diff --git a/rhythmdb/rhythmdb-property-model.c b/rhythmdb/rhythmdb-property-model.c
index da6f034..ad6aa07 100644
--- a/rhythmdb/rhythmdb-property-model.c
+++ b/rhythmdb/rhythmdb-property-model.c
@@ -406,10 +406,10 @@ rhythmdb_property_model_set_property (GObject *object,
 			model->priv->sort_propid = RHYTHMDB_PROP_GENRE;
 			break;
 		case RHYTHMDB_PROP_ARTIST:
-			model->priv->sort_propid = RHYTHMDB_PROP_ARTIST;
+			model->priv->sort_propid = RHYTHMDB_PROP_ARTIST_SORTNAME;
 			break;
 		case RHYTHMDB_PROP_ALBUM:
-			model->priv->sort_propid = RHYTHMDB_PROP_ALBUM;
+			model->priv->sort_propid = RHYTHMDB_PROP_ALBUM_SORTNAME;
 			break;
 		case RHYTHMDB_PROP_SUBTITLE:
 			model->priv->sort_propid = RHYTHMDB_PROP_SUBTITLE;
diff --git a/rhythmdb/rhythmdb.c b/rhythmdb/rhythmdb.c
index 5b1c652..c590336 100644
--- a/rhythmdb/rhythmdb.c
+++ b/rhythmdb/rhythmdb.c
@@ -5073,17 +5073,29 @@ rhythmdb_entry_get_string (RhythmDBEntry *entry,
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_MUSICBRAINZ_ALBUMARTISTID:
 		return rb_refstring_get (entry->musicbrainz_albumartistid);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_ARTIST_SORTNAME:
-		return rb_refstring_get (entry->artist_sortname);
+		if (strcmp (rb_refstring_get (entry->artist_sortname), ""))
+			return rb_refstring_get (entry->artist_sortname);
+		else
+			return rb_refstring_get (entry->artist);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_ALBUM_SORTNAME:
-		return rb_refstring_get (entry->album_sortname);
+		if (strcmp (rb_refstring_get (entry->album_sortname), ""))
+			return rb_refstring_get (entry->album_sortname);
+		else
+			return rb_refstring_get (entry->album);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_MIMETYPE:
 		return rb_refstring_get (entry->mimetype);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_TITLE_SORT_KEY:
 		return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->title);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_ALBUM_SORT_KEY:
-		return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->album);
+		if (strcmp (rb_refstring_get (entry->album_sortname), ""))
+			return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->album_sortname);
+		else
+			return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->album);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_ARTIST_SORT_KEY:
-		return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->artist);
+		if (strcmp (rb_refstring_get (entry->artist_sortname), ""))
+			return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->artist_sortname);
+		else
+			return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->artist);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_GENRE_SORT_KEY:
 		return rb_refstring_get_sort_key (entry->genre);
 	case RHYTHMDB_PROP_TITLE_FOLDED:
