diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
index e28aede0..05420ee8 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: guiutils.cpp,v 1.31 2007-02-14 10:10:43 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 Jean-Francois Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: guiutils.cpp,v 1.32 2007-05-24 07:48:19 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 Jean-Francois Dockes";
 #endif
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -201,6 +201,10 @@ void rwSettings(bool writing)
 	       "english");
     SETTING_RW(prefs.useDesktopOpen, 
 	       "/Recoll/prefs/useDesktopOpen", Bool, false);
+    SETTING_RW(prefs.keepSort, 
+	       "/Recoll/prefs/keepSort", Bool, false);
+    SETTING_RW(prefs.sortActive, 
+	       "/Recoll/prefs/sortActive", Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.queryBuildAbstract, 
 	       "/Recoll/prefs/query/buildAbstract", Bool, true);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.queryReplaceAbstract, 
diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
index 4ab80d3b..60bdb684 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 #ifndef _GUIUTILS_H_INCLUDED_
 #define _GUIUTILS_H_INCLUDED_
 /* 
- * @(#$Id: guiutils.h,v 1.20 2007-02-14 10:10:43 dockes Exp $  (C) 2005 Jean-Francois Dockes 
+ * @(#$Id: guiutils.h,v 1.21 2007-05-24 07:48:19 dockes Exp $  (C) 2005 Jean-Francois Dockes 
  *                         jean-francois.dockes@wanadoo.fr
  *
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ class PrefsPack {
     int ssearchTyp;
     QString htmlBrowser;
     bool    useDesktopOpen; // typically xdg-open, instead of mimeview settings
+    bool    keepSort; // remember sort status between invocations
+    bool    sortActive; // Remembered sort state.
     bool queryBuildAbstract;
     bool queryReplaceAbstract;
     bool startWithAdvSearchOpen;
diff --git a/src/qtgui/sort_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/sort_w.cpp
index c729cda8..768aa4f0 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/sort_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/sort_w.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: sort_w.cpp,v 1.4 2006-12-05 15:23:50 dockes Exp $ (C) 2006 J.F.Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: sort_w.cpp,v 1.5 2007-05-24 07:48:19 dockes Exp $ (C) 2006 J.F.Dockes";
 #endif
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -48,6 +48,16 @@ void SortForm::init()
     mcntSB->setValue(prefs.sortWidth);
     unsigned int spec = (unsigned int)prefs.sortSpec;
 
+    // Restore active/inactive state only once from prefs, only if requested
+    fprintf(stderr, "sort_w init\n");
+    if (prefs.keepSort) {
+	sortCB->setChecked(prefs.sortActive);
+    } else {
+	sortCB->setChecked(false);
+    }
+
+    // Always start with sort disabled
+
     // We use 4 bits per spec hi is direction, 3 low bits = sort field
     unsigned int v, d;
 
@@ -63,8 +73,6 @@ void SortForm::init()
     fldCMB2->setCurrentItem(v < 3 ? v : 0);
     descCB2->setChecked(d!=0?true:false);
 
-    // Always start with sort disabled
-    sortCB->setChecked(false);
 
     // signals and slots connections
     connect(applyPB, SIGNAL(clicked()), this, SLOT(apply()));
@@ -94,6 +102,8 @@ void SortForm::setData()
     fldCMB2->setEnabled(sortCB->isChecked());
     descCB2->setEnabled(sortCB->isChecked());
 
+    prefs.sortActive = sortCB->isChecked();
+
     if (!sortCB->isChecked()) {
 	spec.sortwidth = 0;
     } else {
diff --git a/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui b/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
index 2d7df805..13389b28 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
+++ b/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
         <rect>
             <x>0</x>
             <y>0</y>
-            <width>523</width>
-            <height>530</height>
+            <width>0</width>
+            <height>0</height>
         </rect>
     </property>
     <property name="caption">
@@ -319,6 +319,17 @@
                                             <bool>false</bool>
                                         </property>
                                     </widget>
+                                    <widget class="QCheckBox">
+                                        <property name="name">
+                                            <cstring>keepSortCB</cstring>
+                                        </property>
+                                        <property name="text">
+                                            <string>Remember sorting preference between invocations.</string>
+                                        </property>
+                                        <property name="checked">
+                                            <bool>false</bool>
+                                        </property>
+                                    </widget>
                                 </vbox>
                             </widget>
                         </vbox>
diff --git a/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
index dc3d16fe..de8d5dd9 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: uiprefs_w.cpp,v 1.16 2007-02-14 10:10:43 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: uiprefs_w.cpp,v 1.17 2007-05-24 07:48:19 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
 #endif
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ void UIPrefsDialog::setFromPrefs()
     initStartAdvCB->setChecked(prefs.startWithAdvSearchOpen);
     initStartSortCB->setChecked(prefs.startWithSortToolOpen);
     useDesktopOpenCB->setChecked(prefs.useDesktopOpen);
+    keepSortCB->setChecked(prefs.keepSort);
 
     // Result list font family and size
     reslistFontFamily = prefs.reslistfontfamily;
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ void UIPrefsDialog::accept()
     prefs.startWithAdvSearchOpen = initStartAdvCB->isChecked();
     prefs.startWithSortToolOpen = initStartSortCB->isChecked();
     prefs.useDesktopOpen = useDesktopOpenCB->isChecked();
+    prefs.keepSort = keepSortCB->isChecked();
 
     prefs.syntAbsLen = syntlenSB->value();
     prefs.syntAbsCtx = syntctxSB->value();