diff --git a/beets/config_default.yaml b/beets/config_default.yaml
index d35368ea5..e43345933 100644
--- a/beets/config_default.yaml
+++ b/beets/config_default.yaml
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ list_format_item: $artist - $album - $title
 list_format_album: $albumartist - $album
 time_format: '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'
 
+sort_album: smartartist+
+sort_item: smartartist+
+
 paths:
     default: $albumartist/$album%aunique{}/$track $title
     singleton: Non-Album/$artist/$title
diff --git a/beets/dbcore/query.py b/beets/dbcore/query.py
index 97b8833bb..9952fcf4b 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/query.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/query.py
@@ -628,6 +628,7 @@ class FixedFieldSort(Sort):
         order = "ASC" if self.is_ascending else "DESC"
         return "{0} {1}".format(self.field, order)
 
+
 class SmartArtistSort(Sort):
     """ Sort Album or Item on artist sort fields, defaulting back on
         artist field if the sort specific field is empty.
@@ -659,6 +660,9 @@ class SmartArtistSort(Sort):
         return order_str
 
 
+special_sorts = {'smartartist': SmartArtistSort}
+
+
 def build_sql(model_cls, query, sort_order):
     """ Generate a sql statement (and the values that must be injected into it)
     from a query, sort and a model class.
diff --git a/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py b/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py
index 05ee28add..1a94c1831 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/queryparse.py
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ def construct_sort_part(model_cls, part):
     elif field in model_cls._getters():
         # Computed field, all following fields must use the slow path.
         pass
+    elif field in query.special_sorts:
+        sort = query.special_sorts[field](model_cls, is_ascending)
     else:
         # Neither fixed nor computed : must be a flex attr.
         sort = query.FlexFieldSort(model_cls, field, is_ascending)
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 3965b6fb9..16aeed772 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -1027,10 +1027,8 @@ class Library(dbcore.Database):
     def albums(self, query=None, sort_order=None):
         """Get a sorted list of :class:`Album` objects matching the
         given sort order. If a order specification is present in the query
-        string the sort_order argument is ignored. 
+        string the sort_order argument is ignored.
         """
-        if sort_order is None:
-            sort_order = SmartArtistSort(Album)
         return self._fetch(Album, query, sort_order)
 
     def items(self, query=None, sort_order=None):
@@ -1038,8 +1036,6 @@ class Library(dbcore.Database):
         given sort order. If a order specification is present in the query
         string the sort_order argument is ignored.
         """
-        if sort_order is None:
-            sort_order = SmartArtistSort(Item)
         return self._fetch(Item, query, sort_order)
 
     # Convenience accessors.
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index c32c1f313..dbd6806f4 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from beets.util.functemplate import Template
 from beets import library
 from beets import config
 from beets.util.confit import _package_path
+from beets.dbcore import sort_from_strings
 
 VARIOUS_ARTISTS = u'Various Artists'
 
@@ -898,11 +899,16 @@ def list_items(lib, query, album, fmt):
     albums instead of single items.
     """
     tmpl = Template(ui._pick_format(album, fmt))
+
     if album:
-        for album in lib.albums(query):
+        sort_order = sort_from_strings(library.Album,
+                                       [str(config['sort_album'])])
+        for album in lib.albums(query, sort_order):
             ui.print_obj(album, lib, tmpl)
     else:
-        for item in lib.items(query):
+        sort_order = sort_from_strings(library.Item,
+                                       [str(config['sort_item'])])
+        for item in lib.items(query, sort_order):
             ui.print_obj(item, lib, tmpl)