diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.html b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.html
index 7a04bfc333..048e115f8e 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.html
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     </button>
     <button *ngFor="let listEntry of listEntries"
             class="list-group-item list-group-item-action border-0 list-entry"
+            [ngClass]="{'current': listEntry.indexableObject.id === currentDSOId}"
             title="{{ listEntry.indexableObject.name }}"
             (click)="onSelect.emit(listEntry.indexableObject)" #listEntryElement>
       <ds-listable-object-component-loader [object]="listEntry" [viewMode]="viewMode"
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.scss b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.scss
index 37d2ebeca7..d1fbab4142 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.scss
@@ -3,3 +3,10 @@
   max-height: $dso-selector-list-max-height;
   overflow-x: hidden;
 }
+
+.current {
+  background-color: $dso-selector-current-background-color;
+  &:hover {
+    background-color: $dso-selector-current-background-hover-color;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.ts b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.ts
index 01f19561be..cb8bf3cec4 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/dso-selector/dso-selector.component.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
   ViewChildren
 } from '@angular/core';
 import { FormControl } from '@angular/forms';
-import { debounceTime, startWith, switchMap, tap } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { debounceTime, map, startWith, switchMap, tap } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { SearchService } from '../../../core/shared/search/search.service';
 import { CollectionElementLinkType } from '../../object-collection/collection-element-link.type';
 import { PaginatedSearchOptions } from '../../search/paginated-search-options.model';
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ import { Context } from '../../../core/shared/context.model';
 import { BehaviorSubject } from 'rxjs/internal/BehaviorSubject';
 import { getFirstSucceededRemoteDataPayload } from '../../../core/shared/operators';
 import { Subscription } from 'rxjs/internal/Subscription';
-import { hasValue } from '../../empty.util';
-import { combineLatest as observableCombineLatest } from 'rxjs';
+import { hasValue, isEmpty, isNotEmpty } from '../../empty.util';
+import { combineLatest as observableCombineLatest, of as observableOf } from 'rxjs';
 import { Observable } from 'rxjs/internal/Observable';
 import { PaginatedList } from '../../../core/data/paginated-list';
 import { SearchResult } from '../../search/search-result.model';
@@ -126,23 +126,42 @@ export class DSOSelectorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
    * The search will always start with the initial currentDSOId value
    */
   ngOnInit(): void {
-    this.input.setValue(this.currentDSOId);
     this.typesString = this.types.map((type: string) => type.toString().toLowerCase()).join(', ');
 
+    // Create an observable searching for the current DSO (return empty list if there's no current DSO)
+    let currentDSOResult$;
+    if (isNotEmpty(this.currentDSOId)) {
+      currentDSOResult$ = this.search(`search.resourceid:${this.currentDSOId}`, 1);
+    } else {
+      currentDSOResult$ = observableOf(new PaginatedList(undefined, []));
+    }
+
+    // Combine current DSO, query and page
     this.subs.push(observableCombineLatest(
+      currentDSOResult$,
       this.input.valueChanges.pipe(
         debounceTime(this.debounceTime),
-        startWith(this.currentDSOId),
+        startWith(''),
         tap(() => this.currentPage$.next(1))
       ),
       this.currentPage$
     ).pipe(
-      switchMap(([query, page]: [string, number]) => {
+      switchMap(([currentDSOResult, query, page]: [PaginatedList<SearchResult<DSpaceObject>>, string, number]) => {
         if (page === 1) {
           // The first page is loading, this means we should reset the list instead of adding to it
           this.resetList = true;
         }
-        return this.search(query, page);
+        return this.search(query, page).pipe(
+          map((list) => {
+            // If it's the first page and no query is entered, add the current DSO to the start of the list
+            // If no query is entered, filter out the current DSO from the results, as it'll be displayed at the start of the list already
+            list.page = [
+              ...((isEmpty(query) && page === 1) ? currentDSOResult.page : []),
+              ...list.page.filter((result) => isNotEmpty(query) || result.indexableObject.id !== this.currentDSOId)
+            ];
+            return list;
+          })
+        );
       })
     ).subscribe((list) => {
       if (this.resetList) {
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-collection-parent-selector/create-collection-parent-selector.component.ts b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-collection-parent-selector/create-collection-parent-selector.component.ts
index 9e2710c9d3..64274f21e2 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-collection-parent-selector/create-collection-parent-selector.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-collection-parent-selector/create-collection-parent-selector.component.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export class CreateCollectionParentSelectorComponent extends DSOSelectorModalWra
   objectType = DSpaceObjectType.COLLECTION;
   selectorTypes = [DSpaceObjectType.COMMUNITY];
   action = SelectorActionType.CREATE;
+  header = 'dso-selector.create.collection.sub-level';
 
   constructor(protected activeModal: NgbActiveModal, protected route: ActivatedRoute, private router: Router) {
     super(activeModal, route);
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.html b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.html
index a188b08b60..8761e4eb9e 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.html
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     </button>
   </div>
   <div class="modal-body">
-    <ds-authorized-collection-selector [currentDSOId]="dsoRD?.payload.uuid ? 'search.resourceid:' + dsoRD?.payload.uuid : null" [types]="selectorTypes" (onSelect)="selectObject($event)"></ds-authorized-collection-selector>
+    <h5 *ngIf="header" class="px-2">{{header | translate}}</h5>
+    <ds-authorized-collection-selector [currentDSOId]="dsoRD?.payload.uuid" [types]="selectorTypes" (onSelect)="selectObject($event)"></ds-authorized-collection-selector>
   </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.ts b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.ts
index 5729ac8460..03d7732fb0 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/create-item-parent-selector/create-item-parent-selector.component.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export class CreateItemParentSelectorComponent extends DSOSelectorModalWrapperCo
   objectType = DSpaceObjectType.ITEM;
   selectorTypes = [DSpaceObjectType.COLLECTION];
   action = SelectorActionType.CREATE;
+  header = 'dso-selector.create.item.sub-level';
 
   constructor(protected activeModal: NgbActiveModal, protected route: ActivatedRoute, private router: Router) {
     super(activeModal, route);
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.html b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.html
index e1c18ec1e0..85d8797e66 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.html
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     </button>
   </div>
   <div class="modal-body">
-    <ds-dso-selector [currentDSOId]="dsoRD?.payload.uuid ? 'search.resourceid:' + dsoRD?.payload.uuid : null" [types]="selectorTypes" (onSelect)="selectObject($event)"></ds-dso-selector>
+    <h5 *ngIf="header" class="px-2">{{header | translate}}</h5>
+    <ds-dso-selector [currentDSOId]="dsoRD?.payload.uuid" [types]="selectorTypes" (onSelect)="selectObject($event)"></ds-dso-selector>
   </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.ts b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.ts
index b56a901b12..59aeceea0f 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/dso-selector/modal-wrappers/dso-selector-modal-wrapper.component.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ export abstract class DSOSelectorModalWrapperComponent implements OnInit {
    */
   @Input() dsoRD: RemoteData<DSpaceObject>;
 
+  /**
+   * Optional header to display above the selection list
+   * Supports i18n keys
+   */
+  @Input() header: string;
+
   /**
    * The type of the DSO that's being edited, created or exported
    */
diff --git a/src/assets/i18n/en.json5 b/src/assets/i18n/en.json5
index a6aaad98ea..97d7ce162a 100644
--- a/src/assets/i18n/en.json5
+++ b/src/assets/i18n/en.json5
@@ -1037,6 +1037,8 @@
 
   "dso-selector.create.collection.head": "New collection",
 
+  "dso-selector.create.collection.sub-level": "Create a new collection in",
+
   "dso-selector.create.community.head": "New community",
 
   "dso-selector.create.community.sub-level": "Create a new community in",
@@ -1045,6 +1047,8 @@
 
   "dso-selector.create.item.head": "New item",
 
+  "dso-selector.create.item.sub-level": "Create a new item in",
+
   "dso-selector.create.submission.head": "New submission",
 
   "dso-selector.edit.collection.head": "Edit collection",
diff --git a/src/styles/_custom_variables.scss b/src/styles/_custom_variables.scss
index bc1dfda7e7..a9a1ecb391 100644
--- a/src/styles/_custom_variables.scss
+++ b/src/styles/_custom_variables.scss
@@ -39,3 +39,5 @@ $edit-item-language-field-width: 43px !default;
 $thumbnail-max-width: 175px !default;
 
 $dso-selector-list-max-height: 475px !default;
+$dso-selector-current-background-color: #eeeeee;
+$dso-selector-current-background-hover-color: darken($dso-selector-current-background-color, 10%);