diff --git a/js/grid.base.js b/js/grid.base.js
index de26c40c9..948c58115 100644
--- a/js/grid.base.js
+++ b/js/grid.base.js
@@ -5294,8 +5294,8 @@ $.fn.jqGrid = function( pin ) {
 		}
 		tdc = isMSIE ?  "class='ui-th-div-ie'" :"";
 		imgs = "<span class='s-ico' style='display:none'>";
-		imgs += "<span sort='asc'  class='ui-grid-ico-sort ui-icon-asc"+iac+" ui-sort-"+dir+" "+disabled+" " + iconbase + " " + getstyle(stylemodule, 'icon_asc', true)+ "'" + sort + "></span>";
-		imgs += "<span sort='desc' class='ui-grid-ico-sort ui-icon-desc"+idc+" ui-sort-"+dir+" "+disabled+" " + iconbase + " " + getstyle(stylemodule, 'icon_desc', true)+"'" + sort + "></span></span>";
+		imgs += "<span sort='asc'  class='ui-grid-ico-sort ui-icon-asc"+iac+" ui-sort-"+dir+" "+disabled+" " + iconbase + " " + getstyle(stylemodule, 'icon_asc', true)+ "'" + sort + " aria-label=\"empty\">empty</span>";
+		imgs += "<span sort='desc' class='ui-grid-ico-sort ui-icon-desc"+idc+" ui-sort-"+dir+" "+disabled+" " + iconbase + " " + getstyle(stylemodule, 'icon_desc', true)+"'" + sort + " aria-label=\"empty\">empty</span></span>";
 		if(ts.p.multiSort) {
 			if(ts.p.sortname ) {
 			sortarr = ts.p.sortname.split(",");