diff --git a/app/models/project_query.rb b/app/models/project_query.rb
index 4464eb155..b7622b0d5 100644
--- a/app/models/project_query.rb
+++ b/app/models/project_query.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class ProjectQuery < Query
     QueryColumn.new(:short_description, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.description", :caption => :field_description),
     QueryColumn.new(:homepage, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.homepage"),
     QueryColumn.new(:identifier, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.identifier"),
-    QueryColumn.new(:parent_id, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.lft ASC", :default_order => 'desc', :caption => :field_parent),
+    QueryColumn.new(:parent_id, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.parent_id", :default_order => 'desc', :caption => :field_parent),
     QueryColumn.new(:is_public, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.is_public", :groupable => true),
     QueryColumn.new(:created_on, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.created_on", :default_order => 'desc'),
     QueryColumn.new(:updated_on, :sortable => "#{Project.table_name}.updated_on", :default_order => 'desc'),
diff --git a/test/unit/project_query_test.rb b/test/unit/project_query_test.rb
index 2b8c0ea8d..975345cef 100644
--- a/test/unit/project_query_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/project_query_test.rb
@@ -141,4 +141,23 @@ class ProjectQueryTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       assert_equal scope_without, scope_with
     end
   end
+
+  def test_sort_by_parent_id_asc_should_not_include_fixed_direction
+    q = ProjectQuery.new
+    q.sort_criteria = [['parent_id', 'asc']]
+    sort_clause = q.sort_clause
+    assert_not_nil sort_clause
+    # sort clause must respect the user-chosen direction (ASC), not a hardcoded one
+    assert_includes sort_clause.map(&:to_s).join(' '), 'ASC'
+    assert_not_includes sort_clause.map(&:to_s).join(' '), 'lft'
+  end
+
+  def test_sort_by_parent_id_desc_should_apply_desc_direction
+    q = ProjectQuery.new
+    q.sort_criteria = [['parent_id', 'desc']]
+    sort_clause = q.sort_clause
+    assert_not_nil sort_clause
+    # DESC direction must be applied (previously it was always fixed to ASC via lft ASC)
+    assert_includes sort_clause.map(&:to_s).join(' '), 'DESC'
+  end
 end