diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/template.php b/wp-admin/includes/template.php
index 144be100f6..041be1dd13 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/template.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/template.php
@@ -3637,8 +3637,12 @@ function screen_options($screen) {
 
 	$option = str_replace('-', '_', "${screen}_per_page");
 	$per_page = get_user_option($option);
-	if ( empty($per_page) )
-		$per_page = 20;
+	if ( empty($per_page) ) {
+		if ( 'plugins' == $screen )
+			$per_page = 999;
+		else
+			$per_page = 20;
+	}
 
 	$return = '<h5>' . __('Options') . "</h5>\n";
 	$return .= "<div class='screen-options'>\n";
diff --git a/wp-admin/plugins.php b/wp-admin/plugins.php
index 291ac41e49..0958309e44 100644
--- a/wp-admin/plugins.php
+++ b/wp-admin/plugins.php
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ $total_this_page = "total_{$status}_plugins";
 $total_this_page = $$total_this_page;
 $plugins_per_page = get_user_option('plugins_per_page');
 if ( empty($plugins_per_page) )
-	$plugins_per_page = 20;
+	$plugins_per_page = 999;
 $plugins_per_page = apply_filters('plugins_per_page', $plugins_per_page);
 
 $start = ($page - 1) * $plugins_per_page;