diff --git a/psf-memo-db/acceptance/lib/handlers.js b/psf-memo-db/acceptance/lib/handlers.js
index 91069a6..14006e1 100644
--- a/psf-memo-db/acceptance/lib/handlers.js
+++ b/psf-memo-db/acceptance/lib/handlers.js
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ async function loadTopicsWithPosts (world) {
     { key: 'bitcoin:post-200', room: 'bitcoin', txid: 'post-200', type: 'post', blockHeight: 200 },
     { key: 'bitcoin:addr-f', room: 'bitcoin', addr: 'addr-f', type: 'follow', unfollow: false },
     { key: 'cash:post-250', room: 'cash', txid: 'post-250', type: 'post', blockHeight: 250 },
-    { key: 'dev:post-100', room: 'dev', txid: 'post-100', type: 'post', blockHeight: 100 },
+    { key: 'dev:post-400', room: 'dev', txid: 'post-400', type: 'post', blockHeight: 400 },
     { key: 'lone:addr-f', room: 'lone', addr: 'addr-f', type: 'follow', unfollow: false }
   ]
 
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ async function loadTopicsWithPosts (world) {
     'post-300': { addr: 'addr-a', text: 'hello bitcoin', seen: 1, blockHeight: 300 },
     'post-200': { addr: 'addr-b', text: 'bitcoin again', seen: 2, blockHeight: 200 },
     'post-250': { addr: 'addr-a', text: 'cash rules', seen: 3, blockHeight: 250 },
-    'post-100': { addr: 'addr-c', text: 'dev stuff', seen: 4, blockHeight: 100 }
+    'post-400': { addr: 'addr-c', text: 'dev stuff', seen: 4, blockHeight: 400 }
   }
 
   for (const entry of roomEntries) {
@@ -868,6 +868,17 @@ const handlers = [
       }
     }
   },
+  {
+    name: 'response lists topics in order',
+    pattern: /^the response lists topics in order (<expected_order>)$/,
+    run (m, example, world) {
+      const expected = resolveParam(m[1], example).split(',').map((s) => s.trim())
+      const actual = world.getLastResponse().topics.map((t) => t.room)
+      if (expected.join(',') !== actual.join(',')) {
+        throw new Error(`Expected topics ${expected.join(',')}, got ${actual.join(',')}`)
+      }
+    }
+  },
   {
     name: 'request topic posts',
     pattern: /^the client requests \/topics\/([^/]+)\/posts(?: with limit (<limit>) and offset (<offset>))?$/,
diff --git a/psf-memo-db/src/adapters/topic-query.js b/psf-memo-db/src/adapters/topic-query.js
index 07f6d8d..607977a 100644
--- a/psf-memo-db/src/adapters/topic-query.js
+++ b/psf-memo-db/src/adapters/topic-query.js
@@ -42,21 +42,31 @@ class TopicQuery {
   }
 
   async listTopics () {
-    const counts = new Map()
+    const topics = new Map()
 
     for await (const [key, value] of this.roomsDb.iterator()) {
       const room = this.roomFromKey(key, value)
-      if (!counts.has(room)) {
-        counts.set(room, 0)
+      if (!topics.has(room)) {
+        topics.set(room, { postCount: 0, lastHeight: 0 })
       }
+      const topic = topics.get(room)
       if (value?.type === 'post') {
-        counts.set(room, counts.get(room) + 1)
+        topic.postCount++
+        const height = value?.blockHeight ?? 0
+        if (height > topic.lastHeight) {
+          topic.lastHeight = height
+        }
       }
     }
 
-    return Array.from(counts.entries())
-      .map(([room, postCount]) => ({ room, postCount }))
-      .sort((a, b) => a.room.localeCompare(b.room))
+    return Array.from(topics.entries())
+      .map(([room, { postCount, lastHeight }]) => ({ room, postCount, lastHeight }))
+      .sort((a, b) => {
+        if (b.lastHeight !== a.lastHeight) {
+          return b.lastHeight - a.lastHeight
+        }
+        return a.room.localeCompare(b.room)
+      })
   }
 
   async getTopicPostTxids (room, { limit, offset }) {
diff --git a/psf-memo-db/test/property/topic-query.property.test.js b/psf-memo-db/test/property/topic-query.property.test.js
index fbba33a..82a87b3 100644
--- a/psf-memo-db/test/property/topic-query.property.test.js
+++ b/psf-memo-db/test/property/topic-query.property.test.js
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ function fixtureGen () {
   }
 }
 
-test('listTopics conserves post counts and returns rooms sorted by name', async () => {
+test('listTopics conserves post counts and returns rooms sorted by most recent post', async () => {
   await forAll(
     fixtureGen(),
     async ({ entries, rooms }) => {
@@ -97,8 +97,18 @@ test('listTopics conserves post counts and returns rooms sorted by name', async
       const totalPosts = topics.reduce((sum, t) => sum + t.postCount, 0)
       if (totalPosts !== postEntries.length) return false
 
-      const expectedRooms = [...new Set(entries.map((e) => e.value.room))].sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
-      if (JSON.stringify(topics.map((t) => t.room)) !== JSON.stringify(expectedRooms)) return false
+      const expectedTopics = [...new Set(entries.map((e) => e.value.room))]
+        .map((room) => {
+          const heights = entries
+            .filter((e) => e.value.room === room && e.value.type === 'post')
+            .map((e) => e.value.blockHeight ?? 0)
+          return { room, lastHeight: heights.length ? Math.max(...heights) : 0 }
+        })
+        .sort((a, b) => {
+          if (b.lastHeight !== a.lastHeight) return b.lastHeight - a.lastHeight
+          return a.room.localeCompare(b.room)
+        })
+      if (JSON.stringify(topics.map((t) => t.room)) !== JSON.stringify(expectedTopics.map((t) => t.room))) return false
 
       for (const topic of topics) {
         const roomPosts = postEntries.filter((e) => e.value.room === topic.room).length
diff --git a/psf-memo-db/test/unit/adapters/topic-query.unit.js b/psf-memo-db/test/unit/adapters/topic-query.unit.js
index f10e444..f33fdb5 100644
--- a/psf-memo-db/test/unit/adapters/topic-query.unit.js
+++ b/psf-memo-db/test/unit/adapters/topic-query.unit.js
@@ -108,23 +108,26 @@ describe('#TopicQuery', () => {
       const result = await uut.listTopics()
 
       assert.deepEqual(result, [
-        { room: 'bitcoin', postCount: 2 },
-        { room: 'cash', postCount: 1 },
-        { room: 'dev', postCount: 1 },
-        { room: 'lone', postCount: 0 }
+        { room: 'bitcoin', postCount: 2, lastHeight: 300 },
+        { room: 'cash', postCount: 1, lastHeight: 250 },
+        { room: 'dev', postCount: 1, lastHeight: 100 },
+        { room: 'lone', postCount: 0, lastHeight: 0 }
       ])
     })
 
-    it('should sort topics by room name', async () => {
+    it('should sort topics by most recent post descending', async () => {
       async function * mockRooms () {
         yield ['zoo:post-1', { room: 'zoo', txid: 'post-1', type: 'post', blockHeight: 1 }]
-        yield ['alpha:post-1', { room: 'alpha', txid: 'post-1', type: 'post', blockHeight: 1 }]
+        yield ['alpha:post-1', { room: 'alpha', txid: 'post-1', type: 'post', blockHeight: 2 }]
       }
       roomsDb.iterator.returns(mockRooms())
 
       const result = await uut.listTopics()
 
-      assert.deepEqual(result.map((t) => t.room), ['alpha', 'zoo'])
+      assert.deepEqual(result.map((t) => ({ room: t.room, lastHeight: t.lastHeight })), [
+        { room: 'alpha', lastHeight: 2 },
+        { room: 'zoo', lastHeight: 1 }
+      ])
     })
   })