diff --git a/src/backend/memory.js b/src/backend/memory.js
index 960396fc..fea90eb9 100644
--- a/src/backend/memory.js
+++ b/src/backend/memory.js
@@ -74,8 +74,11 @@ this.recline.Backend.Memory = this.recline.Backend.Memory || {};
         var fieldName = _.keys(sortObj)[0];
         results = _.sortBy(results, function(doc) {
           var _out = doc[fieldName];
-          return (sortObj[fieldName].order == 'asc') ? _out : -1*_out;
+          return _out;
         });
+        if (sortObj[fieldName].order == 'desc') {
+          results.reverse();
+        }
       });
       var total = results.length;
       var facets = this.computeFacets(results, queryObj);
diff --git a/test/backend/memory.test.js b/test/backend/memory.test.js
index b9c2f75a..535aeb61 100644
--- a/test/backend/memory.test.js
+++ b/test/backend/memory.test.js
@@ -44,6 +44,22 @@ test('query sort', function () {
   };
   var out = data.query(queryObj);
   equal(out.records[0].x, 6);
+
+  var queryObj = {
+    sort: [
+      {'country': {order: 'desc'}}
+    ]
+  };
+  var out = data.query(queryObj);
+  equal(out.records[0].country, 'US');
+
+  var queryObj = {
+    sort: [
+      {'country': {order: 'asc'}}
+    ]
+  };
+  var out = data.query(queryObj);
+  equal(out.records[0].country, 'DE');
 });
 
 test('query string', function () {