diff --git a/appview/repo/tags.go b/appview/repo/tags.go
--- a/appview/repo/tags.go
+++ b/appview/repo/tags.go
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
 
 	"tangled.org/core/api/tangled"
 	"tangled.org/core/appview/db"
 	"tangled.org/core/appview/models"
 	"tangled.org/core/appview/pages"
+	"tangled.org/core/appview/reporesolver"
 	xrpcclient "tangled.org/core/appview/xrpcclient"
 	"tangled.org/core/orm"
 	"tangled.org/core/types"
@@ -101,7 +103,31 @@ tag := chi.URLParam(r, "tag")
 
 	xrpcBytes, err := tangled.RepoTag(r.Context(), xrpcc, repo, tag)
 	if xrpcerr := xrpcclient.HandleXrpcErr(err); xrpcerr != nil {
-		l.Error("failed to call XRPC repo.tags", "err", xrpcerr)
+		// if we don't match an existing tag, and the tag we're trying
+		// to match is "latest", resolve to the most recent tag
+		if tag == "latest" {
+			tagsBytes, err := tangled.RepoTags(r.Context(), xrpcc, "", 1, repo)
+			if xrpcerr := xrpcclient.HandleXrpcErr(err); xrpcerr != nil {
+				l.Error("failed to call XRPC repo.tags for latest", "err", xrpcerr)
+				rp.pages.Error503(w)
+				return
+			}
+			var tagsResult types.RepoTagsResponse
+			if err := json.Unmarshal(tagsBytes, &tagsResult); err != nil {
+				l.Error("failed to decode XRPC response", "err", err)
+				rp.pages.Error503(w)
+				return
+			}
+			if len(tagsResult.Tags) == 0 {
+				rp.pages.Error503(w)
+				return
+			}
+			latestTag := tagsResult.Tags[0].Name
+			ownerSlashRepo := reporesolver.GetBaseRepoPath(r, f)
+			http.Redirect(w, r, fmt.Sprintf("/%s/tags/%s", ownerSlashRepo, url.PathEscape(latestTag)), http.StatusTemporaryRedirect)
+			return
+		}
+		l.Error("failed to call XRPC repo.tag", "err", xrpcerr)
 		rp.pages.Error503(w)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/knotserver/git/tag_test.go b/knotserver/git/tag_test.go
--- a/knotserver/git/tag_test.go
+++ b/knotserver/git/tag_test.go
@@ -353,6 +353,27 @@ require.NoError(s.T(), err)
 	assert.Len(s.T(), tags, 5, "zero limit should return all tags")
 }
 
+func (s *TagSuite) TestTags_OrderedNewestFirst() {
+	s.setupRepoWithTags()
+
+	tags, err := s.repo.Tags(nil)
+	require.NoError(s.T(), err)
+	require.Len(s.T(), tags, 5)
+
+	// v3.0.0 has the latest tagger date (baseTime+3h), should be first
+	assert.Equal(s.T(), "v3.0.0", tags[0].Name, "newest tag should be first")
+}
+
+func (s *TagSuite) TestTags_LatestWithLimit1() {
+	s.setupRepoWithTags()
+
+	tags, err := s.repo.Tags(&TagsOptions{Limit: 1})
+	require.NoError(s.T(), err)
+	require.Len(s.T(), tags, 1)
+
+	assert.Equal(s.T(), "v3.0.0", tags[0].Name, "limit=1 should return the newest tag")
+}
+
 func (s *TagSuite) TestTags_Pattern() {
 	s.setupRepoWithTags()