diff --git a/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionBranchTableController.php b/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionBranchTableController.php
--- a/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionBranchTableController.php
+++ b/src/applications/diffusion/controller/DiffusionBranchTableController.php
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@
 
     $branches = DiffusionRepositoryRef::loadAllFromDictionaries($branches);
 
+    // If there is one page of results or fewer, sort branches so the default
+    // branch is on top and permanent branches are below it.
+    if (!$pager->getOffset() && !$pager->getHasMorePages()) {
+      $branches = $this->sortBranches($repository, $branches);
+    }
+
     $content = null;
     if (!$branches) {
       $content = $this->renderStatusMessage(
@@ -97,4 +103,38 @@
       ->appendChild($view);
   }
 
+  private function sortBranches(
+    PhabricatorRepository $repository,
+    array $branches) {
+
+    $publisher = $repository->newPublisher();
+    $default_branch = $repository->getDefaultBranch();
+
+    $vectors = array();
+    foreach ($branches as $key => $branch) {
+      $short_name = $branch->getShortName();
+
+      if ($short_name === $default_branch) {
+        $order_default = 0;
+      } else {
+        $order_default = 1;
+      }
+
+      if ($publisher->shouldPublishRef($branch)) {
+        $order_permanent = 0;
+      } else {
+        $order_permanent = 1;
+      }
+
+      $vectors[$key] = id(new PhutilSortVector())
+        ->addInt($order_default)
+        ->addInt($order_permanent)
+        ->addString($short_name);
+    }
+
+    $vectors = msortv($vectors, 'getSelf');
+
+    return array_select_keys($branches, array_keys($vectors));
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/applications/diffusion/view/DiffusionBranchListView.php b/src/applications/diffusion/view/DiffusionBranchListView.php
--- a/src/applications/diffusion/view/DiffusionBranchListView.php
+++ b/src/applications/diffusion/view/DiffusionBranchListView.php
@@ -33,10 +33,11 @@
     Javelin::initBehavior('phabricator-tooltips');
 
     $list = id(new PHUIObjectItemListView())
-      ->setFlush(true)
       ->addClass('diffusion-history-list')
       ->addClass('diffusion-branch-list');
 
+    $publisher = $repository->newPublisher();
+
     foreach ($this->branches as $branch) {
       $build_view = null;
       $button_bar = new PHUIButtonBarView();
@@ -116,8 +117,16 @@
         ));
 
       if ($branch->getShortName() == $repository->getDefaultBranch()) {
-        $item->setStatusIcon('fa-code-fork', pht('Default Branch'));
+        $item->setStatusIcon('fa-star', pht('Default Branch'));
+      } else {
+        if ($publisher->shouldPublishRef($branch)) {
+          $item->setStatusIcon('fa-code-fork', pht('Permanent Ref'));
+        } else {
+          $item->setStatusIcon(
+            'fa-folder-open-o grey', pht('Not a Permanent Ref'));
+        }
       }
+
       $item->addAttribute(array($datetime));
 
       if ($can_close_branches) {