diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7250461..8482167 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,12 +11,14 @@ instead of version numbers.
 
 * Only cluster by leading tags in the sort order, so if you click to sort by
   e.g. Updated then there's no longer awkward clustering by repeated tags.
-* Search no longer supports quoting phrases with single quotes, so that it's
-  easier to search for possessives (e.g. `Erik's`).
-  [[#638](https://github.com/edemaine/coauthor/issues/638)]
-* Fix escaping search queries with backslash: `\:`, `\"`, `\|`, `\(`, `\)`, `\\`
-* Newly allow escaping of `*` with `\*`
-  [[#29](https://github.com/edemaine/coauthor/issues/29)]
+* Search improvements: [[#29](https://github.com/edemaine/coauthor/issues/29)]
+  * Search no longer supports quoting phrases with single quotes, so that it's
+    easier to search for possessives (e.g. `Erik's`).
+    [[#638](https://github.com/edemaine/coauthor/issues/638)]
+  * Search now sorts by the group's default sort, instead of by title.
+  * Fix escaping search queries with backslash:
+    `\:`, `\"`, `\|`, `\(`, `\)`, `\\`
+  * Newly allow escaping of `*` with `\*`
 
 ## 2023-11-17
 
diff --git a/client/search.coffee b/client/search.coffee
index 830aec2..9e2159a 100644
--- a/client/search.coffee
+++ b/client/search.coffee
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import {groupDefaultSort} from '/lib/groups'
+import {findMessageRoot, messagesSortedBy} from '/lib/messages'
 import {formatSearch, parseSearch} from '/lib/search'
 
 Template.search.onCreated ->
@@ -18,13 +20,13 @@ topMessagesSearch = (group, search) ->
   msgs = messagesSearch group, search
   return [] unless msgs?
   msgs = msgs.fetch()
-  ## xxx should use default sort, not title sort?
-  msgs = _.sortBy msgs, (msg) ->
-    msg.group + '/' +
-    if msg.root
-      titleSort (Messages.findOne(msg.root)?.title ? '')
-    else
-      titleSort msg.title
+  ## Least significant: sort by group's default sort order --
+  ## applying sort to message root, not the message
+  msgs = messagesSortedBy msgs, groupDefaultSort(group), findMessageRoot
+  ## Middle significant: sort roots before their descendants
+  msgs = _.sortBy msgs, (msg) -> msg.root?
+  ## Most significant: sort by group name
+  msgs = _.sortBy msgs, 'group'
   ## Form a set of all message IDs in match
   byId = {}
   for msg in msgs