diff --git a/web/app/common/constants.js b/web/app/common/constants.js
index cc22d65d..a0d7d159 100644
--- a/web/app/common/constants.js
+++ b/web/app/common/constants.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const PROVIDER_NAMES = {
   facebook: 'Facebook',
   github: 'GitHub',
 };
+const DEFAULT_SORT = '-score';
 
 module.exports = {
   BASE_URL,
@@ -22,4 +23,5 @@ module.exports = {
   DEFAULT_LAST_COMMENTS_MAX,
   DEFAULT_MAX_COMMENT_SIZE,
   PROVIDER_NAMES,
+  DEFAULT_SORT,
 };
diff --git a/web/app/components/root/root.jsx b/web/app/components/root/root.jsx
index c8b37e2e..660f12bd 100644
--- a/web/app/components/root/root.jsx
+++ b/web/app/components/root/root.jsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { h, Component } from 'preact';
 import api from 'common/api';
 
-import { BASE_URL, NODE_ID, COMMENT_NODE_CLASSNAME_PREFIX } from 'common/constants';
+import { BASE_URL, NODE_ID, COMMENT_NODE_CLASSNAME_PREFIX, DEFAULT_SORT } from 'common/constants';
 import { url } from 'common/settings';
 import store from 'common/store';
 
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ export default class Root extends Component {
     let sort;
 
     try {
-      sort = localStorage.getItem(LS_SORT_KEY);
+      sort = localStorage.getItem(LS_SORT_KEY) || DEFAULT_SORT;
     } catch(e) {
-      sort = '-score';
+      sort = DEFAULT_SORT;
     }
 
     this.state = {