diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/index.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/index.ts
index d6d414a81c5..76195d7d8c0 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/index.ts
@@ -764,6 +764,8 @@ export {
   type DataSourceWithQueryModificationSupport,
   hasToggleableQueryFiltersSupport,
   hasQueryModificationSupport,
+  LogSortOrderChangeEvent,
+  type LogSortOrderChangePayload,
 } from './types/logs';
 export {
   type AnnotationQuery,
diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/logs.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/logs.ts
index 86df7bde61f..67a194202a7 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/logs.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/logs.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
 
-import { DataQuery } from '@grafana/schema';
+import { DataQuery, LogsSortOrder } from '@grafana/schema';
+
+import { BusEventWithPayload } from '../events/types';
 
 import { KeyValue, Labels } from './data';
 import { DataFrame } from './dataFrame';
@@ -366,3 +368,11 @@ export const hasQueryModificationSupport = <TQuery extends DataQuery>(
     'getSupportedQueryModifications' in datasource
   );
 };
+
+export interface LogSortOrderChangePayload {
+  order: LogsSortOrder;
+}
+
+export class LogSortOrderChangeEvent extends BusEventWithPayload<LogSortOrderChangePayload> {
+  static type = 'logs-sort-order-change';
+}
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.test.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.test.tsx
index 620f576e118..1749d92d48d 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.test.tsx
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ import {
   toUtc,
   createDataFrame,
   ExploreLogsPanelState,
+  DataQuery,
 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { organizeFieldsTransformer } from '@grafana/data/src/transformations/transformers/organize';
 import { config } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { extractFieldsTransformer } from 'app/features/transformers/extractFields/extractFields';
+import { LokiQueryDirection } from 'app/plugins/datasource/loki/dataquery.gen';
 import { configureStore } from 'app/store/configureStore';
 
 import { initialExploreState } from '../state/main';
@@ -46,6 +48,17 @@ jest.mock('../state/explorePane', () => ({
   changePanelState: (exploreId: string, panel: 'logs', panelState: {} | ExploreLogsPanelState) => {
     return fakeChangePanelState(exploreId, panel, panelState);
   },
+  changeQueries: (args: { queries: DataQuery[]; exploreId: string | undefined }) => {
+    return fakeChangeQueries(args);
+  },
+}));
+
+const fakeChangeQueries = jest.fn().mockReturnValue({ type: 'fakeChangeQueries' });
+jest.mock('../state/query', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('../state/query'),
+  changeQueries: (args: { queries: DataQuery[]; exploreId: string | undefined }) => {
+    return fakeChangeQueries(args);
+  },
 }));
 
 describe('Logs', () => {
@@ -377,6 +390,26 @@ describe('Logs', () => {
     expect(logRows[2].textContent).toContain('log message 3');
   });
 
+  it('should sync the query direction when changing the order of loki queries', async () => {
+    const query = { expr: '{a="b"}', refId: 'A', datasource: { type: 'loki' } };
+    setup({ logsQueries: [query] });
+    const oldestFirstSelection = screen.getByLabelText('Oldest first');
+    await userEvent.click(oldestFirstSelection);
+    expect(fakeChangeQueries).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      exploreId: 'left',
+      queries: [{ ...query, direction: LokiQueryDirection.Forward }],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should not change the query direction when changing the order of non-loki queries', async () => {
+    fakeChangeQueries.mockClear();
+    const query = { refId: 'B' };
+    setup({ logsQueries: [query] });
+    const oldestFirstSelection = screen.getByLabelText('Oldest first');
+    await userEvent.click(oldestFirstSelection);
+    expect(fakeChangeQueries).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   describe('for permalinking', () => {
     it('should dispatch a `changePanelState` event without the id', () => {
       const panelState = { logs: { id: '1' } };
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.tsx
index 3a026431656..a82f30e196b 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.tsx
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import { LogRowContextModal } from 'app/features/logs/components/log-context/Log
 import { LogLevelColor, dedupLogRows, filterLogLevels } from 'app/features/logs/logsModel';
 import { getLogLevel, getLogLevelFromKey, getLogLevelInfo } from 'app/features/logs/utils';
 import { LokiQueryDirection } from 'app/plugins/datasource/loki/dataquery.gen';
+import { isLokiQuery } from 'app/plugins/datasource/loki/queryUtils';
 import { getState } from 'app/store/store';
 import { ExploreItemState, useDispatch } from 'app/types';
 
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ import {
 import { useContentOutlineContext } from '../ContentOutline/ContentOutlineContext';
 import { getUrlStateFromPaneState } from '../hooks/useStateSync';
 import { changePanelState } from '../state/explorePane';
+import { changeQueries } from '../state/query';
 
 import { LogsFeedback } from './LogsFeedback';
 import { LogsMetaRow } from './LogsMetaRow';
@@ -468,6 +470,31 @@ const UnthemedLogs: React.FunctionComponent<Props> = (props: Props) => {
       const newSortOrder =
         logsSortOrder === LogsSortOrder.Descending ? LogsSortOrder.Ascending : LogsSortOrder.Descending;
       store.set(SETTINGS_KEYS.logsSortOrder, newSortOrder);
+      if (logsQueries) {
+        let hasLokiQueries = false;
+        const newQueries = logsQueries.map((query) => {
+          if (query.datasource?.type !== 'loki' || !isLokiQuery(query)) {
+            return query;
+          }
+          hasLokiQueries = true;
+
+          if (query.direction === LokiQueryDirection.Scan) {
+            // Don't override Scan. When the direction is Scan it means that the user specifically assigned this direction to the query.
+            return query;
+          }
+          const newDirection =
+            newSortOrder === LogsSortOrder.Ascending ? LokiQueryDirection.Forward : LokiQueryDirection.Backward;
+          if (newDirection !== query.direction) {
+            query.direction = newDirection;
+          }
+          return query;
+        });
+
+        if (hasLokiQueries) {
+          dispatch(changeQueries({ exploreId, queries: newQueries }));
+        }
+      }
+
       setLogsSortOrder(newSortOrder);
     }, 0);
     cancelFlippingTimer.current = window.setTimeout(() => setIsFlipping(false), 1000);
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditor.test.tsx b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditor.test.tsx
index bb41f4cdf47..47626e222f7 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditor.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditor.test.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ import { LokiQueryEditorProps } from './types';
 jest.mock('@grafana/runtime', () => {
   return {
     ...jest.requireActual('@grafana/runtime'),
+    getAppEvents: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({
+      subscribe: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({ unsubscribe: jest.fn() }),
+    }),
     reportInteraction: jest.fn(),
   };
 });
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditorByApp.test.tsx b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditorByApp.test.tsx
index c36399ea7dc..a7a55a5b709 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditorByApp.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiQueryEditorByApp.test.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ import { testIds as regularTestIds } from './LokiQueryEditor';
 import { LokiQueryEditorByApp } from './LokiQueryEditorByApp';
 import { testIds as alertingTestIds } from './LokiQueryEditorForAlerting';
 
+jest.mock('@grafana/runtime', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@grafana/runtime'),
+  getAppEvents: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({
+    subscribe: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({ unsubscribe: jest.fn() }),
+  }),
+}));
+
 function setup(app: CoreApp): RenderResult {
   const dataSource = createLokiDatasource();
   dataSource.metadataRequest = jest.fn();
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/monaco-query-field/MonacoFieldWrapper.test.tsx b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/monaco-query-field/MonacoFieldWrapper.test.tsx
index dadb297a1a4..ce1aabe2391 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/monaco-query-field/MonacoFieldWrapper.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/monaco-query-field/MonacoFieldWrapper.test.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import { createLokiDatasource } from '../../__mocks__/datasource';
 
 import { MonacoQueryFieldWrapper, Props } from './MonacoQueryFieldWrapper';
 
+jest.mock('@grafana/runtime', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@grafana/runtime'),
+  getAppEvents: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({
+    subscribe: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({ unsubscribe: jest.fn() }),
+  }),
+}));
+
 function renderComponent({ initialValue = '', onChange = jest.fn(), onRunQuery = jest.fn() }: Partial<Props> = {}) {
   const datasource = createLokiDatasource();
 
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.test.tsx b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.test.tsx
index cb827dd3bf5..bbd8f242906 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.test.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,37 @@
-import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 
-import { LokiQuery, LokiQueryType } from '../../types';
+import { CoreApp, LogSortOrderChangeEvent, LogsSortOrder, store } from '@grafana/data';
+import { config, getAppEvents } from '@grafana/runtime';
 
-import { LokiQueryBuilderOptions } from './LokiQueryBuilderOptions';
+import { LokiQuery, LokiQueryDirection, LokiQueryType } from '../../types';
+
+import { LokiQueryBuilderOptions, Props } from './LokiQueryBuilderOptions';
+
+jest.mock('@grafana/runtime', () => ({
+  ...jest.requireActual('@grafana/runtime'),
+  config: {
+    ...jest.requireActual('@grafana/runtime').config,
+    featureToggles: {
+      ...jest.requireActual('@grafana/runtime').featureToggles,
+      lokiShardSplitting: true,
+    },
+  },
+  getAppEvents: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+const subscribeMock = jest.fn();
+beforeAll(() => {
+  config.featureToggles.lokiShardSplitting = true;
+  subscribeMock.mockImplementation(() => ({ unsubscribe: jest.fn() }));
+  jest.mocked(getAppEvents).mockReturnValue({
+    publish: jest.fn(),
+    getStream: jest.fn(),
+    subscribe: subscribeMock,
+    removeAllListeners: jest.fn(),
+    newScopedBus: jest.fn(),
+  });
+});
 
 describe('LokiQueryBuilderOptions', () => {
   it('can change query type', async () => {
@@ -86,7 +114,7 @@ describe('LokiQueryBuilderOptions', () => {
   });
 
   it('shows correct options for log query', async () => {
-    setup({ expr: '{foo="bar"}' });
+    setup({ expr: '{foo="bar"}', direction: LokiQueryDirection.Backward });
     expect(screen.getByText('Line limit: 20')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('Type: Range')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('Direction: Backward')).toBeInTheDocument();
@@ -184,9 +212,91 @@ describe('LokiQueryBuilderOptions', () => {
       step: '4s',
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Query direction', () => {
+    it("initializes query direction when it's empty", async () => {
+      const onChange = jest.fn();
+      setup({ expr: '{foo="bar"}' }, onChange);
+      await waitFor(() =>
+        expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+          expr: '{foo="bar"}',
+          refId: 'A',
+          direction: LokiQueryDirection.Backward,
+        })
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('uses backward as default in Explore with no previous stored preference', async () => {
+      const onChange = jest.fn();
+      store.delete('grafana.explore.logs.sortOrder');
+      setup({ expr: '{foo="bar"}' }, onChange, { app: CoreApp.Explore });
+      await waitFor(() =>
+        expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+          expr: '{foo="bar"}',
+          refId: 'A',
+          direction: LokiQueryDirection.Backward,
+        })
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('uses the stored sorting option to determine direction in Explore', async () => {
+      store.set('grafana.explore.logs.sortOrder', LogsSortOrder.Ascending);
+      const onChange = jest.fn();
+      setup({ expr: '{foo="bar"}' }, onChange, { app: CoreApp.Explore });
+      await waitFor(() =>
+        expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+          expr: '{foo="bar"}',
+          refId: 'A',
+          direction: LokiQueryDirection.Forward,
+        })
+      );
+      store.delete('grafana.explore.logs.sortOrder');
+    });
+
+    describe('Event handling', () => {
+      let listener: (event: LogSortOrderChangeEvent) => void = jest.fn();
+      const onChangeMock = jest.fn();
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        onChangeMock.mockClear();
+        listener = jest.fn();
+        subscribeMock.mockImplementation((_: unknown, callback: (event: LogSortOrderChangeEvent) => void) => {
+          listener = callback;
+          return { unsubscribe: jest.fn() };
+        });
+      });
+      it('subscribes to sort change event and updates the direction', () => {
+        setup({ expr: '{foo="bar"}', direction: LokiQueryDirection.Backward }, onChangeMock, {
+          app: CoreApp.Dashboard,
+        });
+        expect(screen.getByText(/Direction: Backward/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+        listener(
+          new LogSortOrderChangeEvent({
+            order: LogsSortOrder.Ascending,
+          })
+        );
+        expect(onChangeMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(onChangeMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+          direction: 'forward',
+          expr: '{foo="bar"}',
+          refId: 'A',
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('does not change the direction when the current direction is scan', () => {
+        setup({ expr: '{foo="bar"}', direction: LokiQueryDirection.Scan }, onChangeMock, { app: CoreApp.Dashboard });
+        expect(screen.getByText(/Direction: Scan/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+        listener(
+          new LogSortOrderChangeEvent({
+            order: LogsSortOrder.Ascending,
+          })
+        );
+        expect(onChangeMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });
 
-function setup(queryOverrides: Partial<LokiQuery> = {}, onChange = jest.fn()) {
+function setup(queryOverrides: Partial<LokiQuery> = {}, onChange = jest.fn(), propOverrides: Partial<Props> = {}) {
   const props = {
     query: {
       refId: 'A',
@@ -197,6 +307,7 @@ function setup(queryOverrides: Partial<LokiQuery> = {}, onChange = jest.fn()) {
     onChange,
     maxLines: 20,
     queryStats: { streams: 0, chunks: 0, bytes: 0, entries: 0 },
+    ...propOverrides,
   };
 
   const { container } = render(<LokiQueryBuilderOptions {...props} />);
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.tsx b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.tsx
index bd7c2e6ff00..29d02331867 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/querybuilder/components/LokiQueryBuilderOptions.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
 import { trim } from 'lodash';
-import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import * as React from 'react';
 
-import { CoreApp, isValidDuration, isValidGrafanaDuration, SelectableValue } from '@grafana/data';
+import {
+  CoreApp,
+  isValidDuration,
+  isValidGrafanaDuration,
+  LogSortOrderChangeEvent,
+  LogsSortOrder,
+  SelectableValue,
+  store,
+} from '@grafana/data';
 import { EditorField, EditorRow, QueryOptionGroup } from '@grafana/experimental';
-import { config, reportInteraction } from '@grafana/runtime';
+import { config, getAppEvents, reportInteraction } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { Alert, AutoSizeInput, RadioButtonGroup, Select } from '@grafana/ui';
 
 import {
@@ -30,6 +38,13 @@ export const LokiQueryBuilderOptions = React.memo<Props>(
   ({ app, query, onChange, onRunQuery, maxLines, queryStats }) => {
     const [splitDurationValid, setSplitDurationValid] = useState(true);
 
+    useEffect(() => {
+      // Initialize the query direction according to the current environment.
+      if (!query.direction) {
+        onChange({ ...query, direction: getDefaultQueryDirection(app) });
+      }
+    }, [app, onChange, query]);
+
     useEffect(() => {
       if (query.step && !isValidGrafanaDuration(`${query.step}`) && parseInt(query.step, 10)) {
         onChange({
@@ -44,10 +59,13 @@ export const LokiQueryBuilderOptions = React.memo<Props>(
       onRunQuery();
     };
 
-    const onQueryDirectionChange = (value: LokiQueryDirection) => {
-      onChange({ ...query, direction: value });
-      onRunQuery();
-    };
+    const onQueryDirectionChange = useCallback(
+      (value: LokiQueryDirection) => {
+        onChange({ ...query, direction: value });
+        onRunQuery();
+      },
+      [onChange, onRunQuery, query]
+    );
 
     const onResolutionChange = (option: SelectableValue<number>) => {
       reportInteraction('grafana_loki_resolution_clicked', {
@@ -87,14 +105,33 @@ export const LokiQueryBuilderOptions = React.memo<Props>(
       onRunQuery();
     }
 
+    useEffect(() => {
+      if (app !== CoreApp.Dashboard && app !== CoreApp.PanelEditor) {
+        return;
+      }
+      const subscription = getAppEvents().subscribe(LogSortOrderChangeEvent, (sortEvent: LogSortOrderChangeEvent) => {
+        if (query.direction === LokiQueryDirection.Scan) {
+          return;
+        }
+        const newDirection =
+          sortEvent.payload.order === LogsSortOrder.Ascending
+            ? LokiQueryDirection.Forward
+            : LokiQueryDirection.Backward;
+        if (newDirection !== query.direction) {
+          onQueryDirectionChange(newDirection);
+        }
+      });
+      return () => {
+        subscription.unsubscribe();
+      };
+    }, [app, onQueryDirectionChange, query.direction]);
+
     let queryType = getLokiQueryType(query);
     const isLogQuery = isLogsQuery(query.expr);
     const filteredQueryTypeOptions = isLogQuery
       ? queryTypeOptions.filter((o) => o.value !== LokiQueryType.Instant)
       : queryTypeOptions;
 
-    const queryDirection = query.direction ?? LokiQueryDirection.Backward;
-
     // if the state's queryType is still Instant, trigger a change to range for log queries
     if (isLogQuery && queryType === LokiQueryType.Instant) {
       onChange({ ...query, queryType: LokiQueryType.Range });
@@ -112,7 +149,7 @@ export const LokiQueryBuilderOptions = React.memo<Props>(
       <EditorRow>
         <QueryOptionGroup
           title="Options"
-          collapsedInfo={getCollapsedInfo(query, queryType, maxLines, isLogQuery, isValidStep, queryDirection)}
+          collapsedInfo={getCollapsedInfo(query, queryType, maxLines, isLogQuery, isValidStep, query.direction)}
           queryStats={queryStats}
         >
           <EditorField
@@ -145,7 +182,7 @@ export const LokiQueryBuilderOptions = React.memo<Props>(
                 />
               </EditorField>
               <EditorField label="Direction" tooltip="Direction to search for logs.">
-                <RadioButtonGroup options={queryDirections} value={queryDirection} onChange={onQueryDirectionChange} />
+                <RadioButtonGroup options={queryDirections} value={query.direction} onChange={onQueryDirectionChange} />
               </EditorField>
             </>
           )}
@@ -214,7 +251,7 @@ function getCollapsedInfo(
   maxLines: number,
   isLogQuery: boolean,
   isValidStep: boolean,
-  direction: LokiQueryDirection
+  direction: LokiQueryDirection | undefined
 ): string[] {
   const queryTypeLabel = queryTypeOptions.find((x) => x.value === queryType);
   const resolutionLabel = RESOLUTION_OPTIONS.find((x) => x.value === (query.resolution ?? 1));
@@ -227,7 +264,7 @@ function getCollapsedInfo(
 
   items.push(`Type: ${queryTypeLabel?.label}`);
 
-  if (isLogQuery) {
+  if (isLogQuery && direction) {
     items.push(`Line limit: ${query.maxLines ?? maxLines}`);
     items.push(`Direction: ${getQueryDirectionLabel(direction)}`);
   } else {
@@ -243,4 +280,20 @@ function getCollapsedInfo(
   return items;
 }
 
+function getDefaultQueryDirection(app?: CoreApp) {
+  if (app !== CoreApp.Explore) {
+    /**
+     * The default direction is backward because the default sort order is Descending.
+     * See:
+     * - public/app/features/explore/Logs/Logs.tsx
+     * - public/app/plugins/panel/logs/module.tsx
+     */
+    return LokiQueryDirection.Backward;
+  }
+  // See app/features/explore/Logs/utils/logs
+  const key = 'grafana.explore.logs.sortOrder';
+  const storedOrder = store.get(key) || LogsSortOrder.Descending;
+  return storedOrder === LogsSortOrder.Ascending ? LokiQueryDirection.Forward : LokiQueryDirection.Backward;
+}
+
 LokiQueryBuilderOptions.displayName = 'LokiQueryBuilderOptions';
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.test.tsx b/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.test.tsx
index 86795875d59..5f83f431ba3 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.test.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ import {
   LogsDedupStrategy,
   EventBusSrv,
   DataFrameType,
+  LogSortOrderChangeEvent,
 } from '@grafana/data';
+import { getAppEvents } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import * as grafanaUI from '@grafana/ui';
 import * as styles from 'app/features/logs/components/getLogRowStyles';
 import { LogRowContextModal } from 'app/features/logs/components/log-context/LogRowContextModal';
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ const datasourceSrv = new DatasourceSrvMock(defaultDs, {
 const getDataSourceSrvMock = jest.fn().mockReturnValue(datasourceSrv);
 jest.mock('@grafana/runtime', () => ({
   ...jest.requireActual('@grafana/runtime'),
+  getAppEvents: jest.fn(),
   getDataSourceSrv: () => getDataSourceSrvMock(),
 }));
 
@@ -69,7 +72,35 @@ const defaultProps = {
       scopedVars: {},
       startTime: 1,
     },
-    series: [],
+    series: [
+      createDataFrame({
+        refId: 'A',
+        fields: [
+          {
+            name: 'timestamp',
+            type: FieldType.time,
+            values: ['2019-04-26T09:28:11.352440161Z'],
+          },
+          {
+            name: 'body',
+            type: FieldType.string,
+            values: ['logline text'],
+          },
+          {
+            name: 'labels',
+            type: FieldType.other,
+            values: [
+              {
+                app: 'common_app',
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        ],
+        meta: {
+          type: DataFrameType.LogLines,
+        },
+      }),
+    ],
     state: LoadingState.Done,
     timeRange: getDefaultTimeRange(),
   },
@@ -103,7 +134,32 @@ const defaultProps = {
   onChangeTimeRange: jest.fn(),
 };
 
+const publishMock = jest.fn();
+beforeAll(() => {
+  jest.mocked(getAppEvents).mockReturnValue({
+    publish: publishMock,
+    getStream: jest.fn(),
+    subscribe: jest.fn(),
+    removeAllListeners: jest.fn(),
+    newScopedBus: jest.fn(),
+  });
+});
+
 describe('LogsPanel', () => {
+  it('publishes an event with the current sort order', async () => {
+    publishMock.mockClear();
+    setup();
+
+    await screen.findByText('logline text');
+
+    expect(publishMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(publishMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      new LogSortOrderChangeEvent({
+        order: LogsSortOrder.Descending,
+      })
+    );
+  });
+
   describe('when returned series include common labels', () => {
     const seriesWithCommonLabels = [
       createDataFrame({
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.tsx b/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.tsx
index 5b92496f86c..73d835edbbf 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/logs/LogsPanel.tsx
@@ -27,9 +27,10 @@ import {
   TimeZone,
   toUtc,
   urlUtil,
+  LogSortOrderChangeEvent,
 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { convertRawToRange } from '@grafana/data/src/datetime/rangeutil';
-import { config } from '@grafana/runtime';
+import { config, getAppEvents } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { ScrollContainer, usePanelContext, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
 import { getFieldLinksForExplore } from 'app/features/explore/utils/links';
 import { InfiniteScroll } from 'app/features/logs/components/InfiniteScroll';
@@ -143,8 +144,16 @@ export const LogsPanel = ({
   // Prevents the scroll position to change when new data from infinite scrolling is received
   const keepScrollPositionRef = useRef(false);
   let closeCallback = useRef<() => void>();
-
   const { eventBus, onAddAdHocFilter } = usePanelContext();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    getAppEvents().publish(
+      new LogSortOrderChangeEvent({
+        order: sortOrder,
+      })
+    );
+  }, [sortOrder]);
+
   const onLogRowHover = useCallback(
     (row?: LogRowModel) => {
       if (row) {