diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index aeaaf466a..1e7cdebf4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 - Fixed `TreeNode.toggle` and `TreeNode.toggle_all` not posting a `Tree.NodeExpanded` or `Tree.NodeCollapsed` message https://github.com/Textualize/textual/issues/2535
 - `footer--description` component class was being ignored https://github.com/Textualize/textual/issues/2544
 
+### Added
+
+- Class variable `AUTO_FOCUS` to screens https://github.com/Textualize/textual/issues/2457
+
 ## [0.24.1] - 2023-05-08
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/src/textual/screen.py b/src/textual/screen.py
index 34db473ef..af0b006be 100644
--- a/src/textual/screen.py
+++ b/src/textual/screen.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from typing import (
     TYPE_CHECKING,
     Awaitable,
     Callable,
+    ClassVar,
     Generic,
     Iterable,
     Iterator,
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ from ._types import CallbackType
 from .binding import Binding
 from .css.match import match
 from .css.parse import parse_selectors
-from .css.query import QueryType
+from .css.query import NoMatches, QueryType
 from .dom import DOMNode
 from .geometry import Offset, Region, Size
 from .reactive import Reactive
@@ -93,6 +94,13 @@ class ResultCallback(Generic[ScreenResultType]):
 class Screen(Generic[ScreenResultType], Widget):
     """The base class for screens."""
 
+    AUTO_FOCUS: ClassVar[str | None] = "*"
+    """A selector to determine what to focus automatically when the screen is activated.
+
+    The widget focused is the first that matches the given [CSS selector](/guide/queries/#query-selectors).
+    Set to `None` to disable auto focus.
+    """
+
     DEFAULT_CSS = """
     Screen {
         layout: vertical;
@@ -100,7 +108,6 @@ class Screen(Generic[ScreenResultType], Widget):
         background: $surface;
     }
     """
-
     focused: Reactive[Widget | None] = Reactive(None)
     """The focused [widget][textual.widget.Widget] or `None` for no focus."""
     stack_updates: Reactive[int] = Reactive(0, repaint=False)
@@ -659,6 +666,13 @@ class Screen(Generic[ScreenResultType], Widget):
         """Screen has resumed."""
         self.stack_updates += 1
         size = self.app.size
+        if self.AUTO_FOCUS is not None and self.focused is None:
+            try:
+                to_focus = self.query(self.AUTO_FOCUS).first()
+            except NoMatches:
+                pass
+            else:
+                self.set_focus(to_focus)
         self._refresh_layout(size, full=True)
         self.refresh()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_screens.py b/tests/test_screens.py
index 6825c101c..2e3dbfcbe 100644
--- a/tests/test_screens.py
+++ b/tests/test_screens.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from textual.app import App, ScreenStackError
 from textual.screen import Screen
+from textual.widgets import Button, Input
 
 skip_py310 = pytest.mark.skipif(
     sys.version_info.minor == 10 and sys.version_info.major == 3,
@@ -150,3 +151,44 @@ async def test_screens():
     screen2.remove()
     screen3.remove()
     await app._shutdown()
+
+
+async def test_auto_focus():
+    class MyScreen(Screen[None]):
+        def compose(self) -> None:
+            print("composing")
+            yield Button()
+            yield Input(id="one")
+            yield Input(id="two")
+
+    class MyApp(App[None]):
+        pass
+
+    app = MyApp()
+    async with app.run_test():
+        await app.push_screen(MyScreen())
+        assert isinstance(app.focused, Button)
+        app.pop_screen()
+
+        MyScreen.AUTO_FOCUS = None
+        await app.push_screen(MyScreen())
+        assert app.focused is None
+        app.pop_screen()
+
+        MyScreen.AUTO_FOCUS = "Input"
+        await app.push_screen(MyScreen())
+        assert isinstance(app.focused, Input)
+        assert app.focused.id == "one"
+        app.pop_screen()
+
+        MyScreen.AUTO_FOCUS = "#two"
+        await app.push_screen(MyScreen())
+        assert isinstance(app.focused, Input)
+        assert app.focused.id == "two"
+
+        # If we push and pop another screen, focus should be preserved for #two.
+        MyScreen.AUTO_FOCUS = None
+        await app.push_screen(MyScreen())
+        assert app.focused is None
+        app.pop_screen()
+        assert app.focused.id == "two"