diff --git a/cgit.h b/cgit.h
index 53e1336..bb0e64c 100644
--- a/cgit.h
+++ b/cgit.h
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ extern int cgit_cache_static_ttl;
 extern int cgit_cache_max_create_time;
 extern int cgit_summary_log;
 extern int cgit_summary_tags;
+extern int cgit_summary_branches;
 
 extern int cgit_max_msg_len;
 extern int cgit_max_repodesc_len;
diff --git a/shared.c b/shared.c
index 7e5eaba..ff600db 100644
--- a/shared.c
+++ b/shared.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ int cgit_cache_static_ttl      = -1;
 int cgit_cache_max_create_time =  5;
 int cgit_summary_log           =  0;
 int cgit_summary_tags          =  0;
+int cgit_summary_branches      =  0;
 int cgit_renamelimit           = -1;
 
 int cgit_max_msg_len = 60;
@@ -182,6 +183,8 @@ void cgit_global_config_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
 		cgit_max_commit_count = atoi(value);
 	else if (!strcmp(name, "summary-log"))
 		cgit_summary_log = atoi(value);
+	else if (!strcmp(name, "summary-branches"))
+		cgit_summary_branches = atoi(value);
 	else if (!strcmp(name, "summary-tags"))
 		cgit_summary_tags = atoi(value);
 	else if (!strcmp(name, "agefile"))
diff --git a/ui-summary.c b/ui-summary.c
index 05170cc..df79d01 100644
--- a/ui-summary.c
+++ b/ui-summary.c
@@ -24,6 +24,22 @@ static int cmp_age(int age1, int age2)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+static int cmp_ref_name(const void *a, const void *b)
+{
+	struct refinfo *r1 = *(struct refinfo **)a;
+	struct refinfo *r2 = *(struct refinfo **)b;
+
+	return strcmp(r1->refname, r2->refname);
+}
+
+static int cmp_branch_age(const void *a, const void *b)
+{
+	struct refinfo *r1 = *(struct refinfo **)a;
+	struct refinfo *r2 = *(struct refinfo **)b;
+
+	return cmp_age(r1->commit->committer_date, r2->commit->committer_date);
+}
+
 static int cmp_tag_age(const void *a, const void *b)
 {
 	struct refinfo *r1 = *(struct refinfo **)a;
@@ -150,7 +166,7 @@ static int cgit_print_archive_cb(const char *refname, const unsigned char *sha1,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void cgit_print_branches()
+static void cgit_print_branches(int maxcount)
 {
 	struct reflist list;
 	int i;
@@ -163,7 +179,16 @@ static void cgit_print_branches()
 	list.refs = NULL;
 	list.alloc = list.count = 0;
 	for_each_branch_ref(cgit_refs_cb, &list);
-	for(i=0; i<list.count; i++)
+
+	if (maxcount == 0 || maxcount > list.count)
+		maxcount = list.count;
+
+	if (maxcount < list.count) {
+		qsort(list.refs, list.count, sizeof(*list.refs), cmp_branch_age);
+		qsort(list.refs, maxcount, sizeof(*list.refs), cmp_ref_name);
+	}
+
+	for(i=0; i<maxcount; i++)
 		cgit_print_branch(list.refs[i]);
 }
 
@@ -213,7 +238,7 @@ void cgit_print_summary()
 	html("<table class='list nowrap'>");
 	if (cgit_summary_log > 0)
 		html("<tr class='nohover'><td colspan='4'>&nbsp;</td></tr>");
-	cgit_print_branches();
+	cgit_print_branches(cgit_summary_branches);
 	html("<tr class='nohover'><td colspan='4'>&nbsp;</td></tr>");
 	cgit_print_tags(cgit_summary_tags);
 	html("</table>");