diff --git a/apps/files/appinfo/routes.php b/apps/files/appinfo/routes.php
index a98170363e926..3a4858f38d3c5 100644
--- a/apps/files/appinfo/routes.php
+++ b/apps/files/appinfo/routes.php
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@
 				'url' => '/api/v1/recent/',
 				'verb' => 'GET'
 			],
+			[
+				'name' => 'API#getFileSorting',
+				'url' => '/api/v1/sorting',
+				'verb' => 'GET'
+			],
 			[
 				'name' => 'API#updateFileSorting',
 				'url' => '/api/v1/sorting',
@@ -118,6 +123,7 @@
 				'verb' => 'GET'
 			],
 		],
+
 		'ocs' => [
 			[
 				'name' => 'DirectEditing#info',
diff --git a/apps/files/lib/Capabilities.php b/apps/files/lib/Capabilities.php
index 29abfb5b25315..4a6e9c2694397 100644
--- a/apps/files/lib/Capabilities.php
+++ b/apps/files/lib/Capabilities.php
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@
  * @package OCA\Files
  */
 class Capabilities implements ICapability {
+	public const SORTING_MODES = ['name', 'size', 'mtime'];
+	public const SORTING_DIRECTIONS = ['asc', 'desc'];
+	
 
 	/** @var IConfig */
 	protected $config;
@@ -70,6 +73,10 @@ public function getCapabilities() {
 				'directEditing' => [
 					'url' => $this->urlGenerator->linkToOCSRouteAbsolute('files.DirectEditing.info'),
 					'etag' => $this->directEditingService->getDirectEditingETag()
+				],
+				'sorting' => [
+					'sorting_modes' => self::SORTING_MODES,
+					'sorting_directions' => self::SORTING_DIRECTIONS
 				]
 			],
 		];
diff --git a/apps/files/lib/Controller/ApiController.php b/apps/files/lib/Controller/ApiController.php
index 45c7466e0c201..34810e15f2b59 100644
--- a/apps/files/lib/Controller/ApiController.php
+++ b/apps/files/lib/Controller/ApiController.php
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 namespace OCA\Files\Controller;
 
 use OC\Files\Node\Node;
+use OCA\Files\Capabilities;
 use OCA\Files\Service\TagService;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Controller;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http;
@@ -267,12 +268,9 @@ public function getRecentFiles() {
 	 * @param string $mode
 	 * @param string $direction
 	 * @return Response
-	 * @throws \OCP\PreConditionNotMetException
 	 */
-	public function updateFileSorting($mode, $direction) {
-		$allowedMode = ['name', 'size', 'mtime'];
-		$allowedDirection = ['asc', 'desc'];
-		if (!in_array($mode, $allowedMode) || !in_array($direction, $allowedDirection)) {
+	public function updateFileSorting($mode, $direction): Response {
+		if (!in_array($mode, Capabilities::SORTING_MODES) || !in_array($direction, Capabilities::SORTING_DIRECTIONS)) {
 			$response = new Response();
 			$response->setStatus(Http::STATUS_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY);
 			return $response;
@@ -282,6 +280,23 @@ public function updateFileSorting($mode, $direction) {
 		return new Response();
 	}
 
+
+	/**
+	 * Get the default sort mode
+	 *
+	 * @NoAdminRequired
+	 *
+	 * @return JSONResponse
+	 */
+	public function getFileSorting(): JSONResponse {
+		$file_sorting = $this->config->getUserValue($this->userSession->getUser()->getUID(), 'files', 'file_sorting', Capabilities::SORTING_MODES[0]);
+		$file_sorting_direction = $this->config->getUserValue($this->userSession->getUser()->getUID(), 'files', 'file_sorting_direction', Capabilities::SORTING_DIRECTIONS[0]);
+		return new JSONResponse([
+			'file_sorting' => $file_sorting,
+			'file_sorting_direction' => $file_sorting_direction
+		]);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Toggle default for showing/hiding hidden files
 	 *
diff --git a/apps/files/lib/Controller/ViewController.php b/apps/files/lib/Controller/ViewController.php
index f649453f16ed4..310d465dacc02 100644
--- a/apps/files/lib/Controller/ViewController.php
+++ b/apps/files/lib/Controller/ViewController.php
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 namespace OCA\Files\Controller;
 
 use OCA\Files\Activity\Helper;
+use OCA\Files\Capabilities;
 use OCA\Files\Event\LoadAdditionalScriptsEvent;
 use OCA\Files\Event\LoadSidebar;
 use OCA\Viewer\Event\LoadViewer;
@@ -309,8 +310,8 @@ public function index($dir = '', $view = '', $fileid = null, $fileNotFound = fal
 		$params['ownerDisplayName'] = $storageInfo['ownerDisplayName'] ?? '';
 		$params['isPublic'] = false;
 		$params['allowShareWithLink'] = $this->shareManager->shareApiAllowLinks() ? 'yes' : 'no';
-		$params['defaultFileSorting'] = $this->config->getUserValue($user, 'files', 'file_sorting', 'name');
-		$params['defaultFileSortingDirection'] = $this->config->getUserValue($user, 'files', 'file_sorting_direction', 'asc');
+		$params['defaultFileSorting'] = $this->config->getUserValue($user, 'files', 'file_sorting', Capabilities::SORTING_MODES[0]);
+		$params['defaultFileSortingDirection'] = $this->config->getUserValue($user, 'files', 'file_sorting_direction', Capabilities::SORTING_DIRECTIONS[0]);
 		$params['showgridview'] = $this->config->getUserValue($user, 'files', 'show_grid', false);
 		$params['isIE'] = \OC_Util::isIe();
 		$showHidden = (bool) $this->config->getUserValue($this->userSession->getUser()->getUID(), 'files', 'show_hidden', false);
diff --git a/apps/files/tests/Controller/ApiControllerTest.php b/apps/files/tests/Controller/ApiControllerTest.php
index 0bce2763be9dd..e4e6c157de17c 100644
--- a/apps/files/tests/Controller/ApiControllerTest.php
+++ b/apps/files/tests/Controller/ApiControllerTest.php
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
  */
 namespace OCA\Files\Controller;
 
+use OCA\Files\Capabilities;
 use OCA\Files\Service\TagService;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\DataResponse;
@@ -211,6 +212,42 @@ public function testUpdateFileSorting() {
 		$this->assertEquals($expected, $actual);
 	}
 
+	public function testUpdateFileSortingWithBadParams() {
+		$mode = 'abcdef';
+		$direction = '123456';
+
+		$this->config->expects($this->never())
+			->method('setUserValue')
+			->with($this->user->getUID(), 'files', 'file_sorting', $mode);
+		$this->config->expects($this->never())
+			->method('setUserValue')
+			->with($this->user->getUID(), 'files', 'file_sorting_direction', $direction);
+
+		$actual = $this->apiController->updateFileSorting($mode, $direction);
+		$this->assertEquals($actual->getStatus(), Http::STATUS_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY);
+	}
+
+	public function testGetFileSorting() {
+		$file_sorting = Capabilities::SORTING_MODES[0];
+		$file_sorting_direction = Capabilities::SORTING_DIRECTIONS[0];
+
+		$this->config->expects($this->at(0))
+			->method('getUserValue')
+			->with($this->user->getUID(), 'files', 'file_sorting', $file_sorting)
+			->willReturn($file_sorting);
+		$this->config->expects($this->at(1))
+			->method('getUserValue')
+			->with($this->user->getUID(), 'files', 'file_sorting_direction', $file_sorting_direction)
+			->willReturn($file_sorting_direction);
+
+		$expected = new HTTP\JSONResponse([
+			'file_sorting' => 'name',
+			'file_sorting_direction' => 'asc'
+		]);
+		$actual = $this->apiController->getFileSorting();
+		$this->assertEquals($expected, $actual);
+	}
+
 	public function invalidSortingModeData() {
 		return [
 			['color', 'asc'],