diff --git a/commands/account/sort.go b/commands/account/sort.go
index ad1a402..c08991c 100644
--- a/commands/account/sort.go
+++ b/commands/account/sort.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/commands"
 	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/lib/sort"
 	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/widgets"
+	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/worker/types"
 )
 
 type Sort struct{}
@@ -70,9 +71,15 @@ func (Sort) Execute(aerc *widgets.Aerc, args []string) error {
 		return errors.New("Messages still loading.")
 	}
 
-	sortCriteria, err := sort.GetSortCriteria(args[1:])
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	var err error
+	var sortCriteria []*types.SortCriterion
+	if len(args[1:]) == 0 {
+		sortCriteria = acct.GetSortCriteria()
+	} else {
+		sortCriteria, err = sort.GetSortCriteria(args[1:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	aerc.SetStatus("Sorting")
diff --git a/lib/msgstore.go b/lib/msgstore.go
index 0ded01f..542f93d 100644
--- a/lib/msgstore.go
+++ b/lib/msgstore.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type MessageStore struct {
 	filtered    []uint32
 	filter      bool
 
-	defaultSortCriteria []*types.SortCriterion
+	sortCriteria []*types.SortCriterion
 
 	thread       bool
 	buildThreads bool
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func NewMessageStore(worker *types.Worker,
 
 		thread: thread,
 
-		defaultSortCriteria: defaultSortCriteria,
+		sortCriteria: defaultSortCriteria,
 
 		pendingBodies:  make(map[uint32]interface{}),
 		pendingHeaders: make(map[uint32]interface{}),
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ func (store *MessageStore) Update(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
 	switch msg := msg.(type) {
 	case *types.DirectoryInfo:
 		store.DirInfo = *msg.Info
-		store.Sort(store.defaultSortCriteria, nil)
+		store.Sort(store.sortCriteria, nil)
 		update = true
 	case *types.DirectoryContents:
 		newMap := make(map[uint32]*models.MessageInfo)
@@ -721,6 +721,7 @@ func (store *MessageStore) ModifyLabels(uids []uint32, add, remove []string,
 
 func (store *MessageStore) Sort(criteria []*types.SortCriterion, cb func()) {
 	store.Sorting = true
+	store.sortCriteria = criteria
 
 	handle_return := func(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
 		store.Sorting = false
diff --git a/widgets/account.go b/widgets/account.go
index 6cf49aa..994bba6 100644
--- a/widgets/account.go
+++ b/widgets/account.go
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ func (acct *AccountView) onMessage(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
 			store.Update(msg)
 		} else {
 			store = lib.NewMessageStore(acct.worker, msg.Info,
-				acct.getSortCriteria(),
+				acct.GetSortCriteria(),
 				acct.UiConfig().ThreadingEnabled,
 				func(msg *models.MessageInfo) {
 					acct.conf.Triggers.ExecNewEmail(acct.acct,
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ func (acct *AccountView) onMessage(msg types.WorkerMessage) {
 	acct.UpdateStatus()
 }
 
-func (acct *AccountView) getSortCriteria() []*types.SortCriterion {
+func (acct *AccountView) GetSortCriteria() []*types.SortCriterion {
 	if len(acct.UiConfig().Sort) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}