diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/basic_topic_list_component.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/basic_topic_list_component.js
index ca725e889..1ff51a95d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/basic_topic_list_component.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/basic_topic_list_component.js
@@ -17,15 +17,22 @@ Discourse.DiscourseBasicTopicListComponent = Ember.Component.extend({
     }
   }.property('topicList.loaded'),
 
+  _topicListChanged: function() {
+    this._initFromTopicList(this.get('topicList'));
+  }.observes('topicList'),
+
+  _initFromTopicList: function(topicList) {
+    this.setProperties({
+      topics: topicList.get('topics'),
+      sortOrder: topicList.get('sortOrder')
+    });
+  },
+
   init: function() {
     this._super();
-
     var topicList = this.get('topicList');
     if (topicList) {
-      this.setProperties({
-        topics: topicList.get('topics'),
-        sortOrder: topicList.get('sortOrder')
-      });
+      this._initFromTopicList(topicList);
     } else {
       // Without a topic list, we assume it's loaded always.
       this.set('loaded', true);
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/breadcrumbs_component.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/breadcrumbs_component.js
index d1efb82ae..1b10082d2 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/breadcrumbs_component.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/breadcrumbs_component.js
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+/**
+  A breadcrumb including category drop downs
+
+  @class DiscourseBreadcrumbsComponent
+  @extends Ember.Component
+  @namespace Discourse
+  @module Discourse
+**/
 Discourse.DiscourseBreadcrumbsComponent = Ember.Component.extend({
   classNames: ['category-breadcrumb'],
   tagName: 'ol',
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/categorydrop_component.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/categorydrop_component.js
index f24a9959e..20c077536 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/categorydrop_component.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/categorydrop_component.js
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+/**
+  Renders a drop down for selecting a category
+
+  @class DiscourseCategorydropComponent
+  @extends Ember.Component
+  @namespace Discourse
+  @module Discourse
+**/
 Discourse.DiscourseCategorydropComponent = Ember.Component.extend({
   classNameBindings: ['category::no-category', 'categories:has-drop'],
   tagName: 'li',
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/heading_component.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/heading_component.js
index 80fe7a0d0..3ec8d1b7f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/heading_component.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/heading_component.js
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
+/**
+  Renders a heading for a table with optional sorting controls.
+
+  @class DiscourseHeadingComponent
+  @extends Ember.Component
+  @namespace Discourse
+  @module Discourse
+**/
 Discourse.DiscourseHeadingComponent = Ember.Component.extend({
   tagName: 'th',
-
-  classNameBindings: ['number:num', 'sortBy', 'iconSortClass:sorting', 'sortable'],
+  classNameBindings: ['number:num', 'sortBy', 'iconSortClass:sorting', 'sortable:sortable'],
   attributeBindings: ['colspan'],
 
   sortable: function() {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js
index 308260dde..6317f1a8c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/topic_list.js
@@ -17,14 +17,17 @@ function finderFor(filter, params) {
       if (keys.length > 0) {
         var encoded = [];
         keys.forEach(function(p) {
-          encoded.push(p + "=" + params[p]);
+          var value = params[p];
+          if (typeof value !== 'undefined') {
+            encoded.push(p + "=" + value);
+          }
         });
 
         url += "?" + encoded.join('&');
       }
     }
     return Discourse.ajax(url);
-  }
+  };
 }
 
 Discourse.TopicList = Discourse.Model.extend({
diff --git a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
index 446a9b651..b95b689b8 100644
--- a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class ListController < ApplicationController
       exclude_category: (params[:exclude_category] || menu_item.try(:filter)),
       category: params[:category],
       sort_order: params[:sort_order],
-      sort_descending: params[:sort_order]
+      sort_descending: params[:sort_descending]
     }
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/topic_query.rb b/lib/topic_query.rb
index 0e58135c7..f8eda7532 100644
--- a/lib/topic_query.rb
+++ b/lib/topic_query.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@ class TopicQuery
                      sort_order
                      sort_descending).map(&:to_sym)
 
+  # Maps `sort_order` to a columns in `topics`
+  SORTABLE_MAPPING = {
+    'likes' => 'like_count',
+    'views' => 'views',
+    'posts' => 'posts_count',
+    'activity' => 'bumped_at'
+  }
+
   def initialize(user=nil, options={})
     options.assert_valid_keys(VALID_OPTIONS)
 
@@ -147,6 +155,31 @@ class TopicQuery
       result
     end
 
+    def default_ordering(result, options)
+      # If we're logged in, we have to pay attention to our pinned settings
+      if @user
+        result = options[:category].blank? ? result.order(TopicQuerySQL.order_nocategory_with_pinned_sql) :
+                                    result.order(TopicQuerySQL.order_with_pinned_sql)
+      else
+        result = result.order(TopicQuerySQL.order_nocategory_basic_bumped)
+      end
+      result
+    end
+
+    def apply_ordering(result, options)
+      sort_column = SORTABLE_MAPPING[options[:sort_order]] || 'default'
+      sort_dir = (options[:sort_descending] == "false") ? "ASC" : "DESC"
+
+      # If we are sorting in the default order desc, we should consider including pinned
+      # topics. Otherwise, just use bumped_at.
+      if sort_column == 'default'
+        return default_ordering(result, options) if sort_dir == 'DESC'
+        sort_column = 'bumped_at'
+      end
+
+      result.order("topics.#{sort_column} #{sort_dir}")
+    end
+
     # Create results based on a bunch of default options
     def default_results(options={})
       options.reverse_merge!(@options)
@@ -170,15 +203,7 @@ class TopicQuery
         result = result.references(:categories)
       end
 
-      unless options[:unordered]
-        # If we're logged in, we have to pay attention to our pinned settings
-        if @user
-          result = category_id.nil? ? result.order(TopicQuerySQL.order_nocategory_with_pinned_sql) :
-                                      result.order(TopicQuerySQL.order_with_pinned_sql)
-        else
-          result = result.order(TopicQuerySQL.order_nocategory_basic_bumped)
-        end
-      end
+      result = apply_ordering(result, options) unless options[:unordered]
 
       result = result.listable_topics.includes(category: :topic_only_relative_url)
       result = result.where('categories.name is null or categories.name <> ?', options[:exclude_category]).references(:categories) if options[:exclude_category]
diff --git a/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb b/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
index 155f0eba7..7c6acd1e6 100644
--- a/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
@@ -59,16 +59,56 @@ describe TopicQuery do
 
 
   context 'a bunch of topics' do
-    let!(:regular_topic) { Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is a regular topic', user: creator, bumped_at: 15.minutes.ago) }
-    let!(:pinned_topic) { Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is a pinned topic', user: creator, pinned_at: 10.minutes.ago, bumped_at: 10.minutes.ago) }
-    let!(:archived_topic) { Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is an archived topic', user: creator, archived: true, bumped_at: 6.minutes.ago) }
-    let!(:invisible_topic) { Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is an invisible topic', user: creator, visible: false, bumped_at: 5.minutes.ago) }
-    let!(:closed_topic) { Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is a closed topic', user: creator, closed: true, bumped_at: 1.minute.ago) }
+    let!(:regular_topic) do
+      Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is a regular topic',
+                        user: creator,
+                        views: 100,
+                        like_count: 66,
+                        posts_count: 3,
+                        bumped_at: 15.minutes.ago)
+    end
+    let!(:pinned_topic) do
+      Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is a pinned topic',
+                        user: creator,
+                        views: 10,
+                        like_count: 100,
+                        posts_count: 5,
+                        pinned_at: 10.minutes.ago,
+                        bumped_at: 10.minutes.ago)
+    end
+    let!(:archived_topic) do
+      Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is an archived topic',
+                        user: creator,
+                        views: 50,
+                        like_count: 30,
+                        posts_count: 4,
+                        archived: true,
+                        bumped_at: 6.minutes.ago)
+    end
+    let!(:invisible_topic) do
+      Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is an invisible topic',
+                        user: creator,
+                        views: 1,
+                        like_count: 5,
+                        posts_count: 2,
+                        visible: false,
+                        bumped_at: 5.minutes.ago)
+    end
+    let!(:closed_topic) do
+      Fabricate(:topic, title: 'this is a closed topic',
+                        user: creator,
+                        views: 2,
+                        like_count: 1,
+                        posts_count: 1,
+                        closed: true,
+                        bumped_at: 1.minute.ago)
+    end
+
     let(:topics) { topic_query.list_latest.topics }
 
     context 'list_latest' do
       it "returns the topics in the correct order" do
-        topics.map(&:title).should == [pinned_topic, closed_topic, archived_topic, regular_topic].map(&:title)
+        topics.map(&:id).should == [pinned_topic, closed_topic, archived_topic, regular_topic].map(&:id)
       end
 
       it "includes the invisible topic if you're a moderator" do
@@ -78,6 +118,39 @@ describe TopicQuery do
       it "includes the invisible topic if you're an admin" do
         TopicQuery.new(admin).list_latest.topics.include?(invisible_topic).should be_true
       end
+
+      context 'sort_order' do
+
+        def ids_in_order(order, descending=true)
+          TopicQuery.new(admin, sort_order: order, sort_descending: descending ? 'true' : 'false').list_latest.topics.map(&:id)
+        end
+
+        it "returns the topics in likes order if requested" do
+          ids_in_order('posts').should == [pinned_topic, archived_topic, regular_topic, invisible_topic, closed_topic].map(&:id)
+        end
+
+        it "returns the topics in reverse likes order if requested" do
+          ids_in_order('posts', false).should == [closed_topic, invisible_topic, regular_topic, archived_topic, pinned_topic].map(&:id)
+        end
+
+        it "returns the topics in likes order if requested" do
+          ids_in_order('likes').should == [pinned_topic, regular_topic, archived_topic, invisible_topic, closed_topic].map(&:id)
+        end
+
+        it "returns the topics in reverse likes order if requested" do
+          ids_in_order('likes', false).should == [closed_topic, invisible_topic, archived_topic, regular_topic, pinned_topic].map(&:id)
+        end
+
+        it "returns the topics in views order if requested" do
+          ids_in_order('views').should == [regular_topic, archived_topic, pinned_topic, closed_topic, invisible_topic].map(&:id)
+        end
+
+        it "returns the topics in reverse views order if requested" do
+          ids_in_order('views', false).should == [invisible_topic, closed_topic, pinned_topic, archived_topic, regular_topic].map(&:id)
+        end
+
+      end
+
     end
 
     context 'after clearring a pinned topic' do