ->
+      it "selects text text after the /", ->
+        spyOn(commandPanel, 'attach').andCallThrough()
+        commandPanel.miniEditor.setText("/foo")
+        commandPanel.miniEditor.setCursorBufferPosition([0, 0])
+
+        rootView.getActiveView().trigger "command-panel:find-in-file"
+        expect(commandPanel.attach).toHaveBeenCalled()
+        expect(commandPanel.parent).not.toBeEmpty()
+        expect(commandPanel.miniEditor.getText()).toBe "/foo"
+        expect(commandPanel.miniEditor.getSelectedText()).toBe "foo"
 
   describe "when command-panel:find-in-project is triggered on the root view", ->
     it "pre-populates the command panel's editor with Xx/ and moves the cursor to the last column", ->