diff --git a/lib/db/install.php b/lib/db/install.php
index d3ca874c629..f8dbdce278a 100644
--- a/lib/db/install.php
+++ b/lib/db/install.php
@@ -306,4 +306,12 @@ function xmldb_main_install() {
     $DB->insert_record('my_pages', $mypage);
     $mypage->private = 1;
     $DB->insert_record('my_pages', $mypage);
+
+    // Set a sensible default sort order for the most-used question types.
+    set_config('multichoice_sortorder', 1, 'question');
+    set_config('truefalse_sortorder', 2, 'question');
+    set_config('match_sortorder', 3, 'question');
+    set_config('shortanswer_sortorder', 4, 'question');
+    set_config('numerical_sortorder', 5, 'question');
+    set_config('essay_sortorder', 6, 'question');
 }