diff --git a/lib/find-view.coffee b/lib/find-view.coffee
index 11f8d309..ee5b7d99 100644
--- a/lib/find-view.coffee
+++ b/lib/find-view.coffee
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ class FindView extends View
     atom.workspaceView.command 'find-and-replace:replace-all', @replaceAll
 
   showFind: =>
+    unless @findEditor.getText()
+      editorView = atom.workspaceView.getActiveView()
+      @findEditor.setText(editorView.getSelectedText()) if editorView
+
     @attach() if not @hasParent()
     @findEditor.focus()
     @findEditor.selectAll()
diff --git a/spec/find-view-spec.coffee b/spec/find-view-spec.coffee
index 686df229..7d4bf29d 100644
--- a/spec/find-view-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/find-view-spec.coffee
@@ -20,6 +20,19 @@ describe 'FindView', ->
       editor.trigger 'find-and-replace:show'
       expect(atom.workspaceView.find('.find-and-replace')).toExist()
 
+    it "populates the findEditor with selection when there is a selection", ->
+      editor.setSelectedBufferRange([[2, 8], [2, 13]])
+      editor.trigger 'find-and-replace:show'
+      expect(atom.workspaceView.find('.find-and-replace')).toExist()
+      expect(findView.findEditor.getText()).toBe('items')
+
+      findView.findEditor.setText('')
+
+      editor.setSelectedBufferRange([[2, 14], [2, 20]])
+      editor.trigger 'find-and-replace:show'
+      expect(atom.workspaceView.find('.find-and-replace')).toExist()
+      expect(findView.findEditor.getText()).toBe('length')
+
   describe "when FindView's replace editor is visible", ->
     it "keeps the replace editor visible when find-and-replace:show is triggered", ->
       editor.trigger 'find-and-replace:show-replace'