diff --git a/mod/glossary/sql.php b/mod/glossary/sql.php
index cfa9dc38faf7f..b1ff210ae5938 100644
--- a/mod/glossary/sql.php
+++ b/mod/glossary/sql.php
@@ -14,10 +14,23 @@
     $sqlsortkey = NULL;
     $textlib = textlib_get_instance();
 
-/// Pivot is the field that set the break by groups (category, initial, author name, etc)
+/// Calculate the SQL sortkey to be used by the SQL statements later
+    switch ( $sortkey ) {    
+        case "CREATION": 
+            $sqlsortkey = "timecreated";
+        break;
+        case "UPDATE": 
+            $sqlsortkey = "timemodified";
+        break;
+        case "FIRSTNAME": 
+            $sqlsortkey = "firstname";
+        break;
+        case "LASTNAME": 
+            $sqlsortkey = "lastname";
+        break;
+    }
+    $sqlsortorder = $sortorder;
 
-/// fullpivot indicate if the whole pivot should be compared agasint the db or just the first letter
-/// printpivot indicate if the pivot should be printed or not
     switch ($CFG->dbtype) {
     case 'postgres7':
         $as = 'as';
@@ -27,17 +40,10 @@
     break;
     }    
 
-    switch ( $sortkey ) {    
-    case "CREATION": 
-        $sqlsortkey = "timecreated";
-    break;
-    
-    case "UPDATE": 
-        $sqlsortkey = "timemodified";
-    break;
-    }
-    $sqlsortorder = $sortorder;
+/// Pivot is the field that set the break by groups (category, initial, author name, etc)
 
+/// fullpivot indicate if the whole pivot should be compared agasint the db or just the first letter
+/// printpivot indicate if the pivot should be printed or not
     $fullpivot = 1;
 
     $userid = '';
diff --git a/mod/glossary/view.php b/mod/glossary/view.php
index 7b37e267868b9..e31cb75cf4e42 100644
--- a/mod/glossary/view.php
+++ b/mod/glossary/view.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     $mode       = optional_param('mode', '', PARAM_ALPHA);           // term entry cat date letter search author approval
     $hook       = optional_param('hook', '', PARAM_CLEAN);           // the term, entry, cat, etc... to look for based on mode
     $fullsearch = optional_param('fullsearch', 0,PARAM_INT);         // full search (concept and definition) when searching?
-    $sortkey    = optional_param('sortkey', 'CREATION', PARAM_ALPHA);// Sorted view: CREATION | UPDATE | FIRSTNAME | LASTNAME...
+    $sortkey    = optional_param('sortkey', '', PARAM_ALPHA);// Sorted view: CREATION | UPDATE | FIRSTNAME | LASTNAME...
     $sortorder  = optional_param('sortorder', 'ASC', PARAM_ALPHA);   // it defines the order of the sorting (ASC or DESC)
     $offset     = optional_param('offset', 0,PARAM_INT);             // entries to bypass (for paging purposes)
     $page       = optional_param('page', 0,PARAM_INT);               // Page to show (for paging purposes)