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 0be651c2ba2..c813de329b0 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
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ describe('BrowseByDateComponent', () => {
     getBrowseEntriesFor: (options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData([]),
     getBrowseItemsFor: (value: string, options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData([firstItem]),
     getFirstItemFor: (definition: string, scope?: string, sortDirection?: SortDirection) => null,
+    getConfiguredSortDirection: () => of(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 9b5b7bb2e0a..c65f16cfd5f 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
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   ActivatedRoute,
-  Params,
   Router,
 } from '@angular/router';
 import {
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@ import {
 import { DSpaceObjectDataService } from '@dspace/core/data/dspace-object-data.service';
 import { RemoteData } from '@dspace/core/data/remote-data';
 import { PaginationService } from '@dspace/core/pagination/pagination.service';
-import { PaginationComponentOptions } from '@dspace/core/pagination/pagination-component-options.model';
 import { Item } from '@dspace/core/shared/item.model';
 import { isValidDate } from '@dspace/shared/utils/date.util';
 import {
@@ -41,8 +39,8 @@ import {
   of,
 } from 'rxjs';
 import {
-  distinctUntilChanged,
   map,
+  switchMap,
 } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { ThemedBrowseByComponent } from 'src/app/shared/browse-by/themed-browse-by.component';
 
@@ -96,27 +94,23 @@ export class BrowseByDateComponent extends BrowseByMetadataComponent implements
       this.loading$ = of(false);
       return;
     }
-    const sortConfig = new SortOptions('default', SortDirection.ASC);
+    this.browseId = this.route.snapshot.params.id;
     this.startsWithType = StartsWithType.date;
-    this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
-    this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig);
-    const routeParams$: Observable<Params> = observableCombineLatest([
-      this.route.params,
-      this.route.queryParams,
-    ]).pipe(
-      map(([params, queryParams]: [Params, Params]) => Object.assign({}, params, queryParams)),
-      distinctUntilChanged((prev: Params, curr: Params) => prev.id === curr.id && prev.startsWith === curr.startsWith),
-    );
+
     this.subs.push(
-      observableCombineLatest([
-        routeParams$,
-        this.scope$,
-        this.currentPagination$,
-        this.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 ec393d706b8..00e95a82d33 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
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ describe('BrowseByMetadataComponent', () => {
   const mockBrowseService = {
     getBrowseEntriesFor: (options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData(mockEntries),
     getBrowseItemsFor: (value: string, options: BrowseEntrySearchOptions) => toRemoteData(mockItems),
+    getConfiguredSortDirection: () => of(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 4ddd9f1ba26..f88f8a374cb 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
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   ActivatedRoute,
-  Params,
   Router,
 } from '@angular/router';
 import {
@@ -51,8 +50,8 @@ import {
   Subscription,
 } from 'rxjs';
 import {
-  distinctUntilChanged,
   map,
+  switchMap,
 } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { ThemedBrowseByComponent } from 'src/app/shared/browse-by/themed-browse-by.component';
 
@@ -215,24 +214,18 @@ export class BrowseByMetadataComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
       this.loading$ = of(false);
       return;
     }
-    const sortConfig = new SortOptions('default', SortDirection.ASC);
-    this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
-    this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig);
-    const routeParams$: Observable<Params> = observableCombineLatest([
-      this.route.params,
-      this.route.queryParams,
-    ]).pipe(
-      map(([params, queryParams]: [Params, Params]) => Object.assign({}, params, queryParams)),
-      distinctUntilChanged((prev: Params, curr: Params) => prev.id === curr.id && prev.authority === curr.authority && prev.value === curr.value && prev.startsWith === curr.startsWith),
-    );
+    this.browseId = this.route.snapshot.params.id;
     this.subs.push(
-      observableCombineLatest([
-        routeParams$,
-        this.scope$,
-        this.currentPagination$,
-        this.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') {
@@ -256,9 +249,8 @@ export class BrowseByMetadataComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
         } else {
           this.updatePage(browseParamsToOptions(params, scope, currentPage, currentSort, this.browseId, false));
         }
+        this.updateStartsWithTextOptions();
       }));
-    this.updateStartsWithTextOptions();
-
   }
 
   ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges): 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 e8ea1f6aa0d..e5580e9799f 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
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
 import { RouterTestingModule } from '@angular/router/testing';
 import { APP_CONFIG } from '@dspace/config/app-config.interface';
 import { BrowseService } from '@dspace/core/browse/browse.service';
+import { SortDirection } from '@dspace/core/cache/models/sort-options.model';
 import { DSpaceObjectDataService } from '@dspace/core/data/dspace-object-data.service';
 import { ItemDataService } from '@dspace/core/data/item-data.service';
 import { PaginationService } from '@dspace/core/pagination/pagination.service';
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ describe('BrowseByTitleComponent', () => {
   const mockBrowseService = {
     getBrowseItemsFor: () => toRemoteData(mockItems),
     getBrowseEntriesFor: () => toRemoteData([]),
+    getConfiguredSortDirection: () => of(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 7de996d448b..49aa0c32871 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
@@ -6,21 +6,18 @@ import {
   Component,
   OnInit,
 } from '@angular/core';
-import { Params } from '@angular/router';
 import {
   SortDirection,
   SortOptions,
 } from '@dspace/core/cache/models/sort-options.model';
-import { PaginationComponentOptions } from '@dspace/core/pagination/pagination-component-options.model';
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import {
   combineLatest as observableCombineLatest,
-  Observable,
   of,
 } from 'rxjs';
 import {
-  distinctUntilChanged,
   map,
+  switchMap,
 } from 'rxjs/operators';
 
 import { environment } from '../../../environments/environment';
@@ -52,28 +49,23 @@ export class BrowseByTitleComponent extends BrowseByMetadataComponent implements
       this.loading$ = of(false);
       return;
     }
-    const sortConfig = new SortOptions('dc.title', SortDirection.ASC);
-    this.currentPagination$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentPagination(this.paginationConfig.id, this.paginationConfig);
-    this.currentSort$ = this.paginationService.getCurrentSort(this.paginationConfig.id, sortConfig);
-    const routeParams$: Observable<Params> = observableCombineLatest([
-      this.route.params,
-      this.route.queryParams,
-    ]).pipe(
-      map(([params, queryParams]: [Params, Params]) => Object.assign({}, params, queryParams)),
-      distinctUntilChanged((prev: Params, curr: Params) => prev.id === curr.id && prev.startsWith === curr.startsWith),
-    );
+    this.browseId = this.route.snapshot.params.id;
     this.subs.push(
-      observableCombineLatest([
-        routeParams$,
-        this.scope$,
-        this.currentPagination$,
-        this.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 86be32e3b0f..d9509e49a08 100644
--- a/src/app/core/browse/browse.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/browse/browse.service.ts
@@ -134,6 +134,29 @@ 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 78dc94d4d33..8b59a6b0534 100644
--- a/src/app/core/shared/browse-definition.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/shared/browse-definition.model.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
 
 import { BrowseByDataType } from '../browse/browse-by-data-type';
 import { CacheableObject } from '../cache/cacheable-object.model';
+import { SortDirection } from '../cache/models/sort-options.model';
 
 /**
  * Base class for BrowseDefinition models
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ export abstract class BrowseDefinition extends CacheableObject {
   @autoserializeAs('metadata')
   metadataKeys: string[];
 
+  @autoserialize
+  order: SortDirection;
+
   /**
    * Get the render type of the BrowseDefinition model
    */