diff --git a/.eslintrc b/.eslintrc
index 5065c9aae8..5ee6406982 100644
--- a/.eslintrc
+++ b/.eslintrc
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
   },
   "globals": {
     "__DEV__": "readonly",
-    "jasmine": "readonly"
+    "jasmine": "readonly",
+    "spyOn": "readonly"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/profilerContext-test.js.snap b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/profilerContext-test.js.snap
index c56fd9dee4..927f3180b4 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/profilerContext-test.js.snap
+++ b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/profilerContext-test.js.snap
@@ -1,6 +1,41 @@
 // Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
 
-exports[`ProfilerContext should gracefully handle an empty profiling session: 1: mount 1`] = `
+exports[`ProfilerContext should auto-select the root ID matching the Components tab selection if it has profiling data: mounted 1`] = `
 [root]
-    <Example>
+  ▾ <Parent>
+      <Child>
+[root]
+  ▾ <Parent>
+      <Child>
+`;
+
+exports[`ProfilerContext should maintain root selection between profiling sessions so long as there is data for that root: mounted 1`] = `
+[root]
+  ▾ <Parent>
+      <Child>
+[root]
+  ▾ <Parent>
+      <Child>
+`;
+
+exports[`ProfilerContext should not select the root ID matching the Components tab selection if it has no profiling data: mounted 1`] = `
+[root]
+  ▾ <Parent>
+      <Child>
+[root]
+  ▾ <Parent>
+      <Child>
+`;
+
+exports[`ProfilerContext should sync selected element in the Components tab too, provided the element is a match: mounted 1`] = `
+[root]
+  ▾ <GrandParent>
+    ▾ <Parent>
+        <Child>
+`;
+
+exports[`ProfilerContext should sync selected element in the Components tab too, provided the element is a match: updated 1`] = `
+[root]
+  ▾ <GrandParent>
+      <Parent>
 `;
diff --git a/src/__tests__/profilerContext-test.js b/src/__tests__/profilerContext-test.js
index cbfe1043e3..a6b0a62ff9 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/profilerContext-test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/profilerContext-test.js
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 // @flow
 
 import typeof ReactTestRenderer from 'react-test-renderer';
-import type { Element } from 'src/devtools/views/Components/types';
 import type Bridge from 'src/bridge';
+import type { Context } from 'src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilerContext';
+import type { DispatcherContext } from 'src/devtools/views/Components/TreeContext';
 import type Store from 'src/devtools/store';
 
 describe('ProfilerContext', () => {
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ describe('ProfilerContext', () => {
   let ProfilerContextController;
   let StoreContext;
   let TreeContextController;
+  let TreeDispatcherContext;
+  let TreeStateContext;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     utils = require('./utils');
@@ -39,13 +42,17 @@ describe('ProfilerContext', () => {
     StoreContext = require('src/devtools/views/context').StoreContext;
     TreeContextController = require('src/devtools/views/Components/TreeContext')
       .TreeContextController;
+    TreeDispatcherContext = require('src/devtools/views/Components/TreeContext')
+      .TreeDispatcherContext;
+    TreeStateContext = require('src/devtools/views/Components/TreeContext')
+      .TreeStateContext;
   });
 
   const Contexts = ({
     children = null,
     defaultSelectedElementID = null,
     defaultSelectedElementIndex = null,
-  }) => (
+  }: any) => (
     <BridgeContext.Provider value={bridge}>
       <StoreContext.Provider value={store}>
         <TreeContextController
@@ -58,21 +65,248 @@ describe('ProfilerContext', () => {
     </BridgeContext.Provider>
   );
 
-  it('should gracefully handle an empty profiling session', () => {
-    const Example = () => {
-      const [count] = React.useState(1);
-      return count;
-    };
+  it('should gracefully handle an empty profiling session (with no recorded commits)', async done => {
+    const Example = () => null;
+
+    utils.act(() =>
+      ReactDOM.render(<Example />, document.createElement('div'))
+    );
+
+    let context: Context = ((null: any): Context);
+
+    function ContextReader() {
+      context = React.useContext(ProfilerContext);
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // Profile but don't record any updates.
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.startProfiling());
+    await utils.actAsync(() => {
+      TestRenderer.create(
+        <Contexts>
+          <ContextReader />
+        </Contexts>
+      );
+    });
+    expect(context).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(context.didRecordCommits).toBe(false);
+    expect(context.isProcessingData).toBe(false);
+    expect(context.isProfiling).toBe(true);
+    expect(context.profilingData).toBe(null);
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.stopProfiling());
+
+    expect(context).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(context.didRecordCommits).toBe(false);
+    expect(context.isProcessingData).toBe(false);
+    expect(context.isProfiling).toBe(false);
+    expect(context.profilingData).not.toBe(null);
+
+    done();
+  });
+
+  it('should auto-select the root ID matching the Components tab selection if it has profiling data', async done => {
+    const Parent = () => <Child />;
+    const Child = () => null;
+
+    const containerOne = document.createElement('div');
+    const containerTwo = document.createElement('div');
+    utils.act(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerOne));
+    utils.act(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerTwo));
+    expect(store).toMatchSnapshot('mounted');
+
+    // Profile and record updates to both roots.
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.startProfiling());
+    await utils.actAsync(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerOne));
+    await utils.actAsync(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerTwo));
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.stopProfiling());
+
+    let context: Context = ((null: any): Context);
+    function ContextReader() {
+      context = React.useContext(ProfilerContext);
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // Select an element within the second root.
+    await utils.actAsync(() =>
+      TestRenderer.create(
+        <Contexts
+          defaultSelectedElementID={store.getElementIDAtIndex(3)}
+          defaultSelectedElementIndex={3}
+        >
+          <ContextReader />
+        </Contexts>
+      )
+    );
+
+    expect(context).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(context.rootID).toBe(
+      store.getRootIDForElement(((store.getElementIDAtIndex(3): any): number))
+    );
+
+    done();
+  });
+
+  it('should not select the root ID matching the Components tab selection if it has no profiling data', async done => {
+    const Parent = () => <Child />;
+    const Child = () => null;
+
+    const containerOne = document.createElement('div');
+    const containerTwo = document.createElement('div');
+    utils.act(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerOne));
+    utils.act(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerTwo));
+    expect(store).toMatchSnapshot('mounted');
+
+    // Profile and record updates to only the first root.
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.startProfiling());
+    await utils.actAsync(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerOne));
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.stopProfiling());
+
+    let context: Context = ((null: any): Context);
+    function ContextReader() {
+      context = React.useContext(ProfilerContext);
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // Select an element within the second root.
+    await utils.actAsync(() =>
+      TestRenderer.create(
+        <Contexts
+          defaultSelectedElementID={store.getElementIDAtIndex(3)}
+          defaultSelectedElementIndex={3}
+        >
+          <ContextReader />
+        </Contexts>
+      )
+    );
+
+    // Verify the default profiling root is the first one.
+    expect(context).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(context.rootID).toBe(
+      store.getRootIDForElement(((store.getElementIDAtIndex(0): any): number))
+    );
+
+    done();
+  });
+
+  it('should maintain root selection between profiling sessions so long as there is data for that root', async done => {
+    const Parent = () => <Child />;
+    const Child = () => null;
+
+    const containerA = document.createElement('div');
+    const containerB = document.createElement('div');
+    utils.act(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerA));
+    utils.act(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerB));
+    expect(store).toMatchSnapshot('mounted');
+
+    // Profile and record updates.
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.startProfiling());
+    await utils.actAsync(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerA));
+    await utils.actAsync(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerB));
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.stopProfiling());
+
+    let context: Context = ((null: any): Context);
+    let dispatch: DispatcherContext = ((null: any): DispatcherContext);
+    let selectedElementID = null;
+    function ContextReader() {
+      context = React.useContext(ProfilerContext);
+      dispatch = React.useContext(TreeDispatcherContext);
+      selectedElementID = React.useContext(TreeStateContext).selectedElementID;
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    const id = ((store.getElementIDAtIndex(3): any): number);
+
+    // Select an element within the second root.
+    await utils.actAsync(() =>
+      TestRenderer.create(
+        <Contexts defaultSelectedElementID={id} defaultSelectedElementIndex={3}>
+          <ContextReader />
+        </Contexts>
+      )
+    );
+
+    expect(selectedElementID).toBe(id);
+
+    // Profile and record more updates to both roots
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.startProfiling());
+    await utils.actAsync(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerA));
+    await utils.actAsync(() => ReactDOM.render(<Parent />, containerB));
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.stopProfiling());
+
+    const otherID = ((store.getElementIDAtIndex(0): any): number);
+
+    // Change the selected element within a the Components tab.
+    utils.act(() => dispatch({ type: 'SELECT_ELEMENT_AT_INDEX', payload: 0 }));
+
+    // Verify that the initial Profiler root selection is maintained.
+    expect(selectedElementID).toBe(otherID);
+    expect(context).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(context.rootID).toBe(store.getRootIDForElement(id));
+
+    done();
+  });
+
+  it('should sync selected element in the Components tab too, provided the element is a match', async done => {
+    const GrandParent = ({ includeChild }) => (
+      <Parent includeChild={includeChild} />
+    );
+    const Parent = ({ includeChild }) => (includeChild ? <Child /> : null);
+    const Child = () => null;
 
     const container = document.createElement('div');
-    utils.act(() => ReactDOM.render(<Example foo={1} bar="abc" />, container));
-    expect(store).toMatchSnapshot('1: mount');
+    utils.act(() =>
+      ReactDOM.render(<GrandParent includeChild={true} />, container)
+    );
+    expect(store).toMatchSnapshot('mounted');
 
-    utils.act(() => store.profilerStore.startProfiling());
-    utils.act(() => store.profilerStore.stopProfiling());
+    const parentID = ((store.getElementIDAtIndex(1): any): number);
+    const childID = ((store.getElementIDAtIndex(2): any): number);
 
-    utils.act(() => {
-      TestRenderer.create(<Contexts />);
-    });
+    // Profile and record updates.
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.startProfiling());
+    await utils.actAsync(() =>
+      ReactDOM.render(<GrandParent includeChild={true} />, container)
+    );
+    await utils.actAsync(() =>
+      ReactDOM.render(<GrandParent includeChild={false} />, container)
+    );
+    await utils.actAsync(() => store.profilerStore.stopProfiling());
+
+    expect(store).toMatchSnapshot('updated');
+
+    let context: Context = ((null: any): Context);
+    let selectedElementID = null;
+    function ContextReader() {
+      context = React.useContext(ProfilerContext);
+      selectedElementID = React.useContext(TreeStateContext).selectedElementID;
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    await utils.actAsync(() =>
+      TestRenderer.create(
+        <Contexts>
+          <ContextReader />
+        </Contexts>
+      )
+    );
+    expect(selectedElementID).toBeNull();
+
+    // Select an element in the Profiler tab and verify that the selection is synced to the Components tab.
+    await utils.actAsync(() => context.selectFiber(parentID, 'Parent'));
+    expect(selectedElementID).toBe(parentID);
+
+    // We expect a "no element found" warning.
+    // Let's hide it from the test console though.
+    spyOn(console, 'warn');
+
+    // Select an unmounted element and verify no Components tab selection doesn't change.
+    await utils.actAsync(() => context.selectFiber(childID, 'Child'));
+    expect(selectedElementID).toBe(parentID);
+
+    expect(console.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      `No element found with id "${childID}"`
+    );
+
+    done();
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/devtools/ProfilerStore.js b/src/devtools/ProfilerStore.js
index c59c073be4..30e1934600 100644
--- a/src/devtools/ProfilerStore.js
+++ b/src/devtools/ProfilerStore.js
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export default class ProfilerStore extends EventEmitter {
   }
 
   // Profiling data has been recorded for at least one root.
-  get hasProfilingData(): boolean {
+  get didRecordCommits(): boolean {
     return (
       this._dataFrontend !== null && this._dataFrontend.dataForRoots.size > 0
     );
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ClearProfilingDataButton.js b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ClearProfilingDataButton.js
index c99f370fce..d3223eb8de 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ClearProfilingDataButton.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ClearProfilingDataButton.js
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@ import { StoreContext } from '../context';
 
 export default function ClearProfilingDataButton() {
   const store = useContext(StoreContext);
-  const { hasProfilingData, isProfiling } = useContext(ProfilerContext);
+  const { didRecordCommits, isProfiling } = useContext(ProfilerContext);
   const { profilerStore } = store;
 
   const clear = useCallback(() => profilerStore.clear(), [profilerStore]);
 
   return (
     <Button
-      disabled={isProfiling || !hasProfilingData}
+      disabled={isProfiling || !didRecordCommits}
       onClick={clear}
       title="Clear profiling data"
     >
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/Profiler.js b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/Profiler.js
index 9589c736e8..e1bbc3b101 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/Profiler.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/Profiler.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export type Props = {|
 
 function Profiler({ supportsProfiling }: Props) {
   const {
-    hasProfilingData,
+    didRecordCommits,
     isProcessingData,
     isProfiling,
     selectedFiberID,
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function Profiler({ supportsProfiling }: Props) {
   } = useContext(ProfilerContext);
 
   let view = null;
-  if (hasProfilingData) {
+  if (didRecordCommits) {
     switch (selectedTabID) {
       case 'flame-chart':
         view = <CommitFlamegraph />;
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ function Profiler({ supportsProfiling }: Props) {
   }
 
   let sidebar = null;
-  if (!isProfiling && !isProcessingData && hasProfilingData) {
+  if (!isProfiling && !isProcessingData && didRecordCommits) {
     switch (selectedTabID) {
       case 'interactions':
         sidebar = <SidebarInteractions />;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ function Profiler({ supportsProfiling }: Props) {
             <div className={styles.Spacer} />
             <ToggleCommitFilterModalButton />
             <div className={styles.VRule} />
-            {hasProfilingData && <SnapshotSelector />}
+            {didRecordCommits && <SnapshotSelector />}
           </div>
           <div className={styles.Content}>
             {view}
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilerContext.js b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilerContext.js
index c843e09027..da5090b1b2 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilerContext.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilerContext.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import type { ProfilingDataFrontend } from './types';
 
 export type TabID = 'flame-chart' | 'ranked-chart' | 'interactions';
 
-type Context = {|
+export type Context = {|
   // Which tab is selexted in the Profiler UI?
   selectedTabID: TabID,
   selectTab(id: TabID): void,
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type Context = {|
   // This value may be modified by the record button in the Profiler toolbar,
   // or from the backend itself (after a reload-and-profile action).
   // It is synced between the backend and frontend via a Store subscription.
-  hasProfilingData: boolean,
+  didRecordCommits: boolean,
   isProcessingData: boolean,
   isProfiling: boolean,
   profilingData: ProfilingDataFrontend | null,
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ const ProfilerContext = createContext<Context>(((null: any): Context));
 ProfilerContext.displayName = 'ProfilerContext';
 
 type StoreProfilingState = {|
-  hasProfilingData: boolean,
+  didRecordCommits: boolean,
   isProcessingData: boolean,
   isProfiling: boolean,
   profilingData: ProfilingDataFrontend | null,
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ function ProfilerContextController({ children }: Props) {
   const subscription = useMemo(
     () => ({
       getCurrentValue: () => ({
-        hasProfilingData: profilerStore.hasProfilingData,
+        didRecordCommits: profilerStore.didRecordCommits,
         isProcessingData: profilerStore.isProcessingData,
         isProfiling: profilerStore.isProfiling,
         profilingData: profilerStore.profilingData,
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ function ProfilerContextController({ children }: Props) {
     [profilerStore]
   );
   const {
-    hasProfilingData,
+    didRecordCommits,
     isProcessingData,
     isProfiling,
     profilingData,
@@ -177,10 +177,14 @@ function ProfilerContextController({ children }: Props) {
     (id: number | null, name: string | null) => {
       selectFiberID(id);
       selectFiberName(name);
+
+      // Sync selection to the Components tab for convenience.
       if (id !== null) {
-        // If this element is still in the store, then select it in the Components tab as well.
         const element = store.getElementByID(id);
-        if (element !== null) {
+
+        // Keep in mind that profiling data may be from a previous session.
+        // In that case, IDs may match up arbitrarily; to be safe, compare both ID and display name.
+        if (element !== null && element.displayName === name) {
           dispatch({
             type: 'SELECT_ELEMENT_BY_ID',
             payload: id,
@@ -211,7 +215,7 @@ function ProfilerContextController({ children }: Props) {
       selectedTabID,
       selectTab,
 
-      hasProfilingData,
+      didRecordCommits,
       isProcessingData,
       isProfiling,
       profilingData,
@@ -240,7 +244,7 @@ function ProfilerContextController({ children }: Props) {
       selectedTabID,
       selectTab,
 
-      hasProfilingData,
+      didRecordCommits,
       isProcessingData,
       isProfiling,
       profilingData,
diff --git a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilingImportExportButtons.js b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilingImportExportButtons.js
index eebe91d97e..50a31fe897 100644
--- a/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilingImportExportButtons.js
+++ b/src/devtools/views/Profiler/ProfilingImportExportButtons.js
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ export default function ProfilingImportExportButtons() {
         <ButtonIcon type="import" />
       </Button>
       <Button
-        disabled={isProfiling || !profilerStore.hasProfilingData}
+        disabled={isProfiling || !profilerStore.didRecordCommits}
         onClick={downloadData}
         title="Save profile..."
       >