diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/change/gr-file-list/gr-file-list.js b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/change/gr-file-list/gr-file-list.js
index f3384f2..a1f88b6 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/change/gr-file-list/gr-file-list.js
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/change/gr-file-list/gr-file-list.js
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@
 
         var files = Polymer.dom(this.root).querySelectorAll('.file-row');
         this.$.fileCursor.stops = files;
-        this.$.fileCursor.setCursorAtIndex(this.selectedIndex);
+        this.$.fileCursor.setCursorAtIndex(this.selectedIndex, true);
       }.bind(this), 1);
     },
 
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager.js b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager.js
index 81f5186..704cef2 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager.js
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager.js
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
   'use strict';
 
   var ScrollBehavior = {
-    ALWAYS: 'always',
     NEVER: 'never',
     KEEP_VISIBLE: 'keep-visible',
   };
@@ -55,7 +54,7 @@
       },
 
       /**
-       * The scroll behavior for the cursor. Values are 'never', 'always' and
+       * The scroll behavior for the cursor. Values are 'never' and
        * 'keep-visible'. 'keep-visible' will only scroll if the cursor is beyond
        * the viewport.
        */
@@ -80,12 +79,22 @@
     /**
      * Set the cursor to an arbitrary element.
      * @param {DOMElement} element
+     * @param {boolean} opt_noScroll prevent any potential scrolling in response
+     *   setting the cursor.
      */
-    setCursor: function(element) {
+    setCursor: function(element, opt_noScroll) {
+      var behavior;
+      if (opt_noScroll) {
+        behavior = this.scrollBehavior;
+        this.scrollBehavior = ScrollBehavior.NEVER;
+      }
+
       this.unsetCursor();
       this.target = element;
       this._updateIndex();
       this._decorateTarget();
+
+      if (opt_noScroll) { this.scrollBehavior = behavior; }
     },
 
     unsetCursor: function() {
@@ -108,8 +117,8 @@
       }
     },
 
-    setCursorAtIndex: function(index) {
-      this.setCursor(this.stops[index]);
+    setCursorAtIndex: function(index, opt_noScroll) {
+      this.setCursor(this.stops[index], opt_noScroll);
     },
 
     /**
@@ -197,11 +206,10 @@
       }
     },
 
-    _scrollToTarget: function() {
-      if (!this.target || this.scrollBehavior === ScrollBehavior.NEVER) {
-        return;
-      }
-
+    /**
+     * @return {boolean}
+     */
+    _targetIsVisible: function() {
       // Calculate where the element is relative to the window.
       var top = this.target.offsetTop;
       for (var offsetParent = this.target.offsetParent;
@@ -210,9 +218,17 @@
         top += offsetParent.offsetTop;
       }
 
-      if (this.scrollBehavior === ScrollBehavior.KEEP_VISIBLE &&
+      return this.scrollBehavior === ScrollBehavior.KEEP_VISIBLE &&
           top > window.pageYOffset &&
-          top < window.pageYOffset + window.innerHeight) { return; }
+          top < window.pageYOffset + window.innerHeight;
+    },
+
+    _scrollToTarget: function() {
+      if (!this.target ||
+          this.scrollBehavior === ScrollBehavior.NEVER ||
+          this._targetIsVisible()) {
+        return;
+      }
 
       // Scroll the element to the middle of the window. Dividing by a third
       // instead of half the inner height feels a bit better otherwise the
diff --git a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager_test.html b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager_test.html
index 1ad014d..884c01d 100644
--- a/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager_test.html
+++ b/polygerrit-ui/app/elements/shared/gr-cursor-manager/gr-cursor-manager_test.html
@@ -26,9 +26,7 @@
 
 <test-fixture id="basic">
   <template>
-    <gr-cursor-manager
-        cursor-stop-selector="li"
-        cursor-target-class="targeted"></gr-cursor-manager>
+    <gr-cursor-manager cursor-target-class="targeted"></gr-cursor-manager>
     <ul>
       <li>A</li>
       <li>B</li>
@@ -40,15 +38,21 @@
 
 <script>
   suite('gr-cursor-manager tests', function() {
+    var sandbox;
     var element;
     var list;
 
     setup(function() {
+      sandbox = sinon.sandbox.create();
       var fixtureElements = fixture('basic');
       element = fixtureElements[0];
       list = fixtureElements[1];
     });
 
+    teardown(function() {
+      sandbox.restore();
+    });
+
     test('core cursor functionality', function() {
       // The element is initialized into the proper state.
       assert.isArray(element.stops);
@@ -120,5 +124,18 @@
       assert.isNotOk(element.target);
       assert.equal(element.index, -1);
     });
+
+    test('opt_noScroll', function() {
+      sandbox.stub(element, '_targetIsVisible', function() { return false; });
+      var scrollStub = sandbox.stub(window, 'scrollTo');
+      element.stops = list.querySelectorAll('li');
+      element.scrollBehavior = 'keep-visible';
+
+      element.setCursorAtIndex(1, true);
+      assert.isFalse(scrollStub.called);
+
+      element.setCursorAtIndex(2);
+      assert.isTrue(scrollStub.called);
+    });
   });
 </script>