diff --git a/src/scripts/consts.js b/src/scripts/consts.js
index 7884751..fd12b68 100644
--- a/src/scripts/consts.js
+++ b/src/scripts/consts.js
@@ -22,3 +22,11 @@ export const SORT_FIELDS = [
 	"Total Downloads",
 ].map((v, i) => [v, i + 1]);
 export const SORT_ORDERS = ["asc", "desc"].map((v) => [v, v]);
+
+export const DEFAULT_PARAMS = {
+	classId: "6", // "Mods"
+	modLoaderType: "0", // "Any"
+	sortField: "6", // "Total Downloads"
+	sortOrder: "desc",
+	pageSize: "50",
+};
diff --git a/src/scripts/dropdowns.js b/src/scripts/dropdowns.js
index 9192ad5..d2a7ad6 100644
--- a/src/scripts/dropdowns.js
+++ b/src/scripts/dropdowns.js
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ export function populate_dropdown(dropdown, values, defaultValue) {
 		dropdown.prepend(defaultOption);
 	} else {
 		// otherwise, select the corresponding <option>
-		let option = Array.from(dropdown.options).find((x) => x.textContent === defaultValue);
-		dropdown.dataset.default = option.value;
+		let option = Array.from(dropdown.options).find((x) => x.value === defaultValue);
 		option.selected = true;
+		dropdown.dataset.default = defaultValue;
 		dropdown.dispatchEvent(new Event("change"));
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/scripts/filters.js b/src/scripts/filters.js
index 610556d..0c53836 100644
--- a/src/scripts/filters.js
+++ b/src/scripts/filters.js
@@ -100,16 +100,3 @@ export function filter_results(results, filters) {
 
 	return results;
 }
-
-export function update_query_params(params, filters) {
-	let params2 = new URLSearchParams(params);
-	// don't overwrite filters query params
-	let [include, exclude, max_ver, min_ver] = filters;
-	params2.set("filtersInclude", include.join(" "));
-	params2.set("filtersExclude", exclude.join(" "));
-	params2.set("maxVer", max_ver);
-	params2.set("minVer", min_ver);
-	if (window.location.search !== "?" + params2.toString()) {
-		history.pushState({}, "", "?" + params2.toString());
-	}
-}
diff --git a/src/scripts/index.js b/src/scripts/index.js
index 0506b14..98fd53e 100644
--- a/src/scripts/index.js
+++ b/src/scripts/index.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { MODLOADERS, SORT_FIELDS, SORT_ORDERS } from "./consts";
+import { MODLOADERS, SORT_FIELDS, SORT_ORDERS, DEFAULT_PARAMS } from "./consts";
 import { sort_subvers } from "./utils";
 import { populate_dropdown, fetch_dropdown_values } from "./dropdowns";
 import {
@@ -7,12 +7,9 @@ import {
 	fetch_results,
 	populate_results,
 } from "./results";
-import {
-	update_query_params,
-	get_active_filters,
-	populate_filters as _populate_filters,
-} from "./filters";
+import { get_active_filters, populate_filters as _populate_filters } from "./filters";
 
+import { update_query_params } from "./params";
 // eslint-disable-next-line sonarjs/cognitive-complexity
 (async function () {
 	const by_id = document.getElementById.bind(document);
@@ -105,11 +102,11 @@ import {
 	populate_dropdown(
 		classes_el,
 		classes.map((x) => [x.name, x.id]),
-		"Mods"
+		DEFAULT_PARAMS.classId
 	);
 
 	// modloaders
-	populate_dropdown(modloader_el, MODLOADERS, "Any");
+	populate_dropdown(modloader_el, MODLOADERS, DEFAULT_PARAMS.modLoaderType);
 
 	sub_version_el.addEventListener("change", function () {
 		update_modloader();
@@ -164,8 +161,8 @@ import {
 	});
 
 	// sort field and order
-	populate_dropdown(sort_field_el, SORT_FIELDS, "Total Downloads");
-	populate_dropdown(sort_order_el, SORT_ORDERS, "desc");
+	populate_dropdown(sort_field_el, SORT_FIELDS, DEFAULT_PARAMS.sortField);
+	populate_dropdown(sort_order_el, SORT_ORDERS, DEFAULT_PARAMS.sortOrder);
 
 	/* prefill forms based on query params*/
 	function prefill_forms() {
diff --git a/src/scripts/params.js b/src/scripts/params.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e00cb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scripts/params.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { DEFAULT_PARAMS } from "./consts";
+export function update_query_params(params, filters) {
+	let params2 = new URLSearchParams(params);
+	// don't overwrite filters query params
+	let [include, exclude, max_ver, min_ver] = filters;
+	params2.set("filtersInclude", include.join(" "));
+	params2.set("filtersExclude", exclude.join(" "));
+	params2.set("maxVer", max_ver);
+	params2.set("minVer", min_ver);
+
+	// remove unnecessary query params
+	// use Array.from to clone the entries to avoid deleting values from what we're iterating over
+	for (let [key, value] of Array.from(params2.entries())) {
+		if ((key in DEFAULT_PARAMS && value === DEFAULT_PARAMS[key]) || value === "") {
+			params2.delete(key);
+		}
+	}
+	if (window.location.search !== "?" + params2.toString()) {
+		history.pushState({}, "", "?" + params2.toString());
+	}
+}