diff --git a/languages/en.php b/languages/en.php
index 32a809d1..99911520 100644
--- a/languages/en.php
+++ b/languages/en.php
@@ -352,10 +352,10 @@
 		'widgets:group_forum_topics:description' => "Show the latest discussions",
 
 		// index_groups
-		'widgets:index_groups:description' => "Show the latest groups on your community",
+		'widgets:index_groups:description' => "List groups from your community",
 		'widgets:index_groups:show_members' => "Show members count",
 		'widgets:index_groups:featured' => "Show only featured groups",
-		'widgets:index_groups:apply_sorting' => "Apply sorting if available",
+		'widgets:index_groups:sorting' => "How to sort the groups",
 
 		'widgets:index_groups:filter:field' => "Filter groups based on group field",
 		'widgets:index_groups:filter:value' => "with value",
diff --git a/languages/nl.php b/languages/nl.php
index bc2ed08e..b6296827 100644
--- a/languages/nl.php
+++ b/languages/nl.php
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
   'widgets:discussion:settings:group_only' => 'Toon alleen discussies uit je eigen groepen',
   'widgets:discussion:more' => 'Bekijk meer discussies',
   'widgets:discussion:description' => 'Toont de laatste discussies',
-  'widgets:index_groups:description' => 'Toon de laatste groepen uit de community',
+  'widgets:index_groups:description' => 'Toont groepen uit de community',
   'widgets:index_groups:show_members' => 'Toon aantal groepsleden',
   'widgets:index_groups:featured' => 'Toon enkel aangeraden groepen',
   'widgets:group_news:settings:group_icon_size' => 'Groep icoon grootte',
diff --git a/views/default/widgets/index_groups/content.php b/views/default/widgets/index_groups/content.php
index 119adc98..29a2aa72 100644
--- a/views/default/widgets/index_groups/content.php
+++ b/views/default/widgets/index_groups/content.php
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?php 
+<?php
 
 	$widget = $vars["entity"];
 	
@@ -47,18 +47,35 @@
 		}
 	}
 	
-	// check if groups should respect ordering
-	if($widget->apply_sorting == "yes"){
-		$dbprefix = elgg_get_config("dbprefix");
-		$order_id = add_metastring("order");
-		
-		$options["selects"] = array(
-			"IFNULL((SELECT order_ms.string as order_val FROM " . $dbprefix . "metadata mo JOIN " . $dbprefix . "metastrings order_ms ON mo.value_id = order_ms.id WHERE e.guid = mo.entity_guid AND mo.name_id = " . $order_id . "), 99999) AS order_val"
-		);
-			
-		$options["order_by"] = "CAST(order_val AS SIGNED) ASC, e.time_created DESC";
+	$sorting_value = $widget->sorting;
+	if (empty($sorting_value) && ($widget->apply_sorting == "yes")) {
+		$sorting_value = "ordered";
 	}
 	
+	$getter = "elgg_get_entities_from_metadata";
+	// check if groups should respect a specific order
+	switch ($sorting_value) {
+		case "ordered":
+			$dbprefix = elgg_get_config("dbprefix");
+			$order_id = add_metastring("order");
+			
+			$options["selects"] = array(
+				"IFNULL((SELECT order_ms.string as order_val FROM " . $dbprefix . "metadata mo JOIN " . $dbprefix . "metastrings order_ms ON mo.value_id = order_ms.id WHERE e.guid = mo.entity_guid AND mo.name_id = " . $order_id . "), 99999) AS order_val"
+			);
+				
+			$options["order_by"] = "CAST(order_val AS SIGNED) ASC, e.time_created DESC";
+			break;
+		case "popular":
+			$getter = "elgg_get_entities_from_relationship_count";
+			
+			$options["relationship"] = "member";
+			$options["inverse_relationship"] = false;
+			break;
+		default:
+			// just use default time created sorting
+			break;
+	}
+		
 	// show group member count
 	if($widget->show_members == "yes"){
 		$show_members = true;
@@ -68,7 +85,7 @@
 	}
 	
 	// list groups
-	if($groups = elgg_list_entities_from_metadata($options)){
+	if($groups = elgg_list_entities($options, $getter)){
 		echo $groups;
 	} else {
 		echo elgg_echo("groups:none");
diff --git a/views/default/widgets/index_groups/edit.php b/views/default/widgets/index_groups/edit.php
index 8d9ad7f1..b5ddfeb2 100644
--- a/views/default/widgets/index_groups/edit.php
+++ b/views/default/widgets/index_groups/edit.php
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?php 
+<?php
 
 	$widget = $vars["entity"];
 	
@@ -28,6 +28,17 @@
 		}
 	}
 	
+	$sorting_options = array(
+			"newest" => elgg_echo("groups:newest"),
+			"popular" => elgg_echo("groups:popular"),
+			"ordered" => elgg_echo("group_tools:groups:sorting:ordered")
+		);
+	
+	$sorting_value = $widget->sorting;
+	if (empty($sorting_value) && ($widget->apply_sorting == "yes")) {
+		$sorting_value = "ordered";
+	}
+	
 ?>
 <div>
 	<?php echo elgg_echo("widget:numbertodisplay"); ?><br />
@@ -35,21 +46,21 @@
 </div>
 
 <div>
-	<?php 
+	<?php
 		echo elgg_echo("widgets:index_groups:show_members");
 		echo "&nbsp;" . elgg_view("input/dropdown", array("name" => "params[show_members]", "options_values" => $noyes_options, "value" => $widget->show_members));
 	?>
 </div>
 
 <div>
-	<?php 
+	<?php
 		echo elgg_echo("widgets:index_groups:featured");
 		echo "&nbsp;" . elgg_view("input/dropdown", array("name" => "params[featured]", "options_values" => $noyes_options, "value" => $widget->featured));
 	?>
 </div>
 <?php if(!empty($tag_fields)) { ?>
 <div>
-	<?php 
+	<?php
 		$tag_fields = array_reverse($tag_fields);
 		$tag_fields[""] = elgg_echo("widgets:index_groups:filter:no_filter");
 		$tag_fields = array_reverse($tag_fields);
@@ -65,8 +76,8 @@
 </div>
 <?php } ?>
 <div>
-	<?php 
-		echo elgg_echo("widgets:index_groups:apply_sorting");
-		echo "&nbsp;" . elgg_view("input/dropdown", array("name" => "params[apply_sorting]", "options_values" => $noyes_options, "value" => $widget->apply_sorting));
+	<?php
+		echo elgg_echo("widgets:index_groups:sorting");
+		echo "&nbsp;" . elgg_view("input/dropdown", array("name" => "params[sorting]", "options_values" => $sorting_options, "value" => $sorting_value));
 	?>
 </div>