diff --git a/app/models/issue.rb b/app/models/issue.rb
index d6d6c7c8b..f727853e2 100644
--- a/app/models/issue.rb
+++ b/app/models/issue.rb
@@ -1184,6 +1184,10 @@ class Issue < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
   end
 
+  def watchers_count
+    @watchers_count ||= self.watchers.count(:id)
+  end
+
   # Preloads relations for a collection of issues
   def self.load_relations(issues)
     if issues.any?
diff --git a/app/models/issue_query.rb b/app/models/issue_query.rb
index a0420c994..c64eaef57 100644
--- a/app/models/issue_query.rb
+++ b/app/models/issue_query.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,15 @@ class IssueQuery < Query
     QueryColumn.new(:category, :sortable => "#{IssueCategory.table_name}.name", :groupable => true),
     QueryColumn.new(:fixed_version, :sortable => lambda {Version.fields_for_order_statement},
                     :groupable => true),
+    QueryColumn.new(
+      :watchers_count,
+      :sortable =>
+        lambda do
+          "COALESCE((SELECT COUNT(user_id) FROM #{Watcher.table_name}" \
+          " WHERE #{Watcher.table_name}.watchable_type = 'Issue'" \
+          " AND #{Watcher.table_name}.watchable_id = #{Issue.table_name}.id), 0)"
+        end,
+      :default_order => 'desc'),
     QueryColumn.new(:start_date, :sortable => "#{Issue.table_name}.start_date", :groupable => true),
     QueryColumn.new(:due_date, :sortable => "#{Issue.table_name}.due_date", :groupable => true),
     QueryColumn.new(:estimated_hours, :sortable => "#{Issue.table_name}.estimated_hours",
diff --git a/app/views/watchers/_set_watcher.js.erb b/app/views/watchers/_set_watcher.js.erb
index 4090ef6ce..79620842e 100644
--- a/app/views/watchers/_set_watcher.js.erb
+++ b/app/views/watchers/_set_watcher.js.erb
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
-<% selector = ".#{watcher_css(watched)}" %>
-$("<%= selector %>").each(function(){$(this).replaceWith("<%= escape_javascript watcher_link(watched, user) %>")});
-$('#watchers').html('<%= escape_javascript(render(:partial => 'watchers/watchers', :locals => {:watched => watched.first})) %>');
+var back_url = $('input[name="back_url"]').val() || '';
+if (back_url.length > 0) {
+  window.location.href = back_url;
+} else {
+  <% selector = ".#{watcher_css(watched)}" %>
+  $("<%= selector %>").each(function(){$(this).replaceWith("<%= escape_javascript watcher_link(watched, user) %>")});
+  $('#watchers').html('<%= escape_javascript(render(:partial => 'watchers/watchers', :locals => {:watched => watched.first})) %>');
+}
diff --git a/app/views/watchers/create.js.erb b/app/views/watchers/create.js.erb
index b0421bc3a..6bf9ffec1 100644
--- a/app/views/watchers/create.js.erb
+++ b/app/views/watchers/create.js.erb
@@ -3,7 +3,5 @@ $('#ajax-modal').html(
          render(:partial => 'watchers/new',
                 :locals => {:watchables => @watchables, :users => @users})) %>');
 
-<% if @watchables.size == 1 %>
-  <%= render(:partial => 'watchers/set_watcher',
-             :locals => {:watched => @watchables, :user => User.current}) %>
-<% end %>
+<%= render(:partial => 'watchers/set_watcher',
+           :locals => {:watched => @watchables, :user => User.current}) %>
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index f9064c866..a20874799 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ en:
   field_parent_title: Parent page
   field_editable: Editable
   field_watcher: Watcher
+  field_watchers_count: Watchers count
   field_content: Content
   field_group_by: Group results by
   field_sharing: Sharing
diff --git a/config/locales/ja.yml b/config/locales/ja.yml
index 0215e7555..e4ac5f1de 100644
--- a/config/locales/ja.yml
+++ b/config/locales/ja.yml
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ ja:
   field_parent_title: 親ページ
   field_editable: 編集可能
   field_watcher: ウォッチャー
+  field_watchers_count: ウォッチ数
   field_content: 内容
   field_group_by: グループ条件
   field_sharing: 共有
diff --git a/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb
index c19534b78..86f450821 100644
--- a/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/issues_controller_test.rb
@@ -1377,6 +1377,17 @@ class IssuesControllerTest < Redmine::ControllerTest
     assert_equal hours.sort.reverse, hours
   end
 
+  def test_index_sort_by_watchers_count
+    Watcher.delete_all
+    User.find([2, 3]).each do |user|
+      Watcher.create!(:user => user, :watchable => Issue.find(1))
+    end
+    Watcher.create!(:user => User.find(2), :watchable => Issue.find(2))
+    get(:index, :params => {:sort => 'watchers_count:desc'})
+    assert_response :success
+    assert_equal [2, 1, 0], issues_in_list.map {|issue| issue.watchers_count}.first(3)
+  end
+
   def test_index_sort_by_user_custom_field
     cf = IssueCustomField.
            create!(
diff --git a/test/unit/issue_test.rb b/test/unit/issue_test.rb
index 188230022..50c6586c2 100644
--- a/test/unit/issue_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/issue_test.rb
@@ -3524,4 +3524,12 @@ class IssueTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     r = Issue.like('issue today')
     assert_include Issue.find(7), r
   end
+
+  def test_watchers_count
+    issue = Issue.generate!
+    User.find([2, 3]).each do |user|
+      Watcher.create!(:user => user, :watchable => issue)
+    end
+    assert_equal 2, issue.watchers_count
+  end
 end