diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go b/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go
index 027099af88..308bc7099f 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/hosts.go
@@ -23,6 +23,19 @@ import (
 
 var hostSearchColumns = []string{"hostname", "computer_name", "uuid", "hardware_serial", "primary_ip"}
 
+// Fixme: We should not make implementation details of the database schema part of the API.
+var defaultHostColumnTableAliases = map[string]string{
+	"created_at": "h.created_at",
+	"updated_at": "h.updated_at",
+}
+
+func defaultHostColumnTableAlias(s string) string {
+	if newCol, ok := defaultHostColumnTableAliases[s]; ok {
+		return newCol
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
 // NewHost creates a new host on the datastore.
 //
 // Currently only used for testing.
@@ -571,6 +584,8 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListHosts(ctx context.Context, filter fleet.TeamFilter, opt
 }
 
 func (ds *Datastore) applyHostFilters(opt fleet.HostListOptions, sql string, filter fleet.TeamFilter, params []interface{}) (string, []interface{}) {
+	opt.OrderKey = defaultHostColumnTableAlias(opt.OrderKey)
+
 	deviceMappingJoin := `LEFT JOIN (
 		SELECT
 			host_id,
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/hosts_test.go b/server/datastore/mysql/hosts_test.go
index 8cfc039895..1084159d32 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/hosts_test.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/hosts_test.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func TestHosts(t *testing.T) {
 		{"FailingPoliciesCount", testFailingPoliciesCount},
 		{"SetOrUpdateHostDisksSpace", testHostsSetOrUpdateHostDisksSpace},
 		{"HostIDsByOSID", testHostIDsByOSID},
-		{"TestHostDisplayName", testHostDisplayName},
+		{"TestHostOrder", testHostOrder},
 	}
 	for _, c := range cases {
 		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -5372,8 +5372,8 @@ func testHostsSetOrUpdateHostDisksSpace(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
 	require.Equal(t, 6.0, h.PercentDiskSpaceAvailable)
 }
 
-// testHostDisplayName tests listing a host sorted by display name.
-func testHostDisplayName(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
+// testHostOrder tests listing a host sorted by different keys.
+func testHostOrder(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	_, err := ds.NewHost(ctx, &fleet.Host{ID: 1, OsqueryHostID: "1", Hostname: "0001", NodeKey: "1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -5381,17 +5381,41 @@ func testHostDisplayName(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	_, err = ds.NewHost(ctx, &fleet.Host{ID: 3, OsqueryHostID: "3", Hostname: "0003", NodeKey: "3"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
+	chk := func(hosts []*fleet.Host, expect ...string) {
+		require.Len(t, hosts, len(expect))
+		for i, h := range hosts {
+			assert.Equal(t, expect[i], h.DisplayName())
+		}
+	}
 	hosts, err := ds.ListHosts(ctx, fleet.TeamFilter{User: test.UserAdmin}, fleet.HostListOptions{
 		ListOptions: fleet.ListOptions{
 			OrderKey: "display_name",
 		},
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	expect := []string{"0001", "0003", "0004"}
-	require.Len(t, hosts, len(expect))
-	for i, h := range hosts {
-		assert.Equal(t, expect[i], h.DisplayName())
-	}
+	chk(hosts, "0001", "0003", "0004")
+
+	ds.writer.Exec(`UPDATE hosts SET created_at = created_at + id`)
+
+	hosts, err = ds.ListHosts(ctx, fleet.TeamFilter{User: test.UserAdmin}, fleet.HostListOptions{
+		ListOptions: fleet.ListOptions{
+			OrderKey:       "created_at",
+			After:          "2010-10-22T20:22:03Z",
+			OrderDirection: fleet.OrderAscending,
+		},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	chk(hosts, "0001", "0004", "0003")
+
+	hosts, err = ds.ListHosts(ctx, fleet.TeamFilter{User: test.UserAdmin}, fleet.HostListOptions{
+		ListOptions: fleet.ListOptions{
+			OrderKey:       "created_at",
+			After:          "2180-10-22T20:22:03Z",
+			OrderDirection: fleet.OrderDescending,
+		},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	chk(hosts, "0003", "0004", "0001")
 }
 
 func testHostIDsByOSID(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {