diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort_by.rs
index 693cf8dde1..24dbbf0419 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort_by.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
-use alphanumeric_sort::compare_str;
-use nu_engine::{column::column_does_not_exist, CallExt};
+use nu_engine::CallExt;
 use nu_protocol::{
     ast::Call,
     engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack},
     Category, Example, IntoInterruptiblePipelineData, PipelineData, ShellError, Signature, Span,
     SyntaxShape, Value,
 };
-use std::cmp::Ordering;
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct SortBy;
@@ -153,7 +151,7 @@ impl Command for SortBy {
         let metadata = &input.metadata();
         let mut vec: Vec<_> = input.into_iter().collect();
 
-        sort(&mut vec, columns, call.head, insensitive, natural)?;
+        crate::sort(&mut vec, columns, call.head, insensitive, natural)?;
 
         if reverse {
             vec.reverse()
@@ -169,182 +167,6 @@ impl Command for SortBy {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn sort(
-    vec: &mut [Value],
-    columns: Vec<String>,
-    span: Span,
-    insensitive: bool,
-    natural: bool,
-) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
-    if vec.is_empty() {
-        return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
-            "no values to work with".to_string(),
-            "".to_string(),
-            None,
-            Some("no values to work with".to_string()),
-            Vec::new(),
-        ));
-    }
-
-    match &vec[0] {
-        Value::Record {
-            cols,
-            vals: _input_vals,
-            ..
-        } => {
-            if columns.is_empty() {
-                println!("sort-by requires a column name to sort table data");
-                return Err(ShellError::CantFindColumn(span, span));
-            }
-
-            if column_does_not_exist(columns.clone(), cols.to_vec()) {
-                return Err(ShellError::CantFindColumn(span, span));
-            }
-
-            // check to make sure each value in each column in the record
-            // that we asked for is a string. So, first collect all the columns
-            // that we asked for into vals, then later make sure they're all
-            // strings.
-            let mut vals = vec![];
-            for item in vec.iter() {
-                for col in &columns {
-                    let val = match item.get_data_by_key(col) {
-                        Some(v) => v,
-                        None => Value::nothing(Span::test_data()),
-                    };
-                    vals.push(val);
-                }
-            }
-
-            let should_sort_case_insensitively = insensitive
-                && vals
-                    .iter()
-                    .all(|x| matches!(x.get_type(), nu_protocol::Type::String));
-
-            let should_sort_case_naturally = natural
-                && vals
-                    .iter()
-                    .all(|x| matches!(x.get_type(), nu_protocol::Type::String));
-
-            vec.sort_by(|a, b| {
-                process(
-                    a,
-                    b,
-                    &columns,
-                    span,
-                    should_sort_case_insensitively,
-                    should_sort_case_naturally,
-                )
-            });
-        }
-        _ => {
-            vec.sort_by(|a, b| {
-                if insensitive {
-                    let lowercase_left = match a {
-                        Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
-                            val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
-                            span: *span,
-                        },
-                        _ => a.clone(),
-                    };
-
-                    let lowercase_right = match b {
-                        Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
-                            val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
-                            span: *span,
-                        },
-                        _ => b.clone(),
-                    };
-
-                    if natural {
-                        match (lowercase_left.as_string(), lowercase_right.as_string()) {
-                            (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
-                            _ => Ordering::Equal,
-                        }
-                    } else {
-                        lowercase_left
-                            .partial_cmp(&lowercase_right)
-                            .unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
-                    }
-                } else if natural {
-                    match (a.as_string(), b.as_string()) {
-                        (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
-                        _ => Ordering::Equal,
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    a.partial_cmp(b).unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
-                }
-            });
-        }
-    }
-    Ok(())
-}
-
-pub fn process(
-    left: &Value,
-    right: &Value,
-    columns: &[String],
-    span: Span,
-    insensitive: bool,
-    natural: bool,
-) -> Ordering {
-    for column in columns {
-        let left_value = left.get_data_by_key(column);
-
-        let left_res = match left_value {
-            Some(left_res) => left_res,
-            None => Value::Nothing { span },
-        };
-
-        let right_value = right.get_data_by_key(column);
-
-        let right_res = match right_value {
-            Some(right_res) => right_res,
-            None => Value::Nothing { span },
-        };
-
-        let result = if insensitive {
-            let lowercase_left = match left_res {
-                Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
-                    val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
-                    span,
-                },
-                _ => left_res,
-            };
-
-            let lowercase_right = match right_res {
-                Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
-                    val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
-                    span,
-                },
-                _ => right_res,
-            };
-            if natural {
-                match (lowercase_left.as_string(), lowercase_right.as_string()) {
-                    (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
-                    _ => Ordering::Equal,
-                }
-            } else {
-                lowercase_left
-                    .partial_cmp(&lowercase_right)
-                    .unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
-            }
-        } else if natural {
-            match (left_res.as_string(), right_res.as_string()) {
-                (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
-                _ => Ordering::Equal,
-            }
-        } else {
-            left_res.partial_cmp(&right_res).unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
-        };
-        if result != Ordering::Equal {
-            return result;
-        }
-    }
-
-    Ordering::Equal
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs
index 45ad3f493d..1d58fc3242 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/lib.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ mod path;
 mod platform;
 mod random;
 mod shells;
+mod sort_utils;
 mod strings;
 mod system;
 mod viewers;
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ pub use path::*;
 pub use platform::*;
 pub use random::*;
 pub use shells::*;
+pub use sort_utils::*;
 pub use strings::*;
 pub use system::*;
 pub use viewers::*;
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9189a2c79b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,366 @@
+use alphanumeric_sort::compare_str;
+use nu_engine::column::column_does_not_exist;
+use nu_protocol::{ShellError, Span, Value};
+use std::cmp::Ordering;
+
+// This module includes sorting functionality that is useful in sort-by and elsewhere.
+// Eventually it would be nice to find a better home for it; sorting logic is only coupled
+// to commands for historical reasons.
+
+/// Sort a value. This only makes sense for lists and list-like things,
+/// so for everything else we just return the value as-is.
+/// CustomValues are converted to their base value and then sorted.
+pub fn sort_value(
+    val: &Value,
+    sort_columns: Vec<String>,
+    ascending: bool,
+    insensitive: bool,
+    natural: bool,
+) -> Result<Value, ShellError> {
+    match val {
+        Value::List { vals, span } => {
+            let mut vals = vals.clone();
+            sort(&mut vals, sort_columns, *span, insensitive, natural)?;
+
+            if !ascending {
+                vals.reverse();
+            }
+
+            Ok(Value::List { vals, span: *span })
+        }
+        Value::CustomValue { val, span } => {
+            let base_val = val.to_base_value(*span)?;
+            sort_value(&base_val, sort_columns, ascending, insensitive, natural)
+        }
+        _ => Ok(val.to_owned()),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Sort a value in-place. This is more efficient than sort_value() because it
+/// avoids cloning, but it does not work for CustomValues; they are returned as-is.
+pub fn sort_value_in_place(
+    val: &mut Value,
+    sort_columns: Vec<String>,
+    ascending: bool,
+    insensitive: bool,
+    natural: bool,
+) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
+    match val {
+        Value::List { vals, span } => {
+            sort(vals, sort_columns, *span, insensitive, natural)?;
+            if !ascending {
+                vals.reverse();
+            }
+            Ok(())
+        }
+        _ => Ok(()),
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn sort(
+    vec: &mut [Value],
+    sort_columns: Vec<String>,
+    span: Span,
+    insensitive: bool,
+    natural: bool,
+) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
+    if vec.is_empty() {
+        return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
+            "no values to work with".to_string(),
+            "".to_string(),
+            None,
+            Some("no values to work with".to_string()),
+            Vec::new(),
+        ));
+    }
+
+    match &vec[0] {
+        Value::Record {
+            cols,
+            vals: _input_vals,
+            ..
+        } => {
+            if sort_columns.is_empty() {
+                println!("sort-by requires a column name to sort table data");
+                return Err(ShellError::CantFindColumn(span, span));
+            }
+
+            if column_does_not_exist(sort_columns.clone(), cols.to_vec()) {
+                return Err(ShellError::CantFindColumn(span, span));
+            }
+
+            // check to make sure each value in each column in the record
+            // that we asked for is a string. So, first collect all the columns
+            // that we asked for into vals, then later make sure they're all
+            // strings.
+            let mut vals = vec![];
+            for item in vec.iter() {
+                for col in &sort_columns {
+                    let val = match item.get_data_by_key(col) {
+                        Some(v) => v,
+                        None => Value::nothing(Span::test_data()),
+                    };
+                    vals.push(val);
+                }
+            }
+
+            let should_sort_case_insensitively = insensitive
+                && vals
+                    .iter()
+                    .all(|x| matches!(x.get_type(), nu_protocol::Type::String));
+
+            let should_sort_case_naturally = natural
+                && vals
+                    .iter()
+                    .all(|x| matches!(x.get_type(), nu_protocol::Type::String));
+
+            vec.sort_by(|a, b| {
+                compare(
+                    a,
+                    b,
+                    &sort_columns,
+                    span,
+                    should_sort_case_insensitively,
+                    should_sort_case_naturally,
+                )
+            });
+        }
+        _ => {
+            vec.sort_by(|a, b| {
+                if insensitive {
+                    let lowercase_left = match a {
+                        Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
+                            val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
+                            span: *span,
+                        },
+                        _ => a.clone(),
+                    };
+
+                    let lowercase_right = match b {
+                        Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
+                            val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
+                            span: *span,
+                        },
+                        _ => b.clone(),
+                    };
+
+                    if natural {
+                        match (lowercase_left.as_string(), lowercase_right.as_string()) {
+                            (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
+                            _ => Ordering::Equal,
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        lowercase_left
+                            .partial_cmp(&lowercase_right)
+                            .unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
+                    }
+                } else if natural {
+                    match (a.as_string(), b.as_string()) {
+                        (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
+                        _ => Ordering::Equal,
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    a.partial_cmp(b).unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
+                }
+            });
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn compare(
+    left: &Value,
+    right: &Value,
+    columns: &[String],
+    span: Span,
+    insensitive: bool,
+    natural: bool,
+) -> Ordering {
+    for column in columns {
+        let left_value = left.get_data_by_key(column);
+
+        let left_res = match left_value {
+            Some(left_res) => left_res,
+            None => Value::Nothing { span },
+        };
+
+        let right_value = right.get_data_by_key(column);
+
+        let right_res = match right_value {
+            Some(right_res) => right_res,
+            None => Value::Nothing { span },
+        };
+
+        let result = if insensitive {
+            let lowercase_left = match left_res {
+                Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
+                    val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
+                    span,
+                },
+                _ => left_res,
+            };
+
+            let lowercase_right = match right_res {
+                Value::String { val, span } => Value::String {
+                    val: val.to_ascii_lowercase(),
+                    span,
+                },
+                _ => right_res,
+            };
+            if natural {
+                match (lowercase_left.as_string(), lowercase_right.as_string()) {
+                    (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
+                    _ => Ordering::Equal,
+                }
+            } else {
+                lowercase_left
+                    .partial_cmp(&lowercase_right)
+                    .unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
+            }
+        } else if natural {
+            match (left_res.as_string(), right_res.as_string()) {
+                (Ok(left), Ok(right)) => compare_str(left, right),
+                _ => Ordering::Equal,
+            }
+        } else {
+            left_res.partial_cmp(&right_res).unwrap_or(Ordering::Equal)
+        };
+        if result != Ordering::Equal {
+            return result;
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ordering::Equal
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_sort_value() {
+    let val = Value::List {
+        vals: vec![
+            Value::test_record(
+                vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                vec![Value::test_string("pear"), Value::test_int(3)],
+            ),
+            Value::test_record(
+                vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                vec![Value::test_string("orange"), Value::test_int(7)],
+            ),
+            Value::test_record(
+                vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                vec![Value::test_string("apple"), Value::test_int(9)],
+            ),
+        ],
+        span: Span::test_data(),
+    };
+
+    let sorted_alphabetically =
+        sort_value(&val, vec!["fruit".to_string()], true, false, false).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        sorted_alphabetically,
+        Value::List {
+            vals: vec![
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("apple"), Value::test_int(9)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("orange"), Value::test_int(7)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("pear"), Value::test_int(3)],
+                ),
+            ],
+            span: Span::test_data(),
+        }
+    );
+
+    let sorted_by_count_desc =
+        sort_value(&val, vec!["count".to_string()], false, false, false).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        sorted_by_count_desc,
+        Value::List {
+            vals: vec![
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("apple"), Value::test_int(9)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("orange"), Value::test_int(7)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("pear"), Value::test_int(3)],
+                ),
+            ],
+            span: Span::test_data(),
+        }
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_sort_value_in_place() {
+    let mut val = Value::List {
+        vals: vec![
+            Value::test_record(
+                vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                vec![Value::test_string("pear"), Value::test_int(3)],
+            ),
+            Value::test_record(
+                vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                vec![Value::test_string("orange"), Value::test_int(7)],
+            ),
+            Value::test_record(
+                vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                vec![Value::test_string("apple"), Value::test_int(9)],
+            ),
+        ],
+        span: Span::test_data(),
+    };
+
+    sort_value_in_place(&mut val, vec!["fruit".to_string()], true, false, false).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        val,
+        Value::List {
+            vals: vec![
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("apple"), Value::test_int(9)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("orange"), Value::test_int(7)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("pear"), Value::test_int(3)],
+                ),
+            ],
+            span: Span::test_data(),
+        }
+    );
+
+    sort_value_in_place(&mut val, vec!["count".to_string()], false, false, false).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        val,
+        Value::List {
+            vals: vec![
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("apple"), Value::test_int(9)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("orange"), Value::test_int(7)],
+                ),
+                Value::test_record(
+                    vec!["fruit", "count"],
+                    vec![Value::test_string("pear"), Value::test_int(3)],
+                ),
+            ],
+            span: Span::test_data(),
+        }
+    );
+}