diff --git a/examples/reference-gertty.yaml b/examples/reference-gertty.yaml
index 1dbebae..f42a2a6 100644
--- a/examples/reference-gertty.yaml
+++ b/examples/reference-gertty.yaml
@@ -138,6 +138,13 @@ commentlinks:
 # selected.  The default is "status:open".
 # change-list-query: "status:open"
 
+# This section defines default sorting options for the change list. The
+# "sort-by" key specifies the sort order, which can be 'number' or 'updated'.
+# The 'reverse' key specifies ascending (true) or descending (false) order.
+# change-list-options:
+#   sort-by: 'number'
+#   reverse: false
+
 # Uncomment the following line to use a unified diff view instead
 # of the default side-by-side:
 # diff-view: unified
@@ -189,4 +196,4 @@ reviewkeys:
     approvals:
       - category: 'Code-Review'
         value: 2
-    submit: True
\ No newline at end of file
+    submit: True
diff --git a/gertty/config.py b/gertty/config.py
index f46b004..ea8b8c7 100644
--- a/gertty/config.py
+++ b/gertty/config.py
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ class ConfigSchema(object):
 
     hide_comments = [hide_comment]
 
+    change_list_options = {'sort-by': v.Any('number', 'updated'),
+                           'reverse': bool}
+
     keymap = {v.Required('name'): str,
               v.Match('(?!name)'): v.Any([str], str)}
 
@@ -111,7 +114,8 @@ class ConfigSchema(object):
                            'diff-view': str,
                            'hide-comments': self.hide_comments,
                            'thread-changes': bool,
-                           'display-times-in-utc': bool
+                           'display-times-in-utc': bool,
+                           'change-list-options': self.change_list_options,
                            })
         return schema
 
@@ -215,6 +219,11 @@ class Config(object):
         self.thread_changes = self.config.get('thread-changes', True)
         self.utc = self.config.get('display-times-in-utc', False)
 
+        change_list_options = self.config.get('change-list-options', {})
+        self.change_list_options = {
+            'sort-by': change_list_options.get('sort-by', 'number'),
+            'reverse': change_list_options.get('reverse', False)}
+
     def getServer(self, name=None):
         for server in self.config['servers']:
             if name is None or name == server['name']:
diff --git a/gertty/view/change_list.py b/gertty/view/change_list.py
index 75ed089..bd0d980 100644
--- a/gertty/view/change_list.py
+++ b/gertty/view/change_list.py
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ class ChangeListView(urwid.WidgetWrap):
         self.project_key = project_key
         if project_key is not None:
             self.display_project = False
-        self.sort_by = 'number'
-        self.reverse = False
+        self.sort_by = app.config.change_list_options['sort-by']
+        self.reverse = app.config.change_list_options['reverse']
         self.header = ChangeListHeader(self.display_project, self.display_owner,
                                        self.display_updated)
         self.categories = []