diff --git a/app/controllers/observations_controller.rb b/app/controllers/observations_controller.rb
index 81b768a1021..79eed4be517 100644
--- a/app/controllers/observations_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/observations_controller.rb
@@ -1211,6 +1211,8 @@ def by_login
       current_user: current_user)
     search_params = Observation.apply_pagination_options(search_params,
       user_preferences: @prefs)
+    search_params[:order_by] = @prefs["edit_observations_order"] if @prefs["edit_observations_order"]
+    search_params[:order] = @prefs["edit_observations_sort"] if @prefs["edit_observations_sort"]
     @observations = Observation.page_of_results(search_params)
     set_up_instance_variables(search_params)
     Observation.preload_for_component(@observations, logged_in: !!current_user)
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 08ee024505e..bd01a3492e0 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ def set_uuid
   preference :identify_side_bar, :boolean, default: false
   preference :lifelist_nav_view, :string
   preference :lifelist_details_view, :string
+  preference :edit_observations_sort, :string, default: "desc"
+  preference :edit_observations_order, :string, default: "created_at"
   preference :lifelist_tree_mode, :string
 
   NOTIFICATION_PREFERENCES = %w(
diff --git a/app/views/observations/_observations_table_header.html.erb b/app/views/observations/_observations_table_header.html.erb
index a50e65f803a..1b60bc49c0f 100644
--- a/app/views/observations/_observations_table_header.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/observations/_observations_table_header.html.erb
@@ -13,14 +13,14 @@
   </div>
   <div class="header observed_on <%= "order_by #{@order}" if @order_by == 'observed_on' %>">
     <% order = @order == 'desc' ? 'asc' : 'desc' if @order_by == 'observed_on' %>
-    <%= link_to t(:date_observed), url_for_params(:order => order, :order_by => 'observed_on') %>
+    <%= link_to t(:date_observed), url_for_params(order: order, order_by: 'observed_on', preferences: { edit_observations_sort: order, edit_observations_order: 'observed_on' }) %>
   </div>
   <div class="header place">
     <%= t(:place) %>
   </div>
   <div class="header created_at <%= "order_by #{@order}" if %w(id observations.id created_at).include?(@order_by) %>" style="display: none">
     <% order = @order == 'desc' ? 'asc' : 'desc' if %w(id observations.id created_at).include?(@order_by) %>
-    <%= link_to t(:date_added), url_for_params(:order => order, :order_by => 'created_at') %>
+    <%= link_to t(:date_added), url_for_params(order: order, order_by: 'created_at', preferences: { edit_observations_sort: order, edit_observations_order: 'created_at' }) %>
   </div>
   <div class="header details" style="display: none">
     <%=t :details %>