diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list.vue b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list.vue
index 1325fc993b2..3d59410cbc2 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list.vue
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list.vue
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ export default {
       required: false,
       default: false,
     },
+    activeFileKey: {
+      type: String,
+      required: false,
+      default: null,
+    },
+    keyPrefix: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
   },
   data() {
     return {
@@ -113,8 +122,9 @@ export default {
         <list-item
           :file="file"
           :action-component="itemActionComponent"
-          :key-prefix="title"
+          :key-prefix="keyPrefix"
           :staged-list="stagedList"
+          :active-file-key="activeFileKey"
         />
       </li>
     </ul>
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item.vue b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item.vue
index 03f3e4de83c..6c30b2a721d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item.vue
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item.vue
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ export default {
       required: false,
       default: false,
     },
+    activeFileKey: {
+      type: String,
+      required: false,
+      default: null,
+    },
   },
   computed: {
     iconName() {
@@ -39,6 +44,12 @@ export default {
     iconClass() {
       return `multi-file-${this.file.tempFile ? 'addition' : 'modified'} append-right-8`;
     },
+    fullKey() {
+      return `${this.keyPrefix}-${this.file.key}`;
+    },
+    isActive() {
+      return this.activeFileKey === this.fullKey;
+    },
   },
   methods: {
     ...mapActions([
@@ -51,7 +62,7 @@ export default {
     openFileInEditor() {
       return this.openPendingTab({
         file: this.file,
-        keyPrefix: this.keyPrefix.toLowerCase(),
+        keyPrefix: this.keyPrefix,
       }).then(changeViewer => {
         if (changeViewer) {
           this.updateViewer(viewerTypes.diff);
@@ -70,7 +81,12 @@ export default {
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <div class="multi-file-commit-list-item">
+  <div
+    class="multi-file-commit-list-item"
+    :class="{
+      'is-active': isActive
+    }"
+  >
     <button
       type="button"
       class="multi-file-commit-list-path"
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section.vue b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section.vue
index c5092d8e04d..46e8ee26d3c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section.vue
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section.vue
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import DeprecatedModal from '~/vue_shared/components/deprecated_modal.vue';
 import CommitFilesList from './commit_sidebar/list.vue';
 import EmptyState from './commit_sidebar/empty_state.vue';
 import * as consts from '../stores/modules/commit/constants';
-import { activityBarViews } from '../constants';
+import { activityBarViews, stageKeys } from '../constants';
 
 export default {
   components: {
@@ -27,11 +27,14 @@ export default {
       'unusedSeal',
     ]),
     ...mapState('commit', ['commitMessage', 'submitCommitLoading']),
-    ...mapGetters(['lastOpenedFile', 'hasChanges', 'someUncommitedChanges']),
+    ...mapGetters(['lastOpenedFile', 'hasChanges', 'someUncommitedChanges', 'activeFile']),
     ...mapGetters('commit', ['commitButtonDisabled', 'discardDraftButtonDisabled']),
     showStageUnstageArea() {
       return !!(this.someUncommitedChanges || this.lastCommitMsg || !this.unusedSeal);
     },
+    activeFileKey() {
+      return this.activeFile ? this.activeFile.key : null;
+    },
   },
   watch: {
     hasChanges() {
@@ -44,6 +47,7 @@ export default {
     if (this.lastOpenedFile) {
       this.openPendingTab({
         file: this.lastOpenedFile,
+        keyPrefix: this.lastOpenedFile.changed ? stageKeys.unstaged : stageKeys.staged,
       })
         .then(changeViewer => {
           if (changeViewer) {
@@ -62,6 +66,7 @@ export default {
       return this.updateCommitAction(consts.COMMIT_TO_NEW_BRANCH).then(() => this.commitChanges());
     },
   },
+  stageKeys,
 };
 </script>
 
@@ -88,19 +93,23 @@ export default {
         class="is-first"
         icon-name="unstaged"
         :title="__('Unstaged')"
+        :key-prefix="$options.stageKeys.unstaged"
         :file-list="changedFiles"
         action="stageAllChanges"
         :action-btn-text="__('Stage all')"
         item-action-component="stage-button"
+        :active-file-key="activeFileKey"
       />
       <commit-files-list
         icon-name="staged"
         :title="__('Staged')"
+        :key-prefix="$options.stageKeys.staged"
         :file-list="stagedFiles"
         action="unstageAllChanges"
         :action-btn-text="__('Unstage all')"
         item-action-component="unstage-button"
         :staged-list="true"
+        :active-file-key="activeFileKey"
       />
     </template>
     <empty-state
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/constants.js b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/constants.js
index 64271ca56d1..12e0c3aeef0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/ide/constants.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/ide/constants.js
@@ -32,3 +32,8 @@ export const rightSidebarViews = {
   pipelines: 'pipelines-list',
   jobsDetail: 'jobs-detail',
 };
+
+export const stageKeys = {
+  unstaged: 'unstaged',
+  staged: 'staged',
+};
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/repo.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/repo.scss
index 0fb95572cfd..4b8a3db1d06 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/repo.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/repo.scss
@@ -552,6 +552,10 @@
 }
 
 .multi-file-commit-list-item {
+  &.is-active {
+    background-color: $white-normal;
+  }
+
   .multi-file-discard-btn {
     display: none;
     margin-top: -2px;
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item_spec.js
index cc7e0a3f26d..8f7cf24c22f 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_item_spec.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ describe('Multi-file editor commit sidebar list item', () => {
     vm = createComponentWithStore(Component, store, {
       file: f,
       actionComponent: 'stage-button',
+      activeFileKey: `staged-${f.key}`,
     }).$mount();
   });
 
@@ -89,4 +90,20 @@ describe('Multi-file editor commit sidebar list item', () => {
       });
     });
   });
+
+  describe('is active', () => {
+    it('does not add active class when dont keys match', () => {
+      expect(vm.$el.classList).not.toContain('is-active');
+    });
+
+    it('adds active class when keys match', done => {
+      vm.keyPrefix = 'staged';
+
+      vm.$nextTick(() => {
+        expect(vm.$el.classList).toContain('is-active');
+
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_spec.js
index 54625ef90f8..6fb52378386 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/ide/components/commit_sidebar/list_spec.js
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ describe('Multi-file editor commit sidebar list', () => {
       action: 'stageAllChanges',
       actionBtnText: 'stage all',
       itemActionComponent: 'stage-button',
+      activeFileKey: 'staged-testing',
+      keyPrefix: 'staged',
     });
 
     vm.$store.state.rightPanelCollapsed = false;
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section_spec.js
index 5e3e00a180b..531bcd6e540 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/ide/components/repo_commit_section_spec.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ describe('RepoCommitSection', () => {
       vm.$store.state.entries[f.path] = f;
     });
 
-    return vm.$mount();
+    return vm;
   }
 
   beforeEach(done => {
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ describe('RepoCommitSection', () => {
 
     vm = createComponent();
 
+    spyOn(vm, 'openPendingTab').and.callThrough();
+
+    vm.$mount();
+
     spyOn(service, 'getTreeData').and.returnValue(
       Promise.resolve({
         headers: {
@@ -98,6 +102,7 @@ describe('RepoCommitSection', () => {
       store.state.noChangesStateSvgPath = 'nochangessvg';
       store.state.committedStateSvgPath = 'svg';
 
+      vm.$destroy();
       vm = createComponentWithStore(Component, store).$mount();
 
       expect(vm.$el.querySelector('.js-empty-state').textContent.trim()).toContain('No changes');
@@ -176,5 +181,12 @@ describe('RepoCommitSection', () => {
       expect(store.state.openFiles.length).toBe(1);
       expect(store.state.openFiles[0].pending).toBe(true);
     });
+
+    it('calls openPendingTab', () => {
+      expect(vm.openPendingTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        file: vm.lastOpenedFile,
+        keyPrefix: 'unstaged',
+      });
+    });
   });
 });