diff --git a/src/components/ChannelList/ChannelList.tsx b/src/components/ChannelList/ChannelList.tsx
index 32a5eab85..9f3c16f0c 100644
--- a/src/components/ChannelList/ChannelList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ChannelList/ChannelList.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,12 @@ import { useNotificationMessageNewListener } from './hooks/useNotificationMessag
 import { useNotificationRemovedFromChannelListener } from './hooks/useNotificationRemovedFromChannelListener';
 import { CustomQueryChannelsFn, usePaginatedChannels } from './hooks/usePaginatedChannels';
 import { useUserPresenceChangedListener } from './hooks/useUserPresenceChangedListener';
-import { MAX_QUERY_CHANNELS_LIMIT, moveChannelUpwards } from './utils';
+import { useMemberUpdatedListener } from './hooks/useMemberUpdatedListener';
+import {
+  MAX_QUERY_CHANNELS_LIMIT,
+  moveChannelUpwards,
+  shouldConsiderPinnedChannels,
+} from './utils';
 
 import { AvatarProps, Avatar as DefaultAvatar } from '../Avatar/Avatar';
 import { ChannelPreview, ChannelPreviewUIComponentProps } from '../ChannelPreview/ChannelPreview';
@@ -244,8 +249,7 @@ const UnMemoizedChannelList = <
           channels,
           channelToMove: customActiveChannelObject,
           // TODO: adjust acordingly (based on sort)
-          considerPinnedChannels: false,
-          userId: client.userID!,
+          considerPinnedChannels: shouldConsiderPinnedChannels(sort),
         });
 
         setChannels(newChannels);
@@ -295,6 +299,8 @@ const UnMemoizedChannelList = <
 
   const loadedChannels = channelRenderFilterFn ? channelRenderFilterFn(channels) : channels;
 
+  const considerPinnedChannels = shouldConsiderPinnedChannels(sort);
+
   useMobileNavigation(channelListRef, navOpen, closeMobileNav);
 
   useMessageNewListener(
@@ -303,7 +309,7 @@ const UnMemoizedChannelList = <
     lockChannelOrder,
     allowNewMessagesFromUnfilteredChannels,
     // TODO: adjust accordingly (consider sort option)
-    false,
+    considerPinnedChannels,
   );
   useNotificationMessageNewListener(
     setChannels,
@@ -315,6 +321,10 @@ const UnMemoizedChannelList = <
     onAddedToChannel,
     allowNewMessagesFromUnfilteredChannels,
   );
+  useMemberUpdatedListener({
+    considerPinnedChannels,
+    setChannels,
+  });
   useNotificationRemovedFromChannelListener(setChannels, onRemovedFromChannel);
   useChannelDeletedListener(setChannels, onChannelDeleted);
   useChannelHiddenListener(setChannels, onChannelHidden);
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/index.ts b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/index.ts
index 299b59565..3e7a896ce 100644
--- a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/index.ts
+++ b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/index.ts
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ export * from './useNotificationMessageNewListener';
 export * from './useNotificationRemovedFromChannelListener';
 export * from './usePaginatedChannels';
 export * from './useUserPresenceChangedListener';
+export * from './useChannelMembershipState';
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useChannelMembershipState.ts b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useChannelMembershipState.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..faf48d1b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useChannelMembershipState.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import type { Channel, ChannelState, ExtendableGenerics } from 'stream-chat';
+
+import { useChatContext } from '../../../context';
+
+export const useChannelMembershipState = <SCG extends ExtendableGenerics>(
+  channel?: Channel<SCG>,
+) => {
+  const [membership, setMembership] = useState<ChannelState<SCG>['membership']>(
+    channel?.state.membership || {},
+  );
+
+  const { client } = useChatContext<SCG>();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!channel) return;
+
+    const subscriptions = ['member.updated'].map((v) =>
+      client.on(v, () => {
+        setMembership(channel.state.membership);
+      }),
+    );
+
+    return () => subscriptions.forEach((subscription) => subscription.unsubscribe());
+  }, [client, channel]);
+
+  return membership;
+};
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useMemberUpdatedListener.ts b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useMemberUpdatedListener.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..83a4a1f0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useMemberUpdatedListener.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import type { Dispatch, SetStateAction } from 'react';
+import type { Channel, ExtendableGenerics } from 'stream-chat';
+
+import { useChatContext } from '../../../context';
+import { findLastPinnedChannelIndex } from '../utils';
+
+export const useMemberUpdatedListener = <SCG extends ExtendableGenerics>({
+  considerPinnedChannels = false,
+  lockChannelOrder = false,
+  setChannels,
+}: {
+  setChannels: Dispatch<SetStateAction<Channel<SCG>[]>>;
+  considerPinnedChannels?: boolean;
+  lockChannelOrder?: boolean;
+}) => {
+  const { client } = useChatContext<SCG>();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // do nothing if channel order is locked or pinned channels aren't being considered
+    if (lockChannelOrder || !considerPinnedChannels) return;
+
+    const subscription = client.on('member.updated', (e) => {
+      if (!e.member || !e.channel_type) return;
+      // const member = e.member;
+      const channelType = e.channel_type;
+      const channelId = e.channel_id;
+
+      setChannels((currentChannels) => {
+        const targetChannel = client.channel(channelType, channelId);
+        // assumes that channel instances are not changing
+        const targetChannelIndex = currentChannels.indexOf(targetChannel);
+        const targetChannelExistsWithinList = targetChannelIndex >= 0;
+
+        const newChannels = [...currentChannels];
+
+        if (targetChannelExistsWithinList) {
+          newChannels.splice(targetChannelIndex, 1);
+        }
+
+        const lastPinnedChannelIndex = findLastPinnedChannelIndex({ channels: newChannels }) ?? 0;
+        const newTargetChannelIndex = lastPinnedChannelIndex + 1;
+
+        // skip re-render if the position of the channel does not change
+        if (currentChannels[newTargetChannelIndex] === targetChannel) {
+          return currentChannels;
+        }
+
+        newChannels.splice(newTargetChannelIndex, 0, targetChannel);
+
+        return newChannels;
+      });
+    });
+
+    return subscription.unsubscribe;
+  }, [client, considerPinnedChannels, lockChannelOrder, setChannels]);
+};
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useMessageNewListener.ts b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useMessageNewListener.ts
index 0060748bc..5d5d65c68 100644
--- a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useMessageNewListener.ts
+++ b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useMessageNewListener.ts
@@ -1,23 +1,19 @@
 import { useEffect } from 'react';
 import type { Dispatch, SetStateAction } from 'react';
-
-import { useChatContext } from '../../../context/ChatContext';
-
 import type { Channel, Event, ExtendableGenerics } from 'stream-chat';
 
-import type { DefaultStreamChatGenerics } from '../../../types/types';
 import { moveChannelUpwards } from '../utils';
+import { useChatContext } from '../../../context/ChatContext';
+import type { DefaultStreamChatGenerics } from '../../../types/types';
 
 export const isChannelPinned = <SCG extends ExtendableGenerics>({
   channel,
-  userId,
 }: {
-  userId: string;
   channel?: Channel<SCG>;
 }) => {
   if (!channel) return false;
 
-  const member = channel.state.members[userId];
+  const member = channel.state.membership;
 
   return !!member?.pinned_at;
 };
@@ -47,7 +43,6 @@ export const useMessageNewListener = <
 
           const isTargetChannelPinned = isChannelPinned({
             channel: channels[targetChannelIndex],
-            userId: client.userID!,
           });
 
           if (
@@ -74,7 +69,6 @@ export const useMessageNewListener = <
               channelToMove,
               channelToMoveIndexWithinChannels: targetChannelIndex,
               considerPinnedChannels,
-              userId: client.userID!,
             });
           }
 
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useNotificationMessageNewListener.ts b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useNotificationMessageNewListener.ts
index 6fd242b7d..b3b90bcf3 100644
--- a/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useNotificationMessageNewListener.ts
+++ b/src/components/ChannelList/hooks/useNotificationMessageNewListener.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import type { Channel, Event } from 'stream-chat';
 
 import type { DefaultStreamChatGenerics } from '../../../types/types';
 
+// TODO: re-visit this and adjust (apply pinned channels)
 export const useNotificationMessageNewListener = <
   StreamChatGenerics extends DefaultStreamChatGenerics = DefaultStreamChatGenerics
 >(
diff --git a/src/components/ChannelList/utils.ts b/src/components/ChannelList/utils.ts
index 668ac8cff..e89213470 100644
--- a/src/components/ChannelList/utils.ts
+++ b/src/components/ChannelList/utils.ts
@@ -1,41 +1,16 @@
-import type { Channel } from 'stream-chat';
 import uniqBy from 'lodash.uniqby';
+import type { Channel, ExtendableGenerics } from 'stream-chat';
 
 import { isChannelPinned } from './hooks';
-
 import type { DefaultStreamChatGenerics } from '../../types/types';
+import { ChannelListProps } from './ChannelList';
 
 export const MAX_QUERY_CHANNELS_LIMIT = 30;
 
 type MoveChannelUpParams<SCG extends DefaultStreamChatGenerics = DefaultStreamChatGenerics> = {
   channels: Array<Channel<SCG>>;
   cid: string;
-  userId: string;
   activeChannel?: Channel<SCG>;
-  channelIndexWithinChannels?: number;
-  considerPinnedChannels?: boolean;
-};
-
-type MoveChannelUpwardsParams<SCG extends DefaultStreamChatGenerics = DefaultStreamChatGenerics> = {
-  channels: Array<Channel<SCG>>;
-  channelToMove: Channel<SCG>;
-  /**
-   * If the index of the channel within `channels` list which is being moved upwards
-   * (`channelToMove`) is known, you can supply it to skip extra calculation.
-   */
-  channelToMoveIndexWithinChannels?: number;
-  /**
-   * Pinned channels should not move within the list based on recent activity, channels which
-   * receive messages and are not pinned should move upwards but only under the last pinned channel
-   * in the list. Property defaults to `false` and should be calculated based on existence of
-   * the `pinned_at` sort option.
-   */
-  considerPinnedChannels?: boolean;
-  /**
-   * If `considerPinnedChannels` is set to `true`, then `userId` should be supplied - without it the
-   * pinned channels won't be considered.
-   */
-  userId?: string;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -57,6 +32,48 @@ export const moveChannelUp = <SCG extends DefaultStreamChatGenerics = DefaultStr
   return uniqBy([channel, ...channels], 'cid');
 };
 
+/**
+ * Expects channel array sorted by `{ pinned_at: -1 }`.
+ *
+ * TODO: add support for the `{ pinned_at: 1 }`
+ */
+export function findLastPinnedChannelIndex<SCG extends ExtendableGenerics>({
+  channels,
+}: {
+  channels: Channel<SCG>[];
+}) {
+  let lastPinnedChannelIndex: number | null = null;
+
+  for (const channel of channels) {
+    if (!isChannelPinned({ channel })) break;
+
+    if (typeof lastPinnedChannelIndex === 'number') {
+      lastPinnedChannelIndex++;
+    } else {
+      lastPinnedChannelIndex = 0;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return lastPinnedChannelIndex;
+}
+
+type MoveChannelUpwardsParams<SCG extends DefaultStreamChatGenerics = DefaultStreamChatGenerics> = {
+  channels: Array<Channel<SCG>>;
+  channelToMove: Channel<SCG>;
+  /**
+   * If the index of the channel within `channels` list which is being moved upwards
+   * (`channelToMove`) is known, you can supply it to skip extra calculation.
+   */
+  channelToMoveIndexWithinChannels?: number;
+  /**
+   * Pinned channels should not move within the list based on recent activity, channels which
+   * receive messages and are not pinned should move upwards but only under the last pinned channel
+   * in the list. Property defaults to `false` and should be calculated based on existence of
+   * the `pinned_at` sort option.
+   */
+  considerPinnedChannels?: boolean;
+};
+
 export const moveChannelUpwards = <
   SCG extends DefaultStreamChatGenerics = DefaultStreamChatGenerics
 >({
@@ -64,7 +81,6 @@ export const moveChannelUpwards = <
   channelToMove,
   channelToMoveIndexWithinChannels,
   considerPinnedChannels = false,
-  userId,
 }: MoveChannelUpwardsParams<SCG>) => {
   // get index of channel to move up
   const targetChannelIndex =
@@ -78,17 +94,9 @@ export const moveChannelUpwards = <
 
   // as position of pinned channels has to stay unchanged, we need to
   // find last pinned channel in the list to move the target channel after
-  let lastPinIndex: number | null = null;
-  if (considerPinnedChannels && userId) {
-    for (const c of channels) {
-      if (!isChannelPinned({ channel: c, userId })) break;
-
-      if (typeof lastPinIndex === 'number') {
-        lastPinIndex++;
-      } else {
-        lastPinIndex = 0;
-      }
-    }
+  let lastPinnedChannelIndex: number | null = null;
+  if (considerPinnedChannels) {
+    lastPinnedChannelIndex = findLastPinnedChannelIndex({ channels });
   }
 
   const newChannels = [...channels];
@@ -99,7 +107,22 @@ export const moveChannelUpwards = <
   }
 
   // re-insert it at the new place (to specific index if pinned channels are considered)
-  newChannels.splice(typeof lastPinIndex === 'number' ? lastPinIndex + 1 : 0, 0, channelToMove);
+  newChannels.splice(
+    typeof lastPinnedChannelIndex === 'number' ? lastPinnedChannelIndex + 1 : 0,
+    0,
+    channelToMove,
+  );
 
   return newChannels;
 };
+
+// TODO: adjust and re-test when the actual behavior is implemented by the BE
+export const shouldConsiderPinnedChannels = (sort: ChannelListProps['sort']) => {
+  if (!sort) return false;
+
+  if (Array.isArray(sort)) {
+    return sort.some((v) => v.pinned_at === -1);
+  }
+
+  return sort.pinned_at === -1;
+};