diff --git a/public/openapi/write.yaml b/public/openapi/write.yaml
index 5054499dcd..d08236d274 100644
--- a/public/openapi/write.yaml
+++ b/public/openapi/write.yaml
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@ paths:
     $ref: 'write/chats.yaml'
   /chats/unread:
     $ref: 'write/chats/unread.yaml'
+  /chats/sort:
+    $ref: 'write/chats/sort.yaml'
   /chats/{roomId}:
     $ref: 'write/chats/roomId.yaml'
   /chats/{roomId}/state:
diff --git a/public/openapi/write/chats/sort.yaml b/public/openapi/write/chats/sort.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..df52c4a605
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/openapi/write/chats/sort.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+put:
+  tags:
+    - chats
+  summary: sort public chat rooms
+  description: This operation sorts the publicly available chat rooms. This is a privileged function; only superadmins can call it.
+  requestBody:
+    required: true
+    content:
+      application/json:
+        schema:
+          type: object
+          properties:
+            roomIds:
+              type: array
+              description: A list of room ids.
+              example: [1]
+            scores:
+              type: array
+              description: A list of sort orders associated with the passed-in `roomIds`
+              example: [0]
+  responses:
+    '200':
+      description: Public chat rooms successfully re-ordered.
+      content:
+        application/json:
+          schema:
+            type: object
+            properties:
+              status:
+                $ref: ../../components/schemas/Status.yaml#/Status
+              response:
+                type: object
+                properties: {}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/public/src/client/chats.js b/public/src/client/chats.js
index c45f14d6d7..222960945c 100644
--- a/public/src/client/chats.js
+++ b/public/src/client/chats.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ define('forum/chats', [
 							data.roomIds.push($(el).attr('data-roomid'));
 							data.scores.push(idx);
 						});
-						await socket.emit('modules.chats.sortPublicRooms', data);
+						await api.put('/chats/sort', data);
 					},
 				});
 			});
diff --git a/src/api/chats.js b/src/api/chats.js
index 91e3dbd2b4..88b0a27d2c 100644
--- a/src/api/chats.js
+++ b/src/api/chats.js
@@ -84,6 +84,22 @@ chatsAPI.getUnread = async (caller) => {
 	return { count };
 };
 
+chatsAPI.sortPublicRooms = async (caller, { roomIds, scores }) => {
+	[roomIds, scores].forEach((arr) => {
+		if (!Array.isArray(arr) || !arr.every(value => isFinite(value))) {
+			throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
+		}
+	});
+
+	const isAdmin = await user.isAdministrator(caller.uid);
+	if (!isAdmin) {
+		throw new Error('[[error:no-privileges]]');
+	}
+
+	await db.sortedSetAdd(`chat:rooms:public:order`, scores, roomIds);
+	require('../cache').del(`chat:rooms:public:order:all`);
+};
+
 chatsAPI.get = async (caller, { uid, roomId }) => await messaging.loadRoom(caller.uid, { uid, roomId });
 
 chatsAPI.post = async (caller, data) => {
diff --git a/src/controllers/write/categories.js b/src/controllers/write/categories.js
index 80ee961fbf..bb4ec84090 100644
--- a/src/controllers/write/categories.js
+++ b/src/controllers/write/categories.js
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ Categories.setWatchState = async (req, res) => {
 	} else if (Object.keys(categories.watchStates).includes(state)) {
 		state = categories.watchStates[state]; // convert to integer for backend processing
 	} else {
-		console.log('throwing', cid, uid, state);
 		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/controllers/write/chats.js b/src/controllers/write/chats.js
index 87b1de3023..86ab6012ee 100644
--- a/src/controllers/write/chats.js
+++ b/src/controllers/write/chats.js
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ Chats.create = async (req, res) => {
 // currently only returns unread count, but open-ended for future additions if warranted.
 Chats.getUnread = async (req, res) => helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res, await api.chats.getUnread(req));
 
+Chats.sortPublicRooms = async (req, res) => {
+	const { roomIds, scores } = req.body;
+	await api.chats.sortPublicRooms(req, { roomIds, scores });
+
+	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res);
+};
+
 Chats.exists = async (req, res) => {
 	// yes, this is fine. Room existence is checked via middleware :)
 	helpers.formatApiResponse(200, res);
diff --git a/src/routes/write/chats.js b/src/routes/write/chats.js
index 5a42bcdc51..73ee54815a 100644
--- a/src/routes/write/chats.js
+++ b/src/routes/write/chats.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ module.exports = function () {
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'post', '/', [...middlewares, middleware.checkRequired.bind(null, ['uids'])], controllers.write.chats.create);
 
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'get', '/unread', [...middlewares], controllers.write.chats.getUnread);
+	setupApiRoute(router, 'put', '/sort', [...middlewares, middleware.checkRequired.bind(null, ['roomIds', 'scores'])], controllers.write.chats.sortPublicRooms);
 
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'head', '/:roomId', [...middlewares, middleware.assert.room], controllers.write.chats.exists);
 	setupApiRoute(router, 'get', '/:roomId', [...middlewares, middleware.assert.room], controllers.write.chats.get);
diff --git a/src/socket.io/modules.js b/src/socket.io/modules.js
index 0636fc23d5..9901b25c82 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/modules.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/modules.js
@@ -147,15 +147,13 @@ async function joinLeave(socket, roomIds, method, prefix = 'chat_room') {
 }
 
 SocketModules.chats.sortPublicRooms = async function (socket, data) {
-	if (!data || !Array.isArray(data.scores) || !Array.isArray(data.roomIds)) {
+	sockets.warnDeprecated(socket, 'PUT /api/v3/chats/sort');
+
+	if (!data) {
 		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
 	}
-	const isAdmin = await user.isAdministrator(socket.uid);
-	if (!isAdmin) {
-		throw new Error('[[error:no-privileges]]');
-	}
-	await db.sortedSetAdd(`chat:rooms:public:order`, data.scores, data.roomIds);
-	require('../cache').del(`chat:rooms:public:order:all`);
+
+	await api.chats.sortPublicRooms(socket, data);
 };
 
 SocketModules.chats.searchMembers = async function (socket, data) {