diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractor.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractor.java
index 360151e527..1527b32d22 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractor.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractor.java
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@ public interface RecognizedParamsExtractor
                         {
                             rpeLogger().debug("Invalid sort order definition (" + sortDef + ").  Valid values are " + SortColumn.ASCENDING + " or "
                                         + SortColumn.DESCENDING + ".");
+                            throw new InvalidArgumentException("Unknown sort order direction: "+sortDef+" expected: asc or desc");
                         }
                     }
                     sortedColumns.add(new SortColumn(columnName, SortColumn.ASCENDING.equals(sortOrder)));
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractorTest.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractorTest.java
index ae2ae155a2..d52139cb18 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractorTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/framework/tools/RecognizedParamsExtractorTest.java
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public class RecognizedParamsExtractorTest implements RecognizedParamsExtractor
         assertEquals("age", theSort.get(1).column);
         assertTrue(!theSort.get(1).asc);  //desc
 
-        theSort  = getSort("age Desc, name Asc");
+        theSort  = getSort("age DeSc, name AsC");
         assertNotNull(theSort);
         assertTrue("Must have a value for column: NAME", !theSort.isEmpty());
         assertTrue(theSort.size() == 2);
@@ -147,15 +147,18 @@ public class RecognizedParamsExtractorTest implements RecognizedParamsExtractor
         assertTrue(!theSort.get(0).asc);  //desc
         assertEquals("name", theSort.get(1).column);
         assertTrue(theSort.get(1).asc);
+        
+        try
+        {
+            getSort("age asc, name des");  // nvalid, should be desc
+            fail("Should throw an InvalidSelectException");
+        }
+        catch (InvalidArgumentException error)
+        {
+            // this is correct
+        }
 
-        theSort  = getSort("name des");  //invalid, should be desc
-        assertNotNull(theSort);
-        assertTrue("Must have a value for column: NAME", !theSort.isEmpty());
-        assertTrue(theSort.size() == 1);
-        assertEquals("name", theSort.get(0).column);
-        assertTrue(theSort.get(0).asc);  //Defaults to ascending because the sort order was invalid
-
-        theSort  = getSort("name asc,");  //invalid, should be desc
+        theSort  = getSort("name asc,");  // trailing comma is ignored
         assertNotNull(theSort);
         assertTrue("Must have a value for column: NAME", !theSort.isEmpty());
         assertTrue(theSort.size() == 1);