diff --git a/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/index.ts b/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/index.ts
index ca197a80950d7..a1bdce8a7ccb2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/index.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/index.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ export { convertToLastValueColumn } from './last_value';
 export { convertToStaticValueColumn } from './static_value';
 export { convertToFiltersColumn } from './filters';
 export { convertToDateHistogramColumn } from './date_histogram';
-export { converToTermsColumns } from './terms';
+export { converToTermsColumn } from './terms';
 
 export * from './types';
diff --git a/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/terms.ts b/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/terms.ts
index 4db8211bba35d..91a115c167ba4 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/terms.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/convert/terms.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ const getOrderByWithAgg = (series: Series, columns: Column[]): OrderByWithAgg |
     return { orderBy: { type: 'alphabetical' } };
   }
 
-  if (series.terms_order_by === '_count') {
+  if (series.terms_order_by === '_count' || !series.terms_order_by) {
     const columnId = uuid();
     return {
       orderBy: { type: 'column', columnId },
@@ -56,7 +56,11 @@ const getOrderByWithAgg = (series: Series, columns: Column[]): OrderByWithAgg |
   };
 };
 
-export const convertToTermsParams = (series: Series, columns: Column[]): TermsParams | null => {
+export const convertToTermsParams = (
+  series: Series,
+  columns: Column[],
+  secondaryFields: string[]
+): TermsParams | null => {
   const orderDirection: TermsParams['orderDirection'] =
     series.terms_direction === 'asc' ? 'asc' : 'desc';
 
@@ -75,23 +79,25 @@ export const convertToTermsParams = (series: Series, columns: Column[]): TermsPa
     orderDirection,
     parentFormat: { id: 'terms' },
     ...orderByWithAgg,
+    secondaryFields,
   };
 };
 
 export const converToTermsColumn = (
-  termField: string,
+  termFields: string[],
   series: Series,
   columns: Column[],
   dataView: DataView,
   isSplit: boolean = false
 ): TermsColumn | null => {
-  const field = dataView.getFieldByName(termField);
+  const [baseField, ...secondaryFields] = termFields;
+  const field = dataView.getFieldByName(baseField);
 
   if (!field) {
     return null;
   }
 
-  const params = convertToTermsParams(series, columns);
+  const params = convertToTermsParams(series, columns, secondaryFields);
   if (!params) {
     return params;
   }
@@ -106,13 +112,3 @@ export const converToTermsColumn = (
     params,
   };
 };
-
-export const converToTermsColumns = (
-  termFields: string[],
-  series: Series,
-  columns: Column[],
-  dataView: DataView,
-  isSplit: boolean = false
-): Array<TermsColumn | null> => {
-  return termFields.map((field) => converToTermsColumn(field, series, columns, dataView, isSplit));
-};
diff --git a/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/series/buckets_columns.ts b/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/series/buckets_columns.ts
index aa7a58f1fd9e1..ce33e78a26094 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/series/buckets_columns.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/vis_types/timeseries/public/convert_to_lens/lib/series/buckets_columns.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   Column,
   convertToFiltersColumn,
   convertToDateHistogramColumn,
-  converToTermsColumns,
+  converToTermsColumn,
 } from '../convert';
 import { getValidColumns } from './columns';
 
@@ -49,10 +49,7 @@ export const getBucketsColumns = (
 ) => {
   if (series.split_mode === 'filters' || series.split_mode === 'filter') {
     const filterColumn = convertToFiltersColumn(series, true);
-    if (!filterColumn) {
-      return null;
-    }
-    return [filterColumn];
+    return getValidColumns([filterColumn]);
   }
   if (series.split_mode === 'terms') {
     const splitFields = getFieldsForTerms(series.terms_field);
@@ -68,14 +65,11 @@ export const getBucketsColumns = (
         splitFields[0],
         true
       );
-      if (!dateHistogramColumn) {
-        return null;
-      }
-      return [dateHistogramColumn];
+      return getValidColumns([dateHistogramColumn]);
     }
 
-    const termsColumns = converToTermsColumns(splitFields, series, columns, dataView, isSplit);
-    return getValidColumns(termsColumns);
+    const termsColumn = converToTermsColumn(splitFields, series, columns, dataView, isSplit);
+    return getValidColumns([termsColumn]);
   }
   return [];
 };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/indexpattern_suggestions.ts b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/indexpattern_suggestions.ts
index efc63fa6a63de..123dcce6f3664 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/indexpattern_suggestions.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/indexpattern_suggestions.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import type {
   Column,
   AnyColumnWithReferences,
   AnyColumnWithSourceField,
+  TermsColumn,
 } from '@kbn/visualizations-plugin/common/convert_to_lens';
 import { generateId } from '../id_generator';
 import type {
@@ -206,6 +207,10 @@ function isFieldBasedColumn(column: Column): column is AnyColumnWithSourceField
   return 'sourceField' in column;
 }
 
+function isTermsColumn(column: Column): column is TermsColumn {
+  return column.operationType === 'terms';
+}
+
 function getSourceField(column: Column, indexPattern: IndexPattern) {
   return isFieldBasedColumn(column)
     ? column.sourceField === 'document'
@@ -256,6 +261,21 @@ function convertToColumnChange(columns: Layer['columns'], indexPattern: IndexPat
           },
         ];
       }
+      if (
+        isTermsColumn(column) &&
+        column.params.orderAgg &&
+        !columns.some((c) => c.columnId === column.params.orderAgg?.columnId)
+      ) {
+        const orderAggColumn: ColumnChange = {
+          op: column.params.orderAgg.operationType,
+          columnId: column.params.orderAgg.columnId,
+          field: getSourceField(column.params.orderAgg, indexPattern),
+          indexPattern,
+          visualizationGroups: [],
+          columnParams: getParams(column.params.orderAgg),
+        };
+        acc.push(orderAggColumn);
+      }
       acc.push(newColumn);
     }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/terms/index.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/terms/index.tsx
index 3959aa9778e0b..eec39bd530944 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/terms/index.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_datasource/operations/definitions/terms/index.tsx
@@ -226,18 +226,20 @@ export const termsOperation: OperationDefinition<
       sourceField: field.name,
       isBucketed: true,
       params: {
-        size: columnParams?.size ?? previousBucketsLength === 0 ? 5 : DEFAULT_SIZE,
+        size: columnParams?.size ?? (previousBucketsLength === 0 ? 5 : DEFAULT_SIZE),
         orderBy:
-          columnParams?.orderBy ?? existingMetricColumn
+          columnParams?.orderBy ??
+          (existingMetricColumn
             ? {
                 type: 'column',
                 columnId: existingMetricColumn,
               }
-            : { type: 'alphabetical', fallback: true },
-        orderDirection: columnParams?.orderDirection ?? existingMetricColumn ? 'desc' : 'asc',
+            : { type: 'alphabetical', fallback: true }),
+        orderDirection: columnParams?.orderDirection ?? (existingMetricColumn ? 'desc' : 'asc'),
         otherBucket: (columnParams?.otherBucket ?? true) && !indexPattern.hasRestrictions,
         missingBucket: columnParams?.missingBucket ?? false,
         parentFormat: columnParams?.parentFormat ?? { id: 'terms' },
+        secondaryFields: columnParams?.secondaryFields,
       },
     };
   },