diff --git a/kallithea/public/js/base.js b/kallithea/public/js/base.js
--- a/kallithea/public/js/base.js
+++ b/kallithea/public/js/base.js
@@ -2138,6 +2138,46 @@ var YUI_datatable = function(data, field
         });
 }
 
+/**
+ Branch Sorting callback for select2, modifying the filtered result so prefix
+ matches come before matches in the line.
+ **/
+var branchSort = function(results, container, query) {
+    if (query.term) {
+        return results.sort(function (a, b) {
+            // Put closed branches after open ones (a bit of a hack ...)
+            var aClosed = a.text.indexOf("(closed)") > -1,
+                bClosed = b.text.indexOf("(closed)") > -1;
+            if (aClosed && !bClosed) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+            if (bClosed && !aClosed) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+
+            // Put prefix matches before matches in the line
+            var aPos = a.text.indexOf(query.term),
+                bPos = b.text.indexOf(query.term);
+            if (aPos === 0 && bPos !== 0) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+            if (bPos === 0 && aPos !== 0) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+
+            // Default sorting
+            if (a.text > b.text) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+            if (a.text < b.text) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+            return 0;
+        });
+    }
+    return results;
+};
+
 // global hooks after DOM is loaded
 
 $(document).ready(function(){
diff --git a/kallithea/templates/changelog/changelog.html b/kallithea/templates/changelog/changelog.html
--- a/kallithea/templates/changelog/changelog.html
+++ b/kallithea/templates/changelog/changelog.html
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ ${self.repo_context_bar('changelog', c.f
                 // change branch filter
                 $("#branch_filter").select2({
                     dropdownAutoWidth: true,
-                    minimumInputLength: 1
+                    minimumInputLength: 1,
+                    sortResults: branchSort
                     });
 
                 $("#branch_filter").change(function(e){
diff --git a/kallithea/templates/files/files.html b/kallithea/templates/files/files.html
--- a/kallithea/templates/files/files.html
+++ b/kallithea/templates/files/files.html
@@ -233,7 +233,8 @@ $(document).ready(function(){
     // change branch filter
     $("#branch_selector").select2({
         dropdownAutoWidth: true,
-        minimumInputLength: 1
+        minimumInputLength: 1,
+        sortResults: branchSort
         });
 
     $("#branch_selector").change(function(e){
diff --git a/kallithea/templates/pullrequests/pullrequest.html b/kallithea/templates/pullrequests/pullrequest.html
--- a/kallithea/templates/pullrequests/pullrequest.html
+++ b/kallithea/templates/pullrequests/pullrequest.html
@@ -224,7 +224,8 @@ ${self.repo_context_bar('showpullrequest
       ## (org_repo can't change)
 
       $("#org_ref").select2({
-          dropdownAutoWidth: true
+          dropdownAutoWidth: true,
+          sortResults: branchSort
       });
       $("#org_ref").on("change", function(e){
           loadPreview();
@@ -238,7 +239,8 @@ ${self.repo_context_bar('showpullrequest
       });
 
       $("#other_ref").select2({
-          dropdownAutoWidth: true
+          dropdownAutoWidth: true,
+          sortResults: branchSort
       });
       $("#other_ref").on("change", function(e){
           loadPreview();