diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0058_auto_20210324_1536.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0058_auto_20210324_1536.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d69dbab0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0058_auto_20210324_1536.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.1.6 on 2021-03-24 15:36
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('bookwyrm', '0057_user_discoverable'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterModelOptions(
+            name='status',
+            options={'ordering': ('-published_date',)},
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index 77ac4b58..e90c2dec 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ class Status(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, BookWyrmModel):
     serialize_reverse_fields = [("attachments", "attachment", "id")]
     deserialize_reverse_fields = [("attachments", "attachment")]
 
+    class Meta:
+        """ default sorting """
+        ordering = ("-published_date",)
+
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """ save and notify """
         super().save(*args, **kwargs)