diff --git a/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el b/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el
index 4dee306c81..eae0ebf130 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el
@@ -5917,8 +5917,12 @@ gnus-articles-to-read
       (when gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
 	(setq articles
 	      (sort
-	       (funcall gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
-			gnus-newsgroup-name articles)
+	       (if (functionp gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function)
+		   (funcall gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
+			    gnus-newsgroup-name articles)
+		 (let ((ret articles))
+		   (dolist (f gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function)
+		     (setq ret (funcall f gnus-newsgroup-name ret)))))
 	       '<)))
       articles)))