diff --git a/modules/api/mw.echo.api.APIHandler.js b/modules/api/mw.echo.api.APIHandler.js
index 213e87a01..d802287f1 100644
--- a/modules/api/mw.echo.api.APIHandler.js
+++ b/modules/api/mw.echo.api.APIHandler.js
@@ -119,7 +119,6 @@
 				notsections: this.normalizedType[ type ],
 				notformat: 'model',
 				notlimit: this.limit,
-				notunreadfirst: 1,
 				notprop: 'list|count',
 				uselang: this.userLang
 			}, this.getTypeParams( type ) );
diff --git a/modules/api/mw.echo.api.EchoApi.js b/modules/api/mw.echo.api.EchoApi.js
index 11e224813..4dcf3195c 100644
--- a/modules/api/mw.echo.api.EchoApi.js
+++ b/modules/api/mw.echo.api.EchoApi.js
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@
 	 *  defining the offset to fetch notifications
 	 * @param {string} [filterObject.readState] Notification read
 	 *  state, 'all', 'read' or 'unread'
+	 * @param {boolean} [filterObject.unreadFirst] Fetch unread notifications
+	 *  first in the sorting order.
 	 * @param {string|string[]} [filterObject.titles] Requested titles. To request notifications with no title,
 	 *  use null (standalone or as an array element).
 	 * @return {Object} API parameter definitions to override
@@ -114,6 +116,10 @@
 			overrideParams.notcontinue = filterObject.continue;
 		}
 
+		if ( filterObject.unreadFirst ) {
+			overrideParams.notunreadfirst = 1;
+		}
+
 		if ( filterObject.readState && filterObject.readState !== 'all' ) {
 			overrideParams.notfilter = filterObject.readState === 'read' ?
 				'read' :
diff --git a/modules/controller/mw.echo.Controller.js b/modules/controller/mw.echo.Controller.js
index a6a1041a7..5cc7a4502 100644
--- a/modules/controller/mw.echo.Controller.js
+++ b/modules/controller/mw.echo.Controller.js
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@
 		// between local notifications and x-wiki notifications
 		// until the backend gives us the x-wiki notifications as
 		// part of the original response.
-		return this.api.fetchNotifications( this.manager.getTypeString(), 'local', !!isForced )
+		return this.api.fetchNotifications( this.manager.getTypeString(), 'local', !!isForced, { unreadFirst: true } /* filters */ )
 			.then(
 				// Success
 				function ( data ) {