diff --git a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js
index 40c3f04..05d223e 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js
@@ -162,7 +162,26 @@ define([
      *     directories.
      * @param {String} error_msg An error message
      */
+
+
+    var type_order = {'directory':0,'notebook':1,'file':2};
+
     NotebookList.prototype.draw_notebook_list = function (list, error_msg) {
+        list.content.sort(function(a, b) {
+            if (type_order[a['type']] < type_order[b['type']]) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+            if (type_order[a['type']] > type_order[b['type']]) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+            if (a['name'] < b['name']) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+            if (a['name'] > b['name']) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+            return 0;
+        });
         var message = error_msg || 'Notebook list empty.';
         var item = null;
         var model = null;