diff --git a/spaceweather_processing/app.py b/spaceweather_processing/app.py
index 93fde0bd315645cb935b82af420db41e1c0f4746..b8c3a221cde94fd66f386b317be8c5b6067a27b4 100644
--- a/spaceweather_processing/app.py
+++ b/spaceweather_processing/app.py
@@ -136,8 +136,14 @@ class DataProductDB:
 
         # if a &sort=<field> url parameter is given then use sort, otherwise omit it (backward compatibility)
         if sort:
+            if sort.startswith('-'):
+                direction = -1
+                sort = sort.lstrip('-')
+            else:
+                direction = 1
+
             results = [augment_item(item) for item in
-                       self.db[collection_name].find(query, selected_fields).skip(skip).limit(limit).sort(sort)]
+                       self.db[collection_name].find(query, selected_fields).skip(skip).limit(limit).sort(sort,direction)]
         else:
             results = [augment_item(item) for item in
                        self.db[collection_name].find(query, selected_fields).skip(skip).limit(limit)]