diff --git a/rhodecode/api/views/search_api.py b/rhodecode/api/views/search_api.py
--- a/rhodecode/api/views/search_api.py
+++ b/rhodecode/api/views/search_api.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 @jsonrpc_method()
 def search(request, apiuser, search_query, search_type, page_limit=Optional(10),
-           page=Optional(1), search_sort=Optional('newfirst'),
+           page=Optional(1), search_sort=Optional('desc:date'),
            repo_name=Optional(None), repo_group_name=Optional(None)):
     """
     Fetch Full Text Search results using API.
@@ -51,9 +51,15 @@ def search(request, apiuser, search_quer
     :type page_limit: Optional(int)
     :param page: Page number. Default first page.
     :type page: Optional(int)
-    :param search_sort: Search sort order. Default newfirst. The following are valid options:
-        * newfirst
-        * oldfirst
+    :param search_sort: Search sort order.Must start with asc: or desc: Default desc:date.
+        The following are valid options:
+        * asc|desc:message.raw
+        * asc|desc:date
+        * asc|desc:author.email.raw
+        * asc|desc:message.raw
+        * newfirst (old legacy equal to desc:date)
+        * oldfirst (old legacy equal to asc:date)
+
     :type search_sort: Optional(str)
     :param repo_name: Filter by one repo. Default is all.
     :type repo_name: Optional(str)
diff --git a/rhodecode/model/validation_schema/schemas/search_schema.py b/rhodecode/model/validation_schema/schemas/search_schema.py
--- a/rhodecode/model/validation_schema/schemas/search_schema.py
+++ b/rhodecode/model/validation_schema/schemas/search_schema.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class SearchParamsSchema(colander.Mappin
         validator=colander.OneOf(['content', 'path', 'commit', 'repository']))
     search_sort = colander.SchemaNode(
         colander.String(),
-        missing='newfirst',
+        missing='desc:date',
         validator=sort_validator)
     search_max_lines = colander.SchemaNode(
         colander.Integer(),