diff --git a/src/cmd/sort.rs b/src/cmd/sort.rs
index 647fb3c2..ca0a1429 100644
--- a/src/cmd/sort.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/sort.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ use select::SelectColumns;
 use util;
 use std::str::from_utf8;
 
+use self::Number::{Float, Int};
+
 static USAGE: &'static str = "
 Sorts CSV data lexicographically.
 
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ pub fn iter_cmp_num<'a, L, R>(mut a: L, mut b: R) -> cmp::Ordering
             (None, None) => return cmp::Ordering::Equal,
             (None, _   ) => return cmp::Ordering::Less,
             (_   , None) => return cmp::Ordering::Greater,
-            (Some(x), Some(y)) => match x.cmp(&y) {
+            (Some(x), Some(y)) => match compare_num(x, y) {
                 cmp::Ordering::Equal => (),
                 non_eq => return non_eq,
             },
@@ -124,9 +126,34 @@ pub fn iter_cmp_num<'a, L, R>(mut a: L, mut b: R) -> cmp::Ordering
     }
 }
 
-fn next_num<'a, X>(xs: &mut X) -> Option<i64>
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
+enum Number {
+    Int(i64),
+    Float(f64),
+}
+
+fn compare_num(n1: Number, n2: Number) -> cmp::Ordering{
+    match (n1, n2) {
+        (Int(i1), Int(i2)) => i1.cmp(&i2),
+        (Int(i1), Float(f2)) => compare_float(i1 as f64, f2),
+        (Float(f1), Int(i2)) => compare_float(f1, i2 as f64),
+        (Float(f1), Float(f2)) => compare_float(f1, f2),
+    }
+}
+
+fn compare_float(f1: f64, f2: f64) -> cmp::Ordering {
+    f1.partial_cmp(&f2).unwrap_or(cmp::Ordering::Equal)
+}
+
+
+
+fn next_num<'a, X>(xs: &mut X) -> Option<Number>
         where X: Iterator<Item=&'a [u8]> {
     xs.next()
         .and_then(|bytes| from_utf8(bytes).ok())
-        .and_then(|s| s.parse::<i64>().ok())
+        .and_then(|s| {
+            if let Ok(i) = s.parse::<i64>() { Some(Number::Int(i)) }
+            else if let Ok(f) = s.parse::<f64>() { Some(Number::Float(f)) }
+            else { None }
+        })
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_sort.rs b/tests/test_sort.rs
index 8e3bc444..7ece56c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_sort.rs
+++ b/tests/test_sort.rs
@@ -59,8 +59,9 @@ fn sort_numeric() {
     wrk.create("in.csv", vec![
         svec!["N", "S"],
         svec!["10", "a"],
+        svec!["LETTER", "b"],
         svec!["2", "c"],
-        svec!["1", "b"],
+        svec!["1", "d"],
     ]);
 
     let mut cmd = wrk.command("sort");
@@ -69,13 +70,43 @@ fn sort_numeric() {
     let got: Vec<Vec<String>> = wrk.read_stdout(&mut cmd);
     let expected = vec![
         svec!["N", "S"],
-        svec!["1", "b"],
+        //Non-numerics should be put first
+        svec!["LETTER", "b"],
+        svec!["1", "d"],
         svec!["2", "c"],
         svec!["10", "a"],
     ];
     assert_eq!(got, expected);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn sort_numeric_non_natural() {
+    let wrk = Workdir::new("sort_numeric_non_natural");
+    wrk.create("in.csv", vec![
+        svec!["N", "S"],
+        svec!["8.33", "a"],
+        svec!["5", "b"],
+        svec!["LETTER", "c"],
+        svec!["7.4", "d"],
+        svec!["3.33", "e"],
+    ]);
+
+    let mut cmd = wrk.command("sort");
+    cmd.arg("-N").arg("in.csv");
+
+    let got: Vec<Vec<String>> = wrk.read_stdout(&mut cmd);
+    let expected = vec![
+        svec!["N", "S"],
+        //Non-numerics should be put first
+        svec!["LETTER", "c"],
+        svec!["3.33", "e"],
+        svec!["5", "b"],
+        svec!["7.4", "d"],
+        svec!["8.33", "a"],
+    ];
+    assert_eq!(got, expected);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn sort_reverse() {
     let wrk = Workdir::new("sort_reverse");