diff --git a/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua b/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua
index b7066d3f7..8d7f0ae3e 100644
--- a/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua
+++ b/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua
@@ -156,12 +156,15 @@ function MenuSorter:sort(item_table, order)
 
     -- remove top level reference before orphan handling
     item_table["KOMenu:menu_buttons"] = nil
-        --attach orphans based on menu_hint
+
+    -- attach orphans based on sorting_hint, or with a NEW prefix in the first menu if none found
     for k,v in pairs(item_table) do
+        local sorting_hint = v.sorting_hint
+
         -- normally there should be menu text but check to be sure
         if v.text and v.new ~= true then
             v.id = k
-            v.text = self.orphaned_prefix .. v.text
+            if not sorting_hint then v.text = self.orphaned_prefix .. v.text end
             -- prevent text being prepended to item on menu reload, i.e., on switching between reader and filemanager
             v.new = true
             -- deal with orphaned submenus
@@ -172,7 +175,13 @@ function MenuSorter:sort(item_table, order)
                 end
             end
         end
-        table.insert(menu_table["KOMenu:menu_buttons"][1], v)
+        if sorting_hint then
+            local sorting_hint_menu = self:findById(menu_table["KOMenu:menu_buttons"], sorting_hint)
+            sorting_hint_menu = sorting_hint_menu.sub_item_table or sorting_hint_menu
+            table.insert(sorting_hint_menu, v)
+        else
+            table.insert(menu_table["KOMenu:menu_buttons"][1], v)
+        end
     end
     return menu_table["KOMenu:menu_buttons"]
 end
@@ -193,10 +202,13 @@ function MenuSorter:findById(tbl, needle_id)
     local k, v
     k, v = next(items, nil)
     while k do
-        if v.id == needle_id then
+        local id_match = v.id == needle_id
+        local sub_table = v.sub_item_table or type(v) == "table" and v
+
+        if id_match then
             return v
-        elseif v.sub_item_table then
-            for _,item in pairs(v.sub_item_table) do
+        elseif sub_table then
+            for _,item in pairs(sub_table) do
                 if type(item) == "table" and item.id then
                     table.insert(items, item)
                 end
diff --git a/plugins/hello.koplugin/main.lua b/plugins/hello.koplugin/main.lua
index 3a1e11499..9f8699dac 100644
--- a/plugins/hello.koplugin/main.lua
+++ b/plugins/hello.koplugin/main.lua
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ end
 function Hello:addToMainMenu(menu_items)
     menu_items.hello_world = {
         text = _("Hello World"),
+        -- in which menu this should be appended
+        sorting_hint = "more_plugins",
+        -- a callback when tapping
         callback = function()
             UIManager:show(InfoMessage:new{
                 text = _("Hello, plugin world"),
diff --git a/spec/unit/menusorter_spec.lua b/spec/unit/menusorter_spec.lua
index 005df02f1..19f2a1722 100644
--- a/spec/unit/menusorter_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/unit/menusorter_spec.lua
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 describe("MenuSorter module", function()
     local MenuSorter
+    local equals
     setup(function()
         require("commonrequire")
         MenuSorter = require("ui/menusorter")
+        equals = require("util").tableEquals
     end)
 
     it("should put menu items in the defined order", function()
@@ -80,6 +82,79 @@ describe("MenuSorter module", function()
             assert.is_true(string.sub(menu_item.text,1,string.len(MenuSorter.orphaned_prefix))==MenuSorter.orphaned_prefix)
         end
     end)
+    it("should put orphans with sorting_hint in the right menu", function()
+        local menu_items = {
+            ["KOMenu:menu_buttons"] = {},
+            main = {text="Main"},
+            search = {text="Search", sorting_hint="tools",},
+            tools = {text="Tools"},
+            setting = {text="Settings"},
+            submenu = {text="Submenu"},
+            submenu_item1 = {text="Submenu item 1", sorting_hint="submenu",},
+            submenu_item2 = {text="Submenu item 2"},
+        }
+        local order = {
+            ["KOMenu:menu_buttons"] = {
+                "setting",
+            },
+            tools = {},
+            setting = {
+                "tools",
+                "submenu"
+            },
+            submenu = {
+                "submenu_item2",
+            },
+        }
+
+        local test_menu = MenuSorter:sort(menu_items, order)
+        local result_menu = {
+            [1] = {
+                [1] = {
+                    ["id"] = "tools",
+                    ["sub_item_table"] = {
+                        [1] = {
+                            ["sorting_hint"] = "tools",
+                            ["new"] = true,
+                            ["id"] = "search",
+                            ["text"] = "Search"
+                        },
+                        ["text"] = "Tools",
+                        ["id"] = "tools"
+                    },
+                    ["text"] = "Tools"
+                },
+                [2] = {
+                    ["id"] = "submenu",
+                    ["sub_item_table"] = {
+                        [1] = {
+                            ["id"] = "submenu_item2",
+                            ["text"] = "Submenu item 2"
+                        },
+                        [2] = {
+                            ["sorting_hint"] = "submenu",
+                            ["new"] = true,
+                            ["id"] = "submenu_item1",
+                            ["text"] = "Submenu item 1"
+                        },
+                        ["text"] = "Submenu",
+                        ["id"] = "submenu"
+                    },
+                    ["text"] = "Submenu"
+                },
+                [3] = {
+                    ["new"] = true,
+                    ["text"] = "NEW: Main",
+                    ["id"] = "main"
+                },
+                ["id"] = "setting",
+                ["text"] = "Settings"
+            },
+            ["id"] = "KOMenu:menu_buttons"
+        }
+
+        assert.is_true( equals(result_menu, test_menu) )
+    end)
     it("should display submenu of orphaned submenu", function()
         local menu_items = {
             ["KOMenu:menu_buttons"] = {},