diff --git a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/components/edit/directoryentryselector/DirectoryEntrySelector.js b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/components/edit/directoryentryselector/DirectoryEntrySelector.js
index a872c3d2a8c..2f0e39be264 100644
--- a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/components/edit/directoryentryselector/DirectoryEntrySelector.js
+++ b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/components/edit/directoryentryselector/DirectoryEntrySelector.js
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@
             pre: function preLink(scope) {
               var directorySearchSettings = gnGlobalSettings.gnCfg.mods.directory || {};
 
+              var sortConfig = (
+                directorySearchSettings.sortBy || gnSearchSettings.sortBy
+              ).split("#");
+
               scope.searchObj = {
                 any: "",
                 internal: true,
@@ -138,8 +142,8 @@
                   from: 1,
                   to: 20,
                   root: "gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty",
-                  sortBy: directorySearchSettings.sortBy || gnSearchSettings.sortBy,
-                  sortOrder: "",
+                  sortBy: sortConfig[0] || "relevance",
+                  sortOrder: sortConfig[1] || "",
                   resultType: "subtemplates",
                   queryBase:
                     directorySearchSettings.queryBase || gnSearchSettings.queryBase
@@ -639,6 +643,10 @@
             pre: function preLink(scope) {
               var directorySearchSettings = gnGlobalSettings.gnCfg.mods.directory || {};
 
+              var sortConfig = (
+                directorySearchSettings.sortBy || gnSearchSettings.sortBy
+              ).split("#");
+
               scope.searchObj = {
                 internal: true,
                 configId: "directoryInEditor",
@@ -648,7 +656,8 @@
                   from: 1,
                   to: 10,
                   root: "gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty",
-                  sortBy: directorySearchSettings.sortBy || gnSearchSettings.sortBy,
+                  sortBy: sortConfig[0] || "relevance",
+                  sortOrder: sortConfig[1] || "",
                   queryBase:
                     directorySearchSettings.queryBase || gnSearchSettings.queryBase
                 }
diff --git a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/edit/DirectoryController.js b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/edit/DirectoryController.js
index 3baa7a89bd0..8c8b6abfe81 100644
--- a/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/edit/DirectoryController.js
+++ b/web-ui/src/main/resources/catalog/js/edit/DirectoryController.js
@@ -106,12 +106,17 @@
 
       $scope.facetConfig = directorySearchSettings.facetConfig;
 
+      var sortConfig = (directorySearchSettings.sortBy || gnSearchSettings.sortBy).split(
+        "#"
+      );
+
       $scope.defaultSearchObj = {
         selectionBucket: "d101",
         configId: "directory",
         any: "",
         params: {
-          sortBy: directorySearchSettings.sortBy || gnSearchSettings.sortBy,
+          sortBy: sortConfig[0] || "relevance",
+          sortOrder: sortConfig[1] || "",
           isTemplate: ["s"],
           from: 1,
           to: 20,