diff --git a/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py b/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py
index 050f4e7ba..619530303 100644
--- a/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py
+++ b/src/maggma/api/query_operator/sorting.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, List
 
 from fastapi import HTTPException, Query
 
@@ -13,18 +13,17 @@ class SortQuery(QueryOperator):
 
     def query(
         self,
-        sort_field: Optional[str] = Query(None, description="Field to sort with"),
-        ascending: Optional[bool] = Query(None, description="Whether the sorting should be ascending"),
+        sort_fields: Optional[List[str]] = Query(None, description="Fields to sort with. Prefixing '-' to a field will\
+ force a sort in descending order."),
     ) -> STORE_PARAMS:
 
         sort = {}
 
-        if sort_field:
-            if ascending is not None:
-                sort.update({sort_field: 1 if ascending else -1})
-            else:
-                raise HTTPException(
-                    status_code=400, detail="Must specify both a field and order for sorting.",
-                )
+        if sort_fields:
+            for sort_field in sort_fields:
+                if sort_field[0] == "-":
+                    sort.update({sort_field[1:]: -1})
+                else:
+                    sort.update({sort_field: 1})
 
         return {"sort": sort}
diff --git a/tests/api/test_query_operators.py b/tests/api/test_query_operators.py
index 332f333c6..4b8a6da8a 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_query_operators.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_query_operators.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def test_numeric_query_functionality():
 
     assert op.meta() == {}
     assert op.query(age_max=10, age_min=1, age_not_eq=[2, 3], weight_min=120) == {
-        "criteria": {"age": {"$lte": 10, "$gte": 1, "$ne": [2, 3]}, "weight": {"$gte": 120},}
+        "criteria": {"age": {"$lte": 10, "$gte": 1, "$ne": [2, 3]}, "weight": {"$gte": 120}}
     }
 
 
@@ -87,16 +87,7 @@ def test_sort_query_functionality():
 
     op = SortQuery()
 
-    assert op.query(sort_field="volume", ascending=True) == {"sort": {"volume": 1}}
-    assert op.query(sort_field="density", ascending=False) == {"sort": {"density": -1}}
-
-
-@pytest.mark.xfail
-def test_sort_error():
-
-    op = SortQuery()
-
-    op.query(sort_field="volume", ascending=None)
+    assert op.query(sort_fields=["volume", "-density"]) == {"sort": {"volume": 1, "density": -1}}
 
 
 def test_sort_serialization():
@@ -106,7 +97,7 @@ def test_sort_serialization():
     with ScratchDir("."):
         dumpfn(op, "temp.json")
         new_op = loadfn("temp.json")
-        assert new_op.query(sort_field="volume", ascending=True) == {"sort": {"volume": 1}}
+        assert new_op.query(sort_fields=["volume", "-density"]) == {"sort": {"volume": 1, "density": -1}}
 
 
 @pytest.fixture