diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5cae7bd..0116999 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-VERSION   := git-20151028
+VERSION   := git-20151220
 
 PREFIX    := /usr/local
 MANPREFIX := $(PREFIX)/share/man
diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index ac32bd7..f3cc71e 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ static const bool ALPHA_LAYER = false;
 /* thumbnail sizes in pixels (width == height): */
 static const int thumb_sizes[] = { 32, 64, 96, 128, 160 };
 
+/* thumbnail size at startup, index into thumb_sizes[]: */
+static const int THUMB_SIZE = 3;
+
 #endif
 #ifdef _MAPPINGS_CONFIG
 
diff --git a/thumbs.c b/thumbs.c
index c4cc130..bfce2ff 100644
--- a/thumbs.c
+++ b/thumbs.c
@@ -170,8 +170,8 @@ void tns_init(tns_t *tns, fileinfo_t *files, const int *cnt, int *sel,
 	tns->win = win;
 	tns->dirty = false;
 
-	tns->zl = 0;
-	tns_zoom(tns, 1);
+	tns->zl = THUMB_SIZE;
+	tns_zoom(tns, 0);
 
 	if ((homedir = getenv("XDG_CACHE_HOME")) == NULL || homedir[0] == '\0') {
 		homedir = getenv("HOME");