diff --git a/static/js/pandora/ui/sortSelect.js b/static/js/pandora/ui/sortSelect.js
index bd1045fa6..ac7f7060d 100644
--- a/static/js/pandora/ui/sortSelect.js
+++ b/static/js/pandora/ui/sortSelect.js
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ pandora.ui.sortSelect = function() {
     })
     .bindEvent({
         change: function(data) {
-            pandora.UI.set(sortKey, [{key: data.selected[0].id, operator: ''}]);
+            var key = data.selected[0].id;
+            pandora.UI.set(sortKey, [{
+                key: key,
+                operator: pandora.getSortOperator(key)
+            }]);
         },
         pandora_listsort: function(data) {
             that.selectItem(data.value[0].key);
diff --git a/static/js/pandora/utils.js b/static/js/pandora/utils.js
index ad8259801..bf186cc68 100644
--- a/static/js/pandora/utils.js
+++ b/static/js/pandora/utils.js
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ pandora._getSortOperator = function(type) {
     ) > -1 ? '+' : '-';
 }
 
-pandora.getSortOperator = function(key) { // fixme: remove
+pandora.getSortOperator = function(key) { // fixme: remove?
     var type = Ox.getObjectById(
             /^clip:/.test(key) ? pandora.site.clipKeys : pandora.site.itemKeys,
             key