diff --git a/src/components/TopBar/TopBarContainer.js b/src/components/TopBar/TopBarContainer.js
index 77a15f963..4c81c3060 100644
--- a/src/components/TopBar/TopBarContainer.js
+++ b/src/components/TopBar/TopBarContainer.js
@@ -77,8 +77,11 @@ class TopBarContainer extends React.Component {
 
   applyFilters(filter) {
     const criteria = _.assign({}, this.props.criteria, filter)
-    if (criteria && criteria.keyword)
+    if (criteria && criteria.keyword) {
       criteria.keyword = encodeURIComponent(criteria.keyword)
+      // force sort criteria to best match
+      criteria.sort = 'best match'
+    }
     this.routeWithParams(criteria, 1)
   }
 
diff --git a/src/projects/list/components/Projects/ProjectListProjectColHeader.jsx b/src/projects/list/components/Projects/ProjectListProjectColHeader.jsx
index ac1ed16d3..90094a606 100644
--- a/src/projects/list/components/Projects/ProjectListProjectColHeader.jsx
+++ b/src/projects/list/components/Projects/ProjectListProjectColHeader.jsx
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import { Dropdown, DropdownItem } from 'appirio-tech-react-components'
 const options = [
   { val: 'createdAt desc', label: 'Latest first' },
   { val: 'createdAt', label: 'Oldest first' },
-  { val: 'name', label: 'Name A-Z' }
-  // { val: 'name desc', label: 'Name Z-A' }
+  { val: 'name', label: 'Name A-Z' },
+  { val: 'best match', label: 'Best Match' }
 ]
 
 const ProjectListProjectColHeader = ({currentSortField, sortHandler}) => {