diff --git a/datafusion/expr/src/utils.rs b/datafusion/expr/src/utils.rs
index 11a244a944f8..5a1e47684163 100644
--- a/datafusion/expr/src/utils.rs
+++ b/datafusion/expr/src/utils.rs
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ pub fn compare_sort_expr(
             }
             Ordering::Equal
         }
-        _ => Ordering::Equal,
+        _ => panic!("Sort expressions must be of type Sort"),
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/datafusion/sql/src/expr/function.rs b/datafusion/sql/src/expr/function.rs
index b95414a8cafd..72e08e4b8fb5 100644
--- a/datafusion/sql/src/expr/function.rs
+++ b/datafusion/sql/src/expr/function.rs
@@ -295,8 +295,10 @@ impl<'a, S: ContextProvider> SqlToRel<'a, S> {
                             Some(false)
                         };
                     }
+                    Some(false)
+                } else {
+                    panic!("order_by expression must be of type Sort");
                 }
-                Some(false)
             });
 
             let window_frame = window
diff --git a/datafusion/sql/src/unparser/rewrite.rs b/datafusion/sql/src/unparser/rewrite.rs
index f6725485f920..ffa1a60fe62a 100644
--- a/datafusion/sql/src/unparser/rewrite.rs
+++ b/datafusion/sql/src/unparser/rewrite.rs
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ pub(super) fn rewrite_plan_for_sort_on_non_projected_fields(
     for expr in &sort.expr {
         if let Expr::Sort(s) = expr {
             collects.push(s.expr.as_ref().clone());
+        } else {
+            panic!("sort expression must be of type Sort");
         }
     }