diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js
index 5626efdc1..3060364dd 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic.js
@@ -117,6 +117,14 @@ Discourse.Topic = Discourse.Model.extend({
     return null;
   }).property('age', 'created_at'),
 
+  viewsHeat: function() {
+    var v = this.get('views');
+    if( v >= Discourse.SiteSettings.topic_views_heat_high )   return 'heatmap-high';
+    if( v >= Discourse.SiteSettings.topic_views_heat_medium ) return 'heatmap-med';
+    if( v >= Discourse.SiteSettings.topic_views_heat_low )    return 'heatmap-low';
+    return null;
+  }.property('views'),
+
   archetypeObject: (function() {
     return Discourse.get('site.archetypes').findProperty('id', this.get('archetype'));
   }).property('archetype'),
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/list/topic_list_item.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/list/topic_list_item.js.handlebars
index 172c62666..187df13b3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/list/topic_list_item.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/list/topic_list_item.js.handlebars
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
     {{/if}}
   </td>
 
-  <td class='num'>{{number views numberKey="views_long"}}</td>
+  <td {{bindAttr class=":num viewsHeat"}}>{{number views numberKey="views_long"}}</td>
 
   {{#if bumped}}
     <td class='num activity'>
diff --git a/app/models/site_setting.rb b/app/models/site_setting.rb
index 4544d7eec..cc0edd69c 100755
--- a/app/models/site_setting.rb
+++ b/app/models/site_setting.rb
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ class SiteSetting < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   setting(:max_similar_results, 7)
 
+  # Settings for topic heat
+  client_setting(:topic_views_heat_low,    1000)
+  client_setting(:topic_views_heat_medium, 2000)
+  client_setting(:topic_views_heat_high,   5000)
+
   def self.generate_api_key!
     self.api_key = SecureRandom.hex(32)
   end
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 990d65599..ad61dfbee 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -533,6 +533,10 @@ en:
 
     title_prettify: "Prevent common title typos and errors, including all caps, lowercase first character, multiple ! and ?, extra . at end, etc."
 
+    topic_views_heat_low: "The number of views after which a topic's heat level is low."
+    topic_views_heat_medium: "The number of views after which a topic's heat level is medium."
+    topic_views_heat_high: "The number of views after which a topic's heat level is high."
+
   notification_types:
     mentioned: "%{display_username} mentioned you in %{link}"
     liked: "%{display_username} liked your post in %{link}"