diff --git a/core/server/services/routing/CollectionRouter.js b/core/server/services/routing/CollectionRouter.js
index 541ebd6356..942fc25c23 100644
--- a/core/server/services/routing/CollectionRouter.js
+++ b/core/server/services/routing/CollectionRouter.js
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ class CollectionRouter extends ParentRouter {
         this.templates = (object.templates || []).reverse();
 
         this.filter = object.filter || 'page:false';
+        this.data = object.data || {query: {}, router: {}};
+        this.order = object.order;
+        this.limit = object.limit;
 
         /**
          * @deprecated Remove in Ghost 2.0
@@ -92,13 +95,16 @@ class CollectionRouter extends ParentRouter {
     _prepareEntriesContext(req, res, next) {
         res.locals.routerOptions = {
             filter: this.filter,
+            limit: this.limit,
+            order: this.order,
             permalinks: this.permalinks.getValue({withUrlOptions: true}),
             type: this.getType(),
             context: this.context,
             frontPageTemplate: 'home',
             templates: this.templates,
             identifier: this.identifier,
-            name: this.routerName
+            name: this.routerName,
+            data: this.data.query
         };
 
         res._route = {
diff --git a/core/server/services/routing/controllers/collection.js b/core/server/services/routing/controllers/collection.js
index 48f5ebd49c..6b3643392d 100644
--- a/core/server/services/routing/controllers/collection.js
+++ b/core/server/services/routing/controllers/collection.js
@@ -15,11 +15,24 @@ module.exports = function collectionController(req, res, next) {
     };
 
     if (pathOptions.page) {
-        const postsPerPage = parseInt(themes.getActive().config('posts_per_page'));
+        // CASE 1: routes.yaml `limit` is stronger than theme definition
+        // CASE 2: use `posts_per_page` config from theme as `limit` value
+        if (res.locals.routerOptions.limit) {
+            themes.getActive().updateTemplateOptions({
+                data: {
+                    config: {
+                        posts_per_page: res.locals.routerOptions.limit
+                    }
+                }
+            });
 
-        // CASE: no negative posts per page
-        if (!isNaN(postsPerPage) && postsPerPage > 0) {
-            pathOptions.limit = postsPerPage;
+            pathOptions.limit = res.locals.routerOptions.limit;
+        } else {
+            const postsPerPage = parseInt(themes.getActive().config('posts_per_page'));
+
+            if (!isNaN(postsPerPage) && postsPerPage > 0) {
+                pathOptions.limit = postsPerPage;
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/server/services/routing/helpers/fetch-data.js b/core/server/services/routing/helpers/fetch-data.js
index 9c15e8caee..1031fa0e91 100644
--- a/core/server/services/routing/helpers/fetch-data.js
+++ b/core/server/services/routing/helpers/fetch-data.js
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ function fetchData(pathOptions, routerOptions) {
         postQuery.options.filter = routerOptions.filter;
     }
 
+    if (routerOptions.order) {
+        postQuery.options.order = routerOptions.order;
+    }
+
     if (pathOptions.hasOwnProperty('page')) {
         postQuery.options.page = pathOptions.page;
     }
diff --git a/core/server/services/themes/active.js b/core/server/services/themes/active.js
index 67e6242fe0..4570a016f1 100644
--- a/core/server/services/themes/active.js
+++ b/core/server/services/themes/active.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  *
  */
 var join = require('path').join,
+    _ = require('lodash'),
     themeConfig = require('./config'),
     config = require('../../config'),
     engine = require('./engine'),
@@ -74,6 +75,10 @@ class ActiveTheme {
         return this._templates.indexOf(templateName) > -1;
     }
 
+    updateTemplateOptions(options) {
+        engine._options.templateOptions = _.merge(engine._options.templateOptions, options);
+    }
+
     config(key) {
         return this._config[key];
     }
diff --git a/core/test/unit/services/routing/CollectionRouter_spec.js b/core/test/unit/services/routing/CollectionRouter_spec.js
index f7624f8505..23d2d4f507 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/services/routing/CollectionRouter_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/services/routing/CollectionRouter_spec.js
@@ -155,12 +155,15 @@ describe('UNIT - services/routing/CollectionRouter', function () {
                 identifier: collectionRouter.identifier,
                 context: ['index'],
                 name: 'index',
-                type: 'posts'
+                type: 'posts',
+                data: {},
+                order: undefined,
+                limit: undefined
             });
         });
 
-        it('with templates, no index collection', function () {
-            const collectionRouter = new CollectionRouter('/magic/', {permalink: '/:slug/', templates: ['home', 'index']});
+        it('with templates, with order + limit, no index collection', function () {
+            const collectionRouter = new CollectionRouter('/magic/', {permalink: '/:slug/', order: 'published asc', limit: 19, templates: ['home', 'index']});
 
             collectionRouter._prepareEntriesContext(req, res, next);
 
@@ -173,7 +176,10 @@ describe('UNIT - services/routing/CollectionRouter', function () {
                 identifier: collectionRouter.identifier,
                 context: ['magic'],
                 name: 'magic',
-                type: 'posts'
+                type: 'posts',
+                data: {},
+                order: 'published asc',
+                limit: 19
             });
         });
     });
diff --git a/core/test/unit/services/routing/controllers/collection_spec.js b/core/test/unit/services/routing/controllers/collection_spec.js
index 14da68710e..092ff94507 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/services/routing/controllers/collection_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/services/routing/controllers/collection_spec.js
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ describe('Unit - services/routing/controllers/collection', function () {
         });
 
         sandbox.stub(themeService, 'getActive').returns({
+            updateTemplateOptions: sandbox.stub(),
             config: function (key) {
                key.should.eql('posts_per_page');
                return postsPerPage;
@@ -125,6 +126,36 @@ describe('Unit - services/routing/controllers/collection', function () {
         controllers.collection(req, res, failTest(done));
     });
 
+    it('update hbs engine: router defines limit', function (done) {
+        res.locals.routerOptions.limit = 3;
+        req.params.page = 2;
+
+        fetchDataStub.withArgs({page: 2, slug: undefined, limit: 3}, res.locals.routerOptions)
+            .resolves({
+                posts: posts,
+                meta: {
+                    pagination: {
+                        pages: 3
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+        filters.doFilter.withArgs('prePostsRender', posts, res.locals).resolves();
+
+        renderStub.callsFake(function () {
+            themeService.getActive.calledOnce.should.be.true();
+            themeService.getActive().updateTemplateOptions.withArgs({data: {config: {posts_per_page: 3}}}).calledOnce.should.be.true();
+            security.string.safe.calledOnce.should.be.false();
+            fetchDataStub.calledOnce.should.be.true();
+            filters.doFilter.calledOnce.should.be.true();
+            secureStub.calledOnce.should.be.true();
+            urlService.owns.calledOnce.should.be.true();
+            done();
+        });
+
+        controllers.collection(req, res, failTest(done));
+    });
+
     it('page param too big', function (done) {
         req.params.page = 6;