diff --git a/db/queryoptimizer.cpp b/db/queryoptimizer.cpp
index 466527148f7..9d51623504a 100644
--- a/db/queryoptimizer.cpp
+++ b/db/queryoptimizer.cpp
@@ -201,11 +201,11 @@ namespace mongo {
             uassert( "bad hint", false );
         }
         
-        BSONObj bestIndex = indexForPattern( ns, fbs_.pattern() );
+        BSONObj bestIndex = indexForPattern( ns, fbs_.pattern( order_ ) );
         if ( !bestIndex.isEmpty() ) {
             usingPrerecordedPlan_ = true;
             mayRecordPlan_ = false;
-            oldNScanned_ = nScannedForPattern( ns, fbs_.pattern() );
+            oldNScanned_ = nScannedForPattern( ns, fbs_.pattern( order_ ) );
             if ( !strcmp( bestIndex.firstElement().fieldName(), "$natural" ) ) {
                 // Table scan plan
                 plans_.push_back( PlanPtr( new QueryPlan( fbs_, order_ ) ) );
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             // plans_.size() > 1 if addOtherPlans was called in Runner::run().
             if ( res->complete() || plans_.size() > 1 )
                 return res;
-            registerIndexForPattern( fbs_.ns(), fbs_.pattern(), BSONObj(), 0 );
+            registerIndexForPattern( fbs_.ns(), fbs_.pattern( order_ ), BSONObj(), 0 );
             init();
         }
         Runner r( *this, op );
diff --git a/db/queryoptimizer.h b/db/queryoptimizer.h
index 73cd262d628..cfb584472a3 100644
--- a/db/queryoptimizer.h
+++ b/db/queryoptimizer.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         BSONObj query() const { return fbs_.query(); }
         const FieldBound &bound( const char *fieldName ) const { return fbs_.bound( fieldName ); }
         void registerSelf( int nScanned ) const {
-            registerIndexForPattern( ns(), fbs_.pattern(), indexKey(), nScanned );
+            registerIndexForPattern( ns(), fbs_.pattern( order_ ), indexKey(), nScanned );
         }
     private:
         const FieldBoundSet &fbs_;
diff --git a/db/queryutil.h b/db/queryutil.h
index 5db0db9ecb7..1441ba85d11 100644
--- a/db/queryutil.h
+++ b/db/queryutil.h
@@ -87,8 +87,6 @@ namespace mongo {
             }
             if ( j != other.fieldTypes_.end() )
                 return true;
-            out() << "sort_: " << sort_ << endl;
-            out() << "other.sort_: " << other.sort_ << endl;
             return sort_.woCompare( other.sort_ ) < 0;
         }
     private:
@@ -97,6 +95,8 @@ namespace mongo {
             sort_ = normalizeSort( sort );
         }
         BSONObj static normalizeSort( const BSONObj &spec ) {
+            if ( spec.isEmpty() )
+                return spec;
             int direction = ( spec.firstElement().number() >= 0 ) ? 1 : -1;
             BSONObjIterator i( spec );
             BSONObjBuilder b;
diff --git a/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp b/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp
index 69a63ef6ad6..d811fe59223 100644
--- a/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp
+++ b/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp
@@ -751,6 +751,11 @@ namespace QueryOptimizerTests {
                 TestOp newOriginal;
                 s2.runOp( newOriginal );
                 nPlans( 3 );
+
+                QueryPlanSet s3( ns(), BSON( "a" << 4 ), BSON( "b" << 1 << "c" << 1 ) );
+                TestOp newerOriginal;
+                s3.runOp( newerOriginal );
+                nPlans( 3 );                
                 
                 runQuery();
                 nPlans( 1 );
@@ -790,9 +795,9 @@ namespace QueryOptimizerTests {
                 QueryPlanSet s( ns(), BSON( "a" << 4 ), BSON( "b" << 1 ) );
                 ScanOnlyTestOp op;
                 s.runOp( op );
-                ASSERT( fromjson( "{$natural:1}" ).woCompare( indexForPattern( ns(), s.fbs().pattern() ) ) == 0 );
+                ASSERT( fromjson( "{$natural:1}" ).woCompare( indexForPattern( ns(), s.fbs().pattern( BSON( "b" << 1 ) ) ) ) == 0 );
                 
-                QueryPlanSet s2( ns(), BSON( "a" << 4 ), emptyObj );
+                QueryPlanSet s2( ns(), BSON( "a" << 4 ), BSON( "b" << 1 ) );
                 TestOp op2;
                 ASSERT( s2.runOp( op2 )->complete() );
             }