diff --git a/web/app/api/charts/route.ts b/web/app/api/charts/route.ts
index 167bf0f..670a2cf 100644
--- a/web/app/api/charts/route.ts
+++ b/web/app/api/charts/route.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export const POST = withAuth(async (req: NextRequest) => {
     filter_combinators = null, filter_items = null,
     filter_items_exclude = null, filter_items_regex = false,
     y_min = null, y_max = null, y_scale = 'linear',
-    series_limit = 20, order_by = 'time',
+    series_limit = 20, order_by = 'value_asc',
   } = body;
 
   if (!title) return NextResponse.json({ error: 'title required' }, { status: 400 });
diff --git a/web/app/api/signals/route.ts b/web/app/api/signals/route.ts
index 196f9d5..7adf374 100644
--- a/web/app/api/signals/route.ts
+++ b/web/app/api/signals/route.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export const GET = withAuth(async (req: NextRequest) => {
   const from           = p.get('from');
   const to             = p.get('to');
   const useRegex       = p.get('regex') === 'true';
-  const orderBy        = p.get('order_by') ?? 'time';
+  const orderBy        = p.get('order_by') ?? 'value_asc';
   const limit          = p.get('limit') ? parseInt(p.get('limit')!, 10) : null;
 
   const conditions: string[] = [];
@@ -147,8 +147,11 @@ export const GET = withAuth(async (req: NextRequest) => {
       `(combinator = $${i + idx * 2} AND item_key = $${i + idx * 2 + 1})`,
     );
     const fullWhere = `${where ? where + ' AND' : 'WHERE'} (${seriesConditions.join(' OR ')})`;
+    const orderCase = top.map((_, idx) =>
+      `WHEN combinator = $${i + idx * 2} AND item_key = $${i + idx * 2 + 1} THEN ${idx}`,
+    ).join(' ');
     const result = await pool.query(
-      `SELECT ${selectCols} FROM signals ${fullWhere} ORDER BY real_time ASC`,
+      `SELECT ${selectCols} FROM signals ${fullWhere} ORDER BY CASE ${orderCase} ELSE ${top.length} END, real_time ASC`,
       [...values, ...top.flatMap(r => [r.combinator, r.item_key])],
     );
     return NextResponse.json(result.rows);
@@ -175,8 +178,11 @@ export const GET = withAuth(async (req: NextRequest) => {
       `(combinator = $${i + idx * 2} AND item_key = $${i + idx * 2 + 1})`,
     );
     const fullWhere = `${where ? where + ' AND' : 'WHERE'} (${seriesConditions.join(' OR ')})`;
+    const orderCase = top.map((_, idx) =>
+      `WHEN combinator = $${i + idx * 2} AND item_key = $${i + idx * 2 + 1} THEN ${idx}`,
+    ).join(' ');
     const result = await pool.query(
-      `SELECT ${selectCols} FROM signals ${fullWhere} ORDER BY real_time ASC`,
+      `SELECT ${selectCols} FROM signals ${fullWhere} ORDER BY CASE ${orderCase} ELSE ${top.length} END, real_time ASC`,
       [...values, ...top.flatMap(r => [r.combinator, r.item_key])],
     );
     return NextResponse.json(result.rows);
diff --git a/web/components/ChartEditor.tsx b/web/components/ChartEditor.tsx
index db526c1..e167ae5 100644
--- a/web/components/ChartEditor.tsx
+++ b/web/components/ChartEditor.tsx
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export default function ChartEditor({ initial, onSave, onClose }: Props) {
   const [whitelist,   setWhitelist]   = useState((initial?.filter_items ?? []).join(', '));
   const [blacklist,   setBlacklist]   = useState((initial?.filter_items_exclude ?? []).join(', '));
   const [useRegex,    setUseRegex]    = useState(initial?.filter_items_regex ?? false);
-  const [orderBy,     setOrderBy]     = useState<ChartConfig['order_by']>(initial?.order_by ?? 'time');
+  const [orderBy,     setOrderBy]     = useState<ChartConfig['order_by']>(initial?.order_by ?? 'value_asc');
   const [seriesLimit, setSeriesLimit] = useState(initial?.series_limit ?? 20);
   const [yMin,        setYMin]        = useState(initial?.y_min?.toString() ?? '');
   const [yMax,        setYMax]        = useState(initial?.y_max?.toString() ?? '');
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ export default function ChartEditor({ initial, onSave, onClose }: Props) {
 
           <label className="block text-sm text-gray-400 mb-1">Sort series by</label>
           <select value={orderBy} onChange={e => setOrderBy(e.target.value as ChartConfig['order_by'])} className={`${inputCls} mb-3`}>
-            <option value="time">Time (no sort)</option>
             <option value="value_asc">Latest lowest values</option>
             <option value="value_desc">Latest highest values</option>
             <option value="delta_asc">Biggest decrease (last 10 min)</option>