diff --git a/src/controllers/krate/search.rs b/src/controllers/krate/search.rs
index 552cb7d6ef..d2c100e451 100644
--- a/src/controllers/krate/search.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/krate/search.rs
@@ -37,10 +37,7 @@ pub fn search(req: &mut dyn Request) -> CargoResult<Response> {
 
     let conn = req.db_conn()?;
     let params = req.query();
-    let sort = params
-        .get("sort")
-        .map(|s| &**s)
-        .unwrap_or("recent-downloads");
+    let sort = params.get("sort").map(|s| &**s);
     let include_yanked = params
         .get("include_yanked")
         .map(|s| s == "yes")
@@ -156,11 +153,11 @@ pub fn search(req: &mut dyn Request) -> CargoResult<Response> {
         ));
     }
 
-    if sort == "downloads" {
+    if sort == Some("downloads") {
         query = query.then_order_by(crates::downloads.desc())
-    } else if sort == "recent-downloads" {
+    } else if sort == Some("recent-downloads") {
         query = query.then_order_by(recent_crate_downloads::downloads.desc().nulls_last())
-    } else if sort == "recent-updates" {
+    } else if sort == Some("recent-updates") {
         query = query.order(crates::updated_at.desc());
     } else {
         query = query.then_order_by(crates::name.asc())