diff --git a/otp.c b/otp.c
index 99c0266..6b630e0 100644
--- a/otp.c
+++ b/otp.c
@@ -817,9 +817,27 @@ int list_available_pads(void) {
     struct dirent* entry;
     int count = 0;
     
+    // Get current default pad path for comparison
+    char* current_default = get_default_pad_path();
+    char default_pad_checksum[65] = "";
+    
+    if (current_default) {
+        // Extract checksum from default pad path
+        char* filename = strrchr(current_default, '/');
+        if (!filename) filename = current_default;
+        else filename++; // Skip the '/'
+        
+        // Extract checksum (remove .pad extension)
+        if (strlen(filename) >= 68 && strstr(filename, ".pad")) {
+            strncpy(default_pad_checksum, filename, 64);
+            default_pad_checksum[64] = '\0';
+        }
+        free(current_default);
+    }
+    
     printf("\nAvailable pads:\n");
-    printf("%-4s %-20s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "No.", "ChkSum", "Size", "Used", "% Used");
-    printf("%-4s %-20s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "---", "-------------------", "----------", "----------", "------");
+    printf("%-4s %-7s %-20s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "No.", "Default", "ChkSum", "Size", "Used", "% Used");
+    printf("%-4s %-7s %-20s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "---", "-------", "-------------------", "----------", "----------", "------");
     
     while ((entry = readdir(dir)) != NULL) {
         if (strstr(entry->d_name, ".pad") && strlen(entry->d_name) == 68) {
@@ -828,6 +846,10 @@ int list_available_pads(void) {
             strncpy(chksum, entry->d_name, 64);
             chksum[64] = '\0';
             
+            // Check if this is the default pad
+            int is_default = (strlen(default_pad_checksum) > 0 &&
+                             strncmp(chksum, default_pad_checksum, 64) == 0);
+            
             // Get pad file size
             char full_path[1024]; // Increased buffer size to accommodate longer paths
             snprintf(full_path, sizeof(full_path), "%s/%s", current_pads_dir, entry->d_name);
@@ -865,7 +887,7 @@ int list_available_pads(void) {
                 // Calculate percentage
                 double percentage = (double)used_bytes / st.st_size * 100.0;
                 
-                printf("%-4d %-20.16s %-12s %-12s %.1f%%\n", count, chksum, size_str, used_str, percentage);
+                printf("%-4d %-7s %-20.16s %-12s %-12s %.1f%%\n", count, is_default ? "*" : "", chksum, size_str, used_str, percentage);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -2627,7 +2649,41 @@ int load_preferences(void) {
     
     FILE* file = fopen(preferences_file, "r");
     if (!file) {
-        return 0; // No preferences file, use defaults
+        // No preferences file exists - create it and set first pad as default
+        
+        // Create .otp directory if it doesn't exist
+        struct stat st = {0};
+        if (stat(preferences_dir, &st) == -1) {
+            if (mkdir(preferences_dir, 0755) != 0) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+        }
+        
+        // Find the first available pad to set as default
+        DIR* dir = opendir(current_pads_dir);
+        if (dir) {
+            struct dirent* entry;
+            char first_pad_path[1024];
+            int found_pad = 0;
+            
+            while ((entry = readdir(dir)) != NULL && !found_pad) {
+                if (strstr(entry->d_name, ".pad") && strlen(entry->d_name) == 68) {
+                    // Found a pad file - construct full path
+                    snprintf(first_pad_path, sizeof(first_pad_path), "%s/%s", current_pads_dir, entry->d_name);
+                    strncpy(default_pad_path, first_pad_path, sizeof(default_pad_path) - 1);
+                    default_pad_path[sizeof(default_pad_path) - 1] = '\0';
+                    found_pad = 1;
+                }
+            }
+            closedir(dir);
+            
+            // Create the preferences file with the default pad
+            if (found_pad) {
+                save_preferences();
+            }
+        }
+        
+        return 0; // Successfully initialized
     }
     
     char line[1024];
@@ -3501,18 +3557,41 @@ int handle_pads_menu(void) {
         prefixes[i][prefix_lengths[i]] = '\0';
     }
     
-    // Display pads with minimal prefixes underlined
+    // Display pads with minimal prefixes underlined and default indicator
     printf("\nAvailable pads:\n");
-    printf("%-8s %-12s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "ChkSum", "Dir", "Size", "Used", "% Used");
-    printf("%-8s %-12s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "--------", "------------", "----------", "----------", "------");
+    printf("%-7s %-8s %-12s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "Default", "ChkSum", "Dir", "Size", "Used", "% Used");
+    printf("%-7s %-8s %-12s %-12s %-12s %-8s\n", "-------", "--------", "------------", "----------", "----------", "------");
+    
+    // Get current default pad path for comparison
+    char* current_default = get_default_pad_path();
+    char default_pad_checksum[65] = "";
+    
+    if (current_default) {
+        // Extract checksum from default pad path
+        char* filename = strrchr(current_default, '/');
+        if (!filename) filename = current_default;
+        else filename++; // Skip the '/'
+        
+        // Extract checksum (remove .pad extension)
+        if (strlen(filename) >= 68 && strstr(filename, ".pad")) {
+            strncpy(default_pad_checksum, filename, 64);
+            default_pad_checksum[64] = '\0';
+        }
+        free(current_default);
+    }
     
     for (int i = 0; i < pad_count; i++) {
+        // Check if this is the default pad
+        int is_default = (strlen(default_pad_checksum) > 0 &&
+                         strncmp(pads[i].chksum, default_pad_checksum, 64) == 0);
+        
         // Display first 8 characters of checksum with prefix underlined
         char checksum_8char[9];
         strncpy(checksum_8char, pads[i].chksum, 8);
         checksum_8char[8] = '\0';
         
-        printf("\033[4m%.*s\033[0m%s %-12s %-12s %-12s %.1f%%\n",
+        printf("%-7s \033[4m%.*s\033[0m%s %-12s %-12s %-12s %.1f%%\n",
+               is_default ? "*" : "",             // Default indicator
                prefix_lengths[i], checksum_8char,  // Underlined prefix
                checksum_8char + prefix_lengths[i], // Rest of 8-char checksum
                pads[i].location,                   // Use the stored location info