diff --git a/beets/dbcore/query.py b/beets/dbcore/query.py
index 23b6029c3..9c53cf6ed 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/query.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/query.py
@@ -638,34 +638,22 @@ class FixedFieldSort(FieldSort):
 
 
 class SmartArtistSort(Sort):
-    """ Sort Album or Item on artist sort fields, defaulting back on
-        artist field if the sort specific field is empty.
+    """Sort by artist (either album artist or track artist),
+    prioritizing the sort field over the raw field.
     """
     def __init__(self, model_cls, is_ascending=True):
         self.model_cls = model_cls
         self.is_ascending = is_ascending
 
-    def select_clause(self):
-        return ""
-
-    def union_clause(self):
-        return ""
-
     def order_clause(self):
         order = "ASC" if self.is_ascending else "DESC"
-        if 'albumartist_sort' in self.model_cls._fields:
-            exp1 = 'albumartist_sort'
-            exp2 = 'albumartist'
-        elif 'artist_sort' in self.model_cls_fields:
-            exp1 = 'artist_sort'
-            exp2 = 'artist'
+        if 'albumartist' in self.model_cls._fields:
+            field = 'albumartist'
         else:
-            return ""
-
-        order_str = ('(CASE {0} WHEN NULL THEN {1} '
-                     'WHEN "" THEN {1} '
-                     'ELSE {0} END) {2} ').format(exp1, exp2, order)
-        return order_str
+            field = 'artist'
+        return ('(CASE {0}_sort WHEN NULL THEN {0} '
+                'WHEN "" THEN {0} '
+                'ELSE {0}_sort END) {2} ').format(field, order)
 
 
 class SlowFieldSort(FieldSort):
@@ -676,9 +664,6 @@ class SlowFieldSort(FieldSort):
         return True
 
 
-special_sorts = {'smartartist': SmartArtistSort}
-
-
 def build_sql(model_cls, query, sort):
     """ Generate a sql statement (and the values that must be injected into it)
     from a query, sort and a model class. Query and sort objects are returned
diff --git a/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py b/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py
index 0da997bc4..cf8a75ffe 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py
@@ -131,10 +131,11 @@ def construct_sort_part(model_cls, part):
     is_ascending = (part[-1] == '+')
     if field in model_cls._fields:
         sort = query.FixedFieldSort(field, is_ascending)
-    elif field in query.special_sorts:
-        sort = query.special_sorts[field](model_cls, is_ascending)
+    elif field == 'smartartist':
+        # Special case for smart artist sort.
+        sort = query.SmartArtistSort(model_cls, is_ascending)
     else:
-        # Flexible or comptued.
+        # Flexible or computed.
         sort = query.SlowFieldSort(field, is_ascending)
     return sort
 
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 3119e1bfa..f053728b1 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -139,16 +139,6 @@ class MusicalKey(types.String):
 PF_KEY_DEFAULT = 'default'
 
 
-# A little SQL utility.
-def _orelse(exp1, exp2):
-    """Generates an SQLite expression that evaluates to exp1 if exp1 is
-    non-null and non-empty or exp2 otherwise.
-    """
-    return ("""(CASE {0} WHEN NULL THEN {1}
-                         WHEN "" THEN {1}
-                         ELSE {0} END)""").format(exp1, exp2)
-
-
 # Exceptions.
 
 class FileOperationError(Exception):