diff --git a/lib/github-package.js b/lib/github-package.js
index b8bd2e25b5..cf85dc31d0 100644
--- a/lib/github-package.js
+++ b/lib/github-package.js
@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ export default class GithubPackage {
       }
     }
 
+    if (!activeItem && this.project.getPaths().length === 1) {
+      nextActiveRepository = await this.getRepositoryForWorkdirPath(this.project.getPaths()[0]);
+    }
+
     if (nextActiveRepository && nextActiveRepository !== this.activeRepository) {
       this.setActiveRepository(nextActiveRepository);
       if (this.destroyedRepositorySubscription) { this.destroyedRepositorySubscription.dispose(); }
diff --git a/test/github-package.test.js b/test/github-package.test.js
index de81425e26..eacd8655c3 100644
--- a/test/github-package.test.js
+++ b/test/github-package.test.js
@@ -165,6 +165,17 @@ describe('GithubPackage', function() {
       assert.isNull(githubPackage.getActiveRepository());
     });
 
+    it('defaults to a single repository even without an active pane item', async function() {
+      const workdirPath = await cloneRepository('three-files');
+      project.setPaths([workdirPath]);
+      await githubPackage.activate();
+
+      await githubPackage.updateActiveRepository();
+
+      const repository = await githubPackage.getRepositoryForWorkdirPath(workdirPath);
+      await assert.async.strictEqual(githubPackage.getActiveRepository(), repository);
+    });
+
     // Don't worry about this on Windows as it's not a common op
     if (process.platform !== 'win32') {
       it('handles symlinked project paths', async () => {