diff --git a/dronefly/core/parsers/constants.py b/dronefly/core/parsers/constants.py
index c86f210..ec523db 100644
--- a/dronefly/core/parsers/constants.py
+++ b/dronefly/core/parsers/constants.py
@@ -27,12 +27,11 @@
 MACROS = {
     "rg": {"opt": ["quality_grade=research"]},
     "nid": {"opt": ["quality_grade=needs_id"]},
-    "oldest": {"opt": ["order=asc", "order_by=observed_on"]},
-    "newest": {"opt": ["order=desc", "order_by=observed_on"]},
-    "reverse": {"opt": ["order=asc"]},
+    "oldest": {"order": "asc", "sort_by": "observed"},
+    "newest": {"order": "desc", "sort_by": "observed"},
     "my": {"by": "me"},
     "home": {"from": "home"},
-    "faves": {"opt": ["popular", "order_by=votes"]},
+    "faves": {"sort_by": "votes", "opt": ["popular"]},
     "spp": {"opt": ["hrank=species"]},
     "species": {"opt": ["hrank=species"]},
     "unseen": {"not by": "me", "from": "home"},
@@ -112,3 +111,13 @@
     "without_taxon_id",
     "year",
 ]
+VALID_OBS_SORT_BY = {
+    "added": "created_at",
+    "observed": "observed_on",
+    "votes": "votes",
+    # Technically these are valid values, but we are not supporting them:
+    # - these fields are not typically shown in Dronefly displays
+    # - these sort options are of limited utility & hard to explain
+    #    "guess": "species_guess",
+    #    "id": "id",
+}
diff --git a/dronefly/core/parsers/unixlike.py b/dronefly/core/parsers/unixlike.py
index 8bce551..6520294 100644
--- a/dronefly/core/parsers/unixlike.py
+++ b/dronefly/core/parsers/unixlike.py
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ def parse(self, argument: str):
                 controlled_term = [term_name, term_value]
             else:
                 controlled_term = None
+            sort_by = None
+            if vals.sort_by:
+                sort_by = " ".join(vals.sort_by)
             try:
                 obs_d1 = _parse_date_arg(vals.obs_d1, "first")
                 obs_d2 = _parse_date_arg(vals.obs_d2, "last")
@@ -159,8 +162,7 @@ def parse(self, argument: str):
                 id_by=" ".join(vals.id_by),
                 per=" ".join(vals.per),
                 project=" ".join(vals.project),
-                sort_by=" ".join(vals.sort_by),
-                order=vals.order,
+                sort_by=sort_by,
                 options=vals.options,
                 obs_d1=obs_d1,
                 obs_d2=obs_d2,
diff --git a/dronefly/core/query/query.py b/dronefly/core/query/query.py
index 57a3545..93c8bc8 100644
--- a/dronefly/core/query/query.py
+++ b/dronefly/core/query/query.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 from dronefly.core.formatters.generic import format_taxon_name, format_user_name
 from dronefly.core.models.controlled_terms import ControlledTermSelector
-from dronefly.core.parsers.constants import VALID_OBS_OPTS
+from dronefly.core.parsers.constants import VALID_OBS_OPTS, VALID_OBS_SORT_BY
 from pyinaturalist.models import Place, Project, Taxon, User
 
 
@@ -164,8 +164,10 @@ def __str__(self):
         self._add_clause("added since {}", self.added_d1)
         self._add_clause("added until {}", self.added_d2)
         self._add_clause("added on {}", self.added_on)
-        self._add_clause("sorted by {}", self.sort_by)
-        self._add_clause("({self.order})", self.order)
+        if self.sort_by:
+            self._add_clause("sort by {}", self.sort_by)
+        if self.order:
+            self._add_clause("order {}", self.order)
         return self._query
 
 
@@ -245,6 +247,8 @@ def get_base_query_args(query):
     _added["d1"] = query.added_d1 if has_value(query.added_d1) else None
     _added["d2"] = query.added_d2 if has_value(query.added_d2) else None
     args["added"] = DateSelector(**_added)
+    args["sort_by"] = query.sort_by if has_value(query.sort_by) else None
+    args["order"] = query.order if has_value(query.order) else None
     return args
 
 
@@ -281,6 +285,8 @@ class QueryResponse:
     controlled_term: Optional[ControlledTermSelector] = None
     observed: Optional[DateSelector] = None
     added: Optional[DateSelector] = None
+    sort_by: Optional[str] = None
+    order: Optional[str] = None
     adjectives: Optional[List[str]] = field(init=False)
 
     def __post_init__(self):
@@ -362,6 +368,10 @@ def obs_args(self):
                     kwargs["created_d1"] = self.added.d1.isoformat()
                 if self.added.d2:
                     kwargs["created_d2"] = self.added.d2.isoformat()
+        if self.sort_by:
+            kwargs["order_by"] = VALID_OBS_SORT_BY.get(str(self.sort_by))
+        if self.order:
+            kwargs["order"] = str(self.order)
         return kwargs
 
     def obs_query_description(self, with_adjectives: bool = True):
@@ -517,4 +527,15 @@ def _format_time(time: str):
                 message += " {} rank {} or {}".format(
                     with_or_and, hrank or lrank, higher_or_lower
                 )
+        order_by = kwargs.get("order_by")
+        order = kwargs.get("order")
+        if order:
+            _order = "ascending" if order == "asc" else "descending"
+            message += f" in {_order} order"
+        if order_by:
+            _order_by = str(VALID_OBS_SORT_BY.get(order_by)).replace("_", " ")
+            if order:
+                message += f" by `#{_order_by}`"
+            else:
+                message += f" ordered by `{_order_by}`"
         return re.sub(r"^ ", "", message)
diff --git a/tests/query_test.py b/tests/query_test.py
index 9b23988..a038db3 100644
--- a/tests/query_test.py
+++ b/tests/query_test.py
@@ -105,3 +105,11 @@ def test_query_added_on(self):
         added_on = datetime.now()
         query = Query(main=TaxonQuery(terms=["birds"]), user="me", added_on=added_on)
         assert str(query) == "birds by me added on {}".format(added_on)
+
+    def test_query_order_by(self):
+        query = Query(main=TaxonQuery(terms=["birds"]), user="me", sort_by="observed")
+        assert str(query) == "birds by me sort by observed"
+
+    def test_query_order(self):
+        query = Query(main=TaxonQuery(terms=["birds"]), user="me", order="asc")
+        assert str(query) == "birds by me order asc"