diff --git a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.spec.ts b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.spec.ts
index edd7cd951a4..6453943836d 100644
--- a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.spec.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ describe('BrowseByDateComponent', () => {
     getBrowseEntriesFor: (options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData([]),
     getBrowseItemsFor: (value: string, options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData([firstItem]),
     getFirstItemFor: (definition: string, scope?: string, sortDirection?: SortDirection) => null,
+    getConfiguredSortDirection: () => observableOf(SortDirection.DESC),
   };
 
   const mockDsoService = {
diff --git a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.ts b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.ts
index ee33ee533c8..bff4ce8a6c2 100644
--- a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-date/browse-by-date.component.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   ActivatedRoute,
-  Params,
   Router,
 } from '@angular/router';
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
@@ -18,7 +17,10 @@ import {
   combineLatest as observableCombineLatest,
   Observable,
 } from 'rxjs';
-import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import {
+  map,
+  switchMap,
+} from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { ThemedBrowseByComponent } from 'src/app/shared/browse-by/themed-browse-by.component';
 
 import {
@@ -47,13 +49,11 @@ import {
   isNotEmpty,
 } from '../../shared/empty.util';
 import { ThemedLoadingComponent } from '../../shared/loading/themed-loading.component';
-import { PaginationComponentOptions } from '../../shared/pagination/pagination-component-options.model';
 import { StartsWithType } from '../../shared/starts-with/starts-with-type';
 import { VarDirective } from '../../shared/utils/var.directive';
 import {
   BrowseByMetadataComponent,
   browseParamsToOptions,
-  getBrowseSearchOptions,
 } from '../browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component';
 
 @Component({
@@ -102,22 +102,23 @@ export class BrowseByDateComponent extends BrowseByMetadataComponent implements
   }
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
-    const sortConfig = new SortOptions('default', SortDirection.ASC);
+    this.browseId = this.route.snapshot.params.id;
     this.startsWithType = StartsWithType.date;
-    // include the thumbnail configuration in browse search options
-    this.updatePage(getBrowseSearchOptions(this.defaultBrowseId, this.paginationConfig, sortConfig, this.fetchThumbnails));
-    this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
-    this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig);
+
     this.subs.push(
-      observableCombineLatest([this.route.params, this.route.queryParams, this.scope$, this.route.data,
-        this.currentPagination$, this.currentSort$]).pipe(
-        map(([routeParams, queryParams, scope, data, currentPage, currentSort]) => {
-          return [Object.assign({}, routeParams, queryParams, data), scope, currentPage, currentSort];
-        }),
-      ).subscribe(([params, scope, currentPage, currentSort]: [Params, string, PaginationComponentOptions, SortOptions]) => {
+      this.browseService.getConfiguredSortDirection(this.browseId, SortDirection.ASC).pipe(
+        map((sortDir) => new SortOptions(this.browseId, sortDir)),
+        switchMap((sortConfig) => {
+          this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
+          this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig, false);
+          return observableCombineLatest([this.route.params, this.route.queryParams, this.scope$, this.route.data, this.currentPagination$, this.currentSort$]).pipe(
+            map(([routeParams, queryParams, scope, data, currentPage, currentSort]) => ({
+              params: Object.assign({}, routeParams, queryParams, data), scope, currentPage, currentSort,
+            })));
+        })).subscribe(({ params, scope, currentPage, currentSort }) => {
         const metadataKeys = params.browseDefinition ? params.browseDefinition.metadataKeys : this.defaultMetadataKeys;
-        this.browseId = params.id || this.defaultBrowseId;
         this.startsWith = +params.startsWith || params.startsWith;
+        this.browseId = params.id || this.defaultBrowseId;
         const searchOptions = browseParamsToOptions(params, scope, currentPage, currentSort, this.browseId, this.fetchThumbnails);
         this.updatePageWithItems(searchOptions, this.value, undefined);
         this.updateStartsWithOptions(this.browseId, metadataKeys, params.scope);
diff --git a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.spec.ts b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.spec.ts
index b6babc97cf6..e0200a6efb8 100644
--- a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.spec.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ describe('BrowseByMetadataComponent', () => {
   const mockBrowseService = {
     getBrowseEntriesFor: (options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData(mockEntries),
     getBrowseItemsFor: (value: string, options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData(mockItems),
+    getConfiguredSortDirection: () => observableOf(SortDirection.ASC),
   };
 
   const mockDsoService = {
diff --git a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.ts b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.ts
index 29bc48b1bdc..ab7ce5a0ba3 100644
--- a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   ActivatedRoute,
-  Params,
   Router,
 } from '@angular/router';
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
@@ -23,7 +22,10 @@ import {
   of as observableOf,
   Subscription,
 } from 'rxjs';
-import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import {
+  map,
+  switchMap,
+} from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { ThemedBrowseByComponent } from 'src/app/shared/browse-by/themed-browse-by.component';
 
 import {
@@ -210,18 +212,18 @@ export class BrowseByMetadataComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
 
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
-
-    const sortConfig = new SortOptions('default', SortDirection.ASC);
-    this.updatePage(getBrowseSearchOptions(this.defaultBrowseId, this.paginationConfig, sortConfig));
-    this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
-    this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig);
+    this.browseId = this.route.snapshot.params.id;
     this.subs.push(
-      observableCombineLatest([this.route.params, this.route.queryParams, this.scope$, this.currentPagination$, this.currentSort$]).pipe(
-        map(([routeParams, queryParams, scope, currentPage, currentSort]) => {
-          return [Object.assign({}, routeParams, queryParams), scope, currentPage, currentSort];
-        }),
-      ).subscribe(([params, scope, currentPage, currentSort]: [Params, string, PaginationComponentOptions, SortOptions]) => {
-        this.browseId = params.id || this.defaultBrowseId;
+      this.browseService.getConfiguredSortDirection(this.browseId, SortDirection.ASC).pipe(
+        map((sortDir) => new SortOptions(this.browseId, sortDir)),
+        switchMap((sortConfig) => {
+          this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig, false);
+          this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
+          return observableCombineLatest([this.route.params, this.route.queryParams, this.scope$, this.currentPagination$, this.currentSort$]).pipe(
+            map(([routeParams, queryParams, scope, currentPage, currentSort]) => ({
+              params: Object.assign({}, routeParams, queryParams), scope, currentPage, currentSort,
+            })));
+        })).subscribe(({ params, scope, currentPage, currentSort }) => {
         this.authority = params.authority;
 
         if (typeof params.value === 'string') {
@@ -243,9 +245,8 @@ export class BrowseByMetadataComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
         } else {
           this.updatePage(browseParamsToOptions(params, scope, currentPage, currentSort, this.browseId, false));
         }
+        this.updateStartsWithTextOptions();
       }));
-    this.updateStartsWithTextOptions();
-
   }
 
   ngOnChanges(): void {
diff --git a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.spec.ts b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.spec.ts
index e2e022391a6..b84f62b9548 100644
--- a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.spec.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { of as observableOf } from 'rxjs';
 import { APP_CONFIG } from '../../../config/app-config.interface';
 import { environment } from '../../../environments/environment';
 import { BrowseService } from '../../core/browse/browse.service';
+import { SortDirection } from '../../core/cache/models/sort-options.model';
 import { DSpaceObjectDataService } from '../../core/data/dspace-object-data.service';
 import { ItemDataService } from '../../core/data/item-data.service';
 import { PaginationService } from '../../core/pagination/pagination.service';
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ describe('BrowseByTitleComponent', () => {
   const mockBrowseService = {
     getBrowseItemsFor: () => toRemoteData(mockItems),
     getBrowseEntriesFor: () => toRemoteData([]),
+    getConfiguredSortDirection: () => observableOf(SortDirection.ASC),
   };
 
   const mockDsoService = {
diff --git a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.ts b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.ts
index aa5daa31661..d14a14a23d1 100644
--- a/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/browse-by/browse-by-title/browse-by-title.component.ts
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@ import {
   Component,
   OnInit,
 } from '@angular/core';
-import { Params } from '@angular/router';
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import { combineLatest as observableCombineLatest } from 'rxjs';
-import { map } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import {
+  map,
+  switchMap,
+} from 'rxjs/operators';
 
 import {
   SortDirection,
@@ -23,12 +25,10 @@ import { ComcolPageHeaderComponent } from '../../shared/comcol/comcol-page-heade
 import { ComcolPageLogoComponent } from '../../shared/comcol/comcol-page-logo/comcol-page-logo.component';
 import { DsoEditMenuComponent } from '../../shared/dso-page/dso-edit-menu/dso-edit-menu.component';
 import { ThemedLoadingComponent } from '../../shared/loading/themed-loading.component';
-import { PaginationComponentOptions } from '../../shared/pagination/pagination-component-options.model';
 import { VarDirective } from '../../shared/utils/var.directive';
 import {
   BrowseByMetadataComponent,
   browseParamsToOptions,
-  getBrowseSearchOptions,
 } from '../browse-by-metadata/browse-by-metadata.component';
 
 @Component({
@@ -57,22 +57,23 @@ import {
 export class BrowseByTitleComponent extends BrowseByMetadataComponent implements OnInit {
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
-    const sortConfig = new SortOptions('dc.title', SortDirection.ASC);
-    // include the thumbnail configuration in browse search options
-    this.updatePage(getBrowseSearchOptions(this.defaultBrowseId, this.paginationConfig, sortConfig, this.fetchThumbnails));
-    this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
-    this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig);
+    this.browseId = this.route.snapshot.params.id;
     this.subs.push(
-      observableCombineLatest([this.route.params, this.route.queryParams, this.scope$, this.currentPagination$, this.currentSort$]).pipe(
-        map(([routeParams, queryParams, scope, currentPage, currentSort]) => {
-          return [Object.assign({}, routeParams, queryParams), scope, currentPage, currentSort];
-        }),
-      ).subscribe(([params, scope, currentPage, currentSort]: [Params, string, PaginationComponentOptions, SortOptions]) => {
+      this.browseService.getConfiguredSortDirection(this.browseId, SortDirection.ASC).pipe(
+        map((sortDir) => new SortOptions(this.browseId, sortDir)),
+        switchMap((sortConfig) => {
+          this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig, false);
+          this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
+          return observableCombineLatest([this.route.params, this.route.queryParams, this.scope$, this.currentPagination$, this.currentSort$]).pipe(
+            map(([routeParams, queryParams, scope, currentPage, currentSort]) => ({
+              params: Object.assign({}, routeParams, queryParams), scope, currentPage, currentSort,
+            })),
+          );
+        })).subscribe(({ params, scope, currentPage, currentSort }) => {
         this.startsWith = +params.startsWith || params.startsWith;
-        this.browseId = params.id || this.defaultBrowseId;
         this.updatePageWithItems(browseParamsToOptions(params, scope, currentPage, currentSort, this.browseId, this.fetchThumbnails), undefined, undefined);
+        this.updateStartsWithTextOptions();
       }));
-    this.updateStartsWithTextOptions();
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/app/core/browse/browse.service.ts b/src/app/core/browse/browse.service.ts
index 5fe06a700e5..28c0fa0a439 100644
--- a/src/app/core/browse/browse.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/browse/browse.service.ts
@@ -127,6 +127,29 @@ export class BrowseService {
     return this.hrefOnlyDataService.findListByHref<BrowseEntry>(href$);
   }
 
+  /*
+   * Get the sort direction for a browse index based on its unique id
+   * @param browseId     The unique id of the browse index
+   * @param defaultDirection  The default sort direction to return if the browse index has no sort direction configured
+   * @returns {Observable<SortDirection>} The sort direction of the browse index
+   */
+  getConfiguredSortDirection(browseId: string, defaultDirection: SortDirection): Observable<SortDirection> {
+    return this.getBrowseDefinitions().pipe(
+      getRemoteDataPayload(),
+      getPaginatedListPayload(),
+      map((browseDefinitions: BrowseDefinition[]) => browseDefinitions
+        .find((def: BrowseDefinition) => def.id === browseId),
+      ),
+      map((browseDef: BrowseDefinition) => {
+        if (browseDef.order === SortDirection.ASC || browseDef.order === SortDirection.DESC) {
+          return browseDef.order;
+        } else {
+          return defaultDirection;
+        }
+      }),
+    );
+  }
+
   /**
    * Get all items linked to a certain metadata value
    * @param {string} filterValue      metadata value to filter by (e.g. author's name)
diff --git a/src/app/core/shared/browse-definition.model.ts b/src/app/core/shared/browse-definition.model.ts
index 6de81727fae..dc08cc232c6 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/browse-definition.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/browse-definition.model.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { autoserialize } from 'cerialize';
 
 import { BrowseByDataType } from '../../browse-by/browse-by-switcher/browse-by-data-type';
 import { CacheableObject } from '../cache/cacheable-object.model';
+import { SortDirection } from '../cache/models/sort-options.model';
 
 /**
  * Base class for BrowseDefinition models
@@ -11,6 +12,9 @@ export abstract class BrowseDefinition extends CacheableObject {
   @autoserialize
   id: string;
 
+  @autoserialize
+  order: SortDirection;
+
   /**
    * Get the render type of the BrowseDefinition model
    */