diff --git a/app/models/project_query.rb b/app/models/project_query.rb
index 4464eb155..2153c6bb3 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}.lft", :default_order => 'asc', :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/functional/projects_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/projects_controller_test.rb
index 496ab7dee..572940a36 100644
--- a/test/functional/projects_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/projects_controller_test.rb
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class ProjectsControllerTest < Redmine::ControllerTest
     @request.session[:user_id] = 1
     get :index, :params => {
       :c => ['name', 'short_description'],
-      :sort => 'parent_id:desc,lft:desc',
+      :sort => 'parent_id:asc',
       :display_type => 'list'
     }
     assert_response :success
diff --git a/test/unit/project_query_test.rb b/test/unit/project_query_test.rb
index 2b8c0ea8d..e3f9d55d5 100644
--- a/test/unit/project_query_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/project_query_test.rb
@@ -141,4 +141,26 @@ class ProjectQueryTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       assert_equal scope_without, scope_with
     end
   end
+
+  def test_sort_by_parent_id_asc_should_apply_asc_direction
+    q = ProjectQuery.new
+    q.sort_criteria = [['parent_id', 'asc']]
+    sort_clause = q.sort_clause
+    assert_not_nil sort_clause
+    joined = sort_clause.map(&:to_s).join(' ')
+    # sort clause must use lft with ASC (user-chosen direction), not a hardcoded lft ASC
+    assert_match(/lft ASC/i, joined)
+    assert_no_match(/lft DESC/i, joined)
+  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
+    joined = sort_clause.map(&:to_s).join(' ')
+    # DESC direction must be applied (previously it was always fixed to ASC via lft ASC)
+    assert_match(/lft DESC/i, joined)
+    assert_no_match(/lft ASC/i, joined)
+  end
 end