diff --git a/app/controllers/streams_controller.rb b/app/controllers/streams_controller.rb
index 73a40a751..f7f00f772 100644
--- a/app/controllers/streams_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/streams_controller.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ class StreamsController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def participate
-    puts params.inspect
     stream_responder(Stream::Participate)
   end
 
diff --git a/features/participate_stream.feature b/features/participate_stream.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..107984139
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/participate_stream.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+@javascript
+Feature: The participate stream
+  Scenario: Sorting
+    Given a user with username "bob"
+    When I sign in as "bob@bob.bob"
+
+    And I post "A- I like turtles"
+    And I post "B- barack obama is your new bicycle"
+    And I post "C- barack obama is a square"
+
+    When I pin the post "A- I like turtles"
+    And I wait for 1 second
+    And I comment "Sassy sawfish" on "C- barack obama is a square"
+    And I wait for 1 second
+    And I pin the post "B- barack obama is your new bicycle"
+    And I wait for 1 second
+
+    When I go to the participate stream page
+    Then "B- barack obama is your new bicycle" should be post 1
+    And "C- barack obama is a square" should be post 2
+    And "A- I like turtles" should be post 3
diff --git a/features/posts_from_main_page.feature b/features/posts_from_main_page.feature
index fffe3073c..45cf2df2f 100644
--- a/features/posts_from_main_page.feature
+++ b/features/posts_from_main_page.feature
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ Feature: posting from the main page
       And I go to the aspects page
       Then I should see "I am eating a yogurt" within ".stream_element"
 
+    Scenario: posting a message appends it to the top of the stream
+      When I click the publisher and post "sup dog"
+      And I click the publisher and post "hello there"
+      Then I should see "hello there" as the first post in my stream
+
     Scenario: post a text-only message to just one aspect
       When I select only "PostingTo" aspect
       And I expand the publisher
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/comment_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/comment_steps.rb
index fc59010cd..ae7530e5b 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/comment_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/comment_steps.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 When /^I focus the comment field$/ do
-  find("a.focus_comment_textarea").click
+  focus_comment_box
 end
 
 Then /^the first comment field should be open/ do
@@ -9,3 +9,8 @@ end
 Then /^the first comment field should be closed$/ do
   find("#main_stream .stream_element .new_comment").should_not be_visible
 end
+
+
+When /^I comment "([^"]*)" on "([^"]*)"$/ do |comment_text, post_text|
+  comment_on_post(post_text, comment_text)
+end
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb
index 8bc1cd921..950c6ca9f 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ Then /^(?:|I )should not see a "([^\"]*)"(?: within "([^\"]*)")?$/ do |selector,
 end
 
 When /^I wait for the ajax to finish$/ do
-  wait_until(15) { evaluate_script("$.active") == 0 }
+  wait_for_ajax_to_finish
 end
 
 When /^I have turned off jQuery effects$/ do
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/message_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/message_steps.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ded072ac1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/step_definitions/message_steps.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+Then /^I should see the "(.*)" message$/ do |message|
+  text = case message
+           when "alice is excited"
+             @alice ||= Factory(:user, :username => "Alice")
+             I18n.translate('invitation_codes.excited', :name => @alice.name)
+           when "welcome to diaspora"
+             I18n.translate('users.getting_started.well_hello_there')
+           when 'you are safe for work'
+             I18n.translate('profiles.edit.you_are_safe_for_work')
+           when 'you are nsfw'
+             I18n.translate('profiles.edit.you_are_nsfw')
+           when 'hello'
+            "well hello there man" 
+           else
+             raise "muriel, you don't have that message key, add one here"
+         end
+  page.should have_content(text)
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/posts_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/posts_steps.rb
index 2401c89d5..c57b7b169 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/posts_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/posts_steps.rb
@@ -34,3 +34,16 @@ end
 When /^I click on the first block button/ do
   find(".block_user").click
 end
+
+
+Then /^I should see "([^"]*)" as the first post in my stream$/ do |text|
+  first_post_text.should include(text)
+end
+
+When /^I post "([^"]*)"$/ do |text|
+  click_and_post(text)
+end
+
+When /^I click the publisher and post "([^"]*)"$/ do |text|
+  click_and_post(text)
+end
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/stream_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/stream_steps.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..94176d93d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/step_definitions/stream_steps.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Then /^I should see an image in the publisher$/ do
+  photo_in_publisher.should be_present
+end
+
+Then /^I pin the post "([^"]*)"$/ do |post_text|
+  pin_post(post_text)
+end
+
+Then /^"([^"]*)" should be post (\d+)$/ do |post_text, position|
+  find(".stream_element:nth-child(#{position}) .post-content").text.should == post_text
+end
diff --git a/features/support/publishing_cuke_helpers.rb b/features/support/publishing_cuke_helpers.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8441ac310
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/support/publishing_cuke_helpers.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+module PublishingCukeHelpers
+  def make_post(text)
+    fill_in 'status_message_fake_text', :with => text
+    click_button :submit
+    wait_for_ajax_to_finish
+  end
+
+  def click_and_post(text)
+    click_publisher
+    make_post(text)
+  end
+
+  def click_publisher
+    page.execute_script('
+      $("#publisher").removeClass("closed");
+      $("#publisher").find("textarea").focus();
+    ')
+  end
+
+  def first_post_text
+    find('.stream_element:first .post-content').text()
+  end
+
+  def find_post_by_text(text)
+    find(".stream_element:contains('#{text}')")
+  end
+
+  def pin_post(post_text)
+    within_post(post_text) do
+      click_link 'Pin'
+    end
+    wait_for_ajax_to_finish
+  end
+
+  def within_post(post_text)
+    within find_post_by_text(post_text) do
+      yield
+    end
+  end
+
+  def stream_posts
+    all('.stream_element')
+  end
+
+  def comment_on_post(post_text, comment_text)
+    within_post(post_text) do
+      focus_comment_box
+      make_comment(comment_text)
+    end
+    wait_for_ajax_to_finish
+  end
+
+  def make_comment(text)
+    fill_in "text", :with => text
+    click_button :submit
+  end
+
+  def focus_comment_box
+    find("a.focus_comment_textarea").click
+  end
+
+  def wait_for_ajax_to_finish(wait_time=15)
+    wait_until(wait_time) { evaluate_script("$.active") == 0 }
+  end
+
+  def assert_nsfw(text)
+    post = find_post_by_text(text)
+    post.find(".shield").should be_present
+  end
+end
+
+World(PublishingCukeHelpers)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/public/javascripts/app/models/stream.js b/public/javascripts/app/models/stream.js
index 0e70eb26b..b8f31d8f7 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/app/models/stream.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/app/models/stream.js
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 app.models.Stream = Backbone.Collection.extend({
   initialize : function(){
-    this.posts = new app.collections.Posts();
+    this.posts = new app.collections.Posts([], this.postOptions());
+  },
+
+  postOptions :function(){
+      var order = this.sortOrder();
+      return {
+          comparator : function(post) { return -post[order](); }
+      }
   },
 
   url : function(){