diff --git a/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py b/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py
index d308e4aae..f5f4ff23b 100644
--- a/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py
+++ b/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py
@@ -42,12 +42,15 @@ def query(
                 )
 
             for sort_field in field_list:
+                query_entry = {sort_field: 1}
+
+                if sort_field.startswith("-"):
+                    query_entry = {sort_field[1:]: -1}
+                    sort_field = sort_field[1:]
+
                 if self.fields and sort_field not in self.fields:
                     continue
 
-                if sort_field[0] == "-":
-                    sort.update({sort_field[1:]: -1})
-                else:
-                    sort.update({sort_field: 1})
+                sort.update(query_entry)
 
         return {"sort": sort}
diff --git a/tests/api/test_query_operators.py b/tests/api/test_query_operators.py
index 68cd44e70..2803f7d87 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_query_operators.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_query_operators.py
@@ -95,10 +95,15 @@ def test_numeric_query_serialization():
 
 def test_sort_query_functionality():
     op = SortQuery()
-
     assert op.query(_sort_fields="volume,-density") == {"sort": {"volume": 1, "density": -1}}
 
 
+def test_sort_query_fail():
+    op = SortQuery(max_num=1)
+    with pytest.raises(HTTPException):
+        op.query(_sort_fields="volume,-density")
+
+
 def test_sort_serialization():
     op = SortQuery()