diff --git a/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java b/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java
index fda8021e1..2d9f521e2 100755
--- a/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java
@@ -168,15 +168,14 @@ public String getSortField(int i) {
                                 sortData[i] = "<invalid xpath: " + xpe.getMessage() + ">";
                             }
                         }
-                        return sortData[i];
                     }
-                    return sortData[i];
                 }
+                return sortData[i];
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
             Logger.exception("Error while getting sort field", e);
         }
-        return sortData[i];
+        return null;
     }
 
     @Override