diff --git a/src/Orchard.Tests/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManagerTests.cs b/src/Orchard.Tests/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManagerTests.cs
index 70ea3f52f..14381e75e 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Tests/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManagerTests.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Tests/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManagerTests.cs
@@ -506,9 +506,7 @@ OrchardVersion: 1
 Name: Alpha
 Version: 1.0.3
 OrchardVersion: 1
-Features:
-    Alpha:
-        Dependencies: Gamma
+Dependencies: Gamma
 ");
 
             moduleExtensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Beta", @"
@@ -520,23 +518,139 @@ OrchardVersion: 1
 Name: Gamma
 Version: 1.0.3
 OrchardVersion: 1
-Features:
-    Gamma:
-        Dependencies: Beta
+Dependencies: Beta
 ");
 
             moduleExtensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Classic", @"
 Name: Classic
 Version: 1.0.3
 OrchardVersion: 1
-Features:
-    Classic:
-        Dependencies: Alpha
+Dependencies: Alpha
 ");
 
             IExtensionManager extensionManager = new ExtensionManager(new[] { moduleExtensionFolder, themeExtensionFolder }, new[] { extensionLoader }, new StubCacheManager());
             var features = extensionManager.AvailableFeatures();
             Assert.That(features.Aggregate("<", (a, b) => a + b.Id + "<"), Is.EqualTo("<Beta<Gamma<Alpha<Classic<"));
         }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void FeatureDescriptorsAreInDependencyAndPriorityOrder() {
+            var extensionLoader = new StubLoaders();
+            var extensionFolder = new StubFolders();
+
+            // Check that priorities apply correctly on items on the same level of dependencies and are overwritten by dependencies
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Alpha", @"
+Name: Alpha
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Dependencies: Gamma
+Priority:2"); // More important than Gamma but will get overwritten by the dependency
+
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Beta", @"
+Name: Beta
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:2");
+
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Foo", @"
+Name: Foo
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:1");
+
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Gamma", @"
+Name: Gamma
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Dependencies: Beta, Foo
+Priority:3");
+
+            IExtensionManager extensionManager = new ExtensionManager(new[] { extensionFolder }, new[] { extensionLoader }, new StubCacheManager());
+            var features = extensionManager.AvailableFeatures();
+            Assert.That(features.Aggregate("<", (a, b) => a + b.Id + "<"), Is.EqualTo("<Foo<Beta<Gamma<Alpha<"));
+
+            // Change priorities and see that it reflects properly
+            extensionFolder.Manifests["Foo"] = @"
+Name: Foo
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:3";
+
+            extensionManager = new ExtensionManager(new[] { extensionFolder }, new[] { extensionLoader }, new StubCacheManager());
+            features = extensionManager.AvailableFeatures();
+            Assert.That(features.Aggregate("<", (a, b) => a + b.Id + "<"), Is.EqualTo("<Beta<Foo<Gamma<Alpha<"));
+
+            // Remove dependency on Beta and see that it moves down the list since no one depends on it anymore
+            extensionFolder.Manifests["Gamma"] = @"
+Name: Gamma
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Dependencies: Beta
+Priority:3";
+
+            extensionManager = new ExtensionManager(new[] { extensionFolder }, new[] { extensionLoader }, new StubCacheManager());
+            features = extensionManager.AvailableFeatures();
+            Assert.That(features.Aggregate("<", (a, b) => a + b.Id + "<"), Is.EqualTo("<Beta<Foo<Gamma<Alpha<"));
+
+            // Change Foo to depend on Gamma and see that it moves to a new position (same dependencies as alpha but lower priority)
+            extensionFolder.Manifests["Foo"] = @"
+Name: Foo
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:3
+Dependencies: Gamma";
+
+            extensionManager = new ExtensionManager(new[] { extensionFolder }, new[] { extensionLoader }, new StubCacheManager());
+            features = extensionManager.AvailableFeatures();
+            Assert.That(features.Aggregate("<", (a, b) => a + b.Id + "<"), Is.EqualTo("<Beta<Gamma<Alpha<Foo<"));
+
+            // Update Foo to a higher priority than alpha
+            extensionFolder.Manifests["Foo"] = @"
+Name: Foo
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:1
+Dependencies: Gamma";
+
+            extensionManager = new ExtensionManager(new[] { extensionFolder }, new[] { extensionLoader }, new StubCacheManager());
+            features = extensionManager.AvailableFeatures();
+            Assert.That(features.Aggregate("<", (a, b) => a + b.Id + "<"), Is.EqualTo("<Beta<Gamma<Foo<Alpha<"));
+        }
+
+
+        [Test]
+        public void FeatureDescriptorsAreInPriorityOrder() {
+            var extensionLoader = new StubLoaders();
+            var extensionFolder = new StubFolders();
+
+            // Check that priorities apply correctly on items on the same level of dependencies and are overwritten by dependencies
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Alpha", @"
+Name: Alpha
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:4"); // More important than Gamma but will get overwritten by the dependency
+
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Beta", @"
+Name: Beta
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:3");
+
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Foo", @"
+Name: Foo
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:1");
+
+            extensionFolder.Manifests.Add("Gamma", @"
+Name: Gamma
+Version: 1.0.3
+OrchardVersion: 1
+Priority:2");
+
+            IExtensionManager extensionManager = new ExtensionManager(new[] { extensionFolder }, new[] { extensionLoader }, new StubCacheManager());
+            var features = extensionManager.AvailableFeatures();
+            Assert.That(features.Aggregate("<", (a, b) => a + b.Id + "<"), Is.EqualTo("<Foo<Gamma<Beta<Alpha<"));
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Orchard/DisplayManagement/Descriptors/DefaultShapeTableManager.cs b/src/Orchard/DisplayManagement/Descriptors/DefaultShapeTableManager.cs
index d21e412ea..078fee6d6 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/DisplayManagement/Descriptors/DefaultShapeTableManager.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/DisplayManagement/Descriptors/DefaultShapeTableManager.cs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace Orchard.DisplayManagement.Descriptors {
 
                 var alterations = builderFactory.BuildAlterations()
                     .Where(alteration => IsModuleOrRequestedTheme(alteration, themeName))
-                    .OrderByDependencies(AlterationHasDependency);
+                    .OrderByDependenciesAndPriorities(AlterationHasDependency, GetPriority);
 
                 var descriptors = alterations.GroupBy(alteration => alteration.ShapeType, StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
                     .Select(group => group.Aggregate(
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ namespace Orchard.DisplayManagement.Descriptors {
             });
         }
 
+        private static int GetPriority(ShapeAlteration shapeAlteration) {
+            return shapeAlteration.Feature.Descriptor.Priority;
+        }
+
         private static bool AlterationHasDependency(ShapeAlteration item, ShapeAlteration subject) {
             return ExtensionManager.HasDependency(item.Feature.Descriptor, subject.Feature.Descriptor);
         }
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionLoaderCoordinator.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionLoaderCoordinator.cs
index 0c6360197..b6ea1504f 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionLoaderCoordinator.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionLoaderCoordinator.cs
@@ -199,9 +199,10 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions {
                 .ToDictionary(g => g.Key, g => g.AsEnumerable(), StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
 
             var sortedAvailableExtensions =
-                availableExtensions.OrderByDependencies(
+                availableExtensions.OrderByDependenciesAndPriorities(
                     (item, dep) => referencesByModule.ContainsKey(item.Id) &&
-                                   referencesByModule[item.Id].Any(r => StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase.Equals(dep.Id, r.Name)))
+                                   referencesByModule[item.Id].Any(r => StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase.Equals(dep.Id, r.Name)),
+                    (item) => item.Priority)
                     .ToList();
 
             return new ExtensionLoadingContext {
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManager.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManager.cs
index 4b02ddd40..a6636bfc3 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManager.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/ExtensionManager.cs
@@ -39,7 +39,11 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions {
 
         public IEnumerable<FeatureDescriptor> AvailableFeatures() {
             return _cacheManager.Get("...", ctx => 
-                AvailableExtensions().SelectMany(ext => ext.Features).OrderByDependencies(HasDependency).ToReadOnlyCollection());
+                AvailableExtensions().SelectMany(ext => ext.Features).OrderByDependenciesAndPriorities(HasDependency, GetPriority).ToReadOnlyCollection());
+        }
+
+        internal static int GetPriority(FeatureDescriptor featureDescriptor) {
+            return featureDescriptor.Priority;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Folders/ExtensionFolders.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Folders/ExtensionFolders.cs
index 2392b0c6f..9afe6d7bf 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Folders/ExtensionFolders.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Folders/ExtensionFolders.cs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions.Folders {
                 AntiForgery = GetValue(manifest, "AntiForgery"),
                 Zones = GetValue(manifest, "Zones"),
                 BaseTheme = GetValue(manifest, "BaseTheme"),
+                Priority = int.Parse(GetValue(manifest, "Priority") ?? "0")
             };
             extensionDescriptor.Features = GetFeaturesForExtension(manifest, extensionDescriptor);
 
@@ -183,6 +184,9 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions.Folders {
                         case "FeatureDescription":
                             manifest.Add("FeatureDescription", field[1]);
                             break;
+                        case "Priority":
+                            manifest.Add("Priority", field[1]);
+                            break;
                         case "Features":
                             manifest.Add("Features", reader.ReadToEnd());
                             break;
@@ -200,6 +204,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions.Folders {
             FeatureDescriptor defaultFeature = new FeatureDescriptor {
                 Id = extensionDescriptor.Id,
                 Name = extensionDescriptor.Name,
+                Priority = extensionDescriptor.Priority,
                 Description = GetValue(manifest, "FeatureDescription") ?? GetValue(manifest, "Description") ?? string.Empty,
                 Dependencies = ParseFeatureDependenciesEntry(GetValue(manifest, "Dependencies")),
                 Extension = extensionDescriptor,
@@ -229,6 +234,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions.Folders {
                             if (featureDescriptorId == extensionDescriptor.Id) {
                                 featureDescriptor = defaultFeature;
                                 featureDescriptor.Name = extensionDescriptor.Name;
+                                featureDescriptor.Priority = extensionDescriptor.Priority;
                             }
                             else {
                                 featureDescriptor = new FeatureDescriptor {
@@ -256,6 +262,9 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions.Folders {
                                     case "Category":
                                         featureDescriptor.Category = featureField[1];
                                         break;
+                                    case "Priority":
+                                        featureDescriptor.Priority = int.Parse(featureField[1]);
+                                        break;
                                     case "Dependencies":
                                         featureDescriptor.Dependencies = ParseFeatureDependenciesEntry(featureField[1]);
                                         break;
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/ExtensionDescriptor.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/ExtensionDescriptor.cs
index ef048cefa..d264de22f 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/ExtensionDescriptor.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/ExtensionDescriptor.cs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions.Models {
         public string AntiForgery { get; set; }
         public string Zones { get; set; }
         public string BaseTheme { get; set; }
+        public int Priority { get; set; }
 
         public IEnumerable<FeatureDescriptor> Features { get; set; }
     }
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/FeatureDescriptor.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/FeatureDescriptor.cs
index acd9e002a..d24046b35 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/FeatureDescriptor.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/Extensions/Models/FeatureDescriptor.cs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.Extensions.Models {
         public string Name { get; set; }
         public string Description { get; set; }
         public string Category { get; set; }
+        public int Priority { get; set; }
         public IEnumerable<string> Dependencies { get; set; }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Environment/ShellBuilders/Models/ShellBlueprint.cs b/src/Orchard/Environment/ShellBuilders/Models/ShellBlueprint.cs
index 2f49e08dd..978ff23f2 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Environment/ShellBuilders/Models/ShellBlueprint.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Environment/ShellBuilders/Models/ShellBlueprint.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Environment.ShellBuilders.Models {
 
     public class ShellBlueprintItem {
         public Type Type { get; set; }
-        public Feature Feature { get; set; }        
+        public Feature Feature { get; set; }
     }
 
     public class DependencyBlueprint : ShellBlueprintItem {
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Utility/DependencyOrderingUtility.cs b/src/Orchard/Utility/DependencyOrderingUtility.cs
index cf02d7e6e..757d113c6 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Utility/DependencyOrderingUtility.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard/Utility/DependencyOrderingUtility.cs
@@ -15,27 +15,82 @@ namespace Orchard.Utility {
         /// is a dependency of another, this algorithm will return the collection of elements sorted
         /// so that a given element in the sequence doesn't depend on any other element further in the sequence.
         /// </summary>
-        public static IEnumerable<T> OrderByDependencies<T>(this IEnumerable<T> elements, Func<T, T, bool> hasDependency) {
+        public static IEnumerable<T> OrderByDependenciesAndPriorities<T>(this IEnumerable<T> elements, Func<T, T, bool> hasDependency, Func<T, int> getPriority) {
             var population = elements.Select(d => new Linkage<T> {
                 Element = d
-            }).ToArray();
+            }).OrderBy(item => getPriority(item.Element)).ToArray(); // Performing an initial sorting by priorities may optimize performance
 
             var result = new List<T>();
             foreach (var item in population) {
-                Add(item, result, population, hasDependency);
+                Add(item, result, population, hasDependency, getPriority);
             }
+
+            // shift elements forward as possible within priorities and dependencies
+            for (int i = 1; i < result.Count; i++) {
+                int bestPosition = BestPriorityPosition(result, i, hasDependency, getPriority);
+                SwitchAndShift(result, i, bestPosition);
+            }
+
             return result;
         }
 
-        private static void Add<T>(Linkage<T> item, ICollection<T> list, IEnumerable<Linkage<T>> population, Func<T, T, bool> hasDependency) {
+        private static void Add<T>(Linkage<T> item, ICollection<T> list, IEnumerable<Linkage<T>> population, Func<T, T, bool> hasDependency, Func<T, int> getPriority) {
             if (item.Used)
                 return;
 
             item.Used = true;
+
             foreach (var dependency in population.Where(dep => hasDependency(item.Element, dep.Element))) {
-                Add(dependency, list, population, hasDependency);
+                Add(dependency, list, population, hasDependency, getPriority);
             }
+
             list.Add(item.Element);
         }
+
+        private static int BestPriorityPosition<T>(List<T> list, int index, Func<T, T, bool> hasDependency, Func<T, int> getPriority) {
+            int bestPriority = getPriority(list[index]);
+            int bestIndex = index;
+
+            for (int i = index - 1 ; i >= 0 ; i--) {
+                if (hasDependency(list[index], list[i])) {
+                    return bestIndex;
+                }
+
+                int currentPriority = getPriority(list[i]);
+                if (currentPriority >= bestPriority) {
+                    bestIndex = i;
+                }
+            }
+
+            return bestIndex;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Advances an element within the list from an initial position to a final position with a lower index.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <typeparam name="T">The type of each element.</typeparam>
+        /// <param name="list">the list of elements.</param>
+        /// <param name="initialPosition">The initial position within the list.</param>
+        /// <param name="finalPosition">The final position within the list.</param>
+        /// <returns>True if any change was made; false otherwise.</returns>
+        private static bool SwitchAndShift<T>(List<T> list, int initialPosition, int finalPosition) {
+            if (initialPosition < finalPosition) {
+                throw new ArgumentException("finalPosition");
+            }
+
+            if (initialPosition != finalPosition) {
+                T temp = list[initialPosition];
+
+                for (; initialPosition > finalPosition; initialPosition--) {
+                    list[initialPosition] = list[initialPosition - 1];
+                }
+
+                list[finalPosition] = temp;
+                
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file