diff --git a/src/translate.js b/src/translate.js
index 9318e5a5..cfffd03d 100644
--- a/src/translate.js
+++ b/src/translate.js
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ export const translateQuery = ({
     temporalArgs
   );
   const outerSkipLimit = getOuterSkipLimit(first, offset);
-  const orderByValue = computeOrderBy(resolveInfo, selections);
+  const orderByValue = computeOrderBy(resolveInfo, schemaType);
 
   if (queryTypeCypherDirective) {
     return customQuery({
@@ -706,6 +706,7 @@ const customQuery = ({
   });
   const isScalarType = isGraphqlScalarType(schemaType);
   const temporalType = isTemporalType(schemaType.name);
+  const { cypherPart: orderByClause } = orderByValue;
   const query = `WITH apoc.cypher.runFirstColumn("${
     cypherQueryArg.value.value
   }", ${argString ||
@@ -713,7 +714,7 @@ const customQuery = ({
     // Don't add subQuery for scalar type payloads
     // FIXME: fix subselection translation for temporal type payload
     !temporalType && !isScalarType
-      ? `{${subQuery}} AS ${safeVariableName}${orderByValue}`
+      ? `{${subQuery}} AS ${safeVariableName}${orderByClause}`
       : ''
   }${outerSkipLimit}`;
   return [query, params];
@@ -795,11 +796,15 @@ const nodeQuery = ({
 
   const predicate = predicateClauses ? `WHERE ${predicateClauses} ` : '';
 
-  let query =
-    `MATCH (${safeVariableName}:${safeLabelName}${
-      argString ? ` ${argString}` : ''
-    }) ${predicate}` +
-    `RETURN ${safeVariableName} {${subQuery}} AS ${safeVariableName}${orderByValue}${outerSkipLimit}`;
+  const { optimization, cypherPart: orderByClause } = orderByValue;
+
+  let query = `MATCH (${safeVariableName}:${safeLabelName}${
+    argString ? ` ${argString}` : ''
+  }) ${predicate}${
+    optimization.earlyOrderBy ? `WITH ${safeVariableName}${orderByClause}` : ''
+  }RETURN ${safeVariableName} {${subQuery}} AS ${safeVariableName}${
+    optimization.earlyOrderBy ? '' : orderByClause
+  }${outerSkipLimit}`;
 
   return [query, params];
 };
@@ -817,7 +822,7 @@ export const translateMutation = ({
   otherParams
 }) => {
   const outerSkipLimit = getOuterSkipLimit(first, offset);
-  const orderByValue = computeOrderBy(resolveInfo, selections);
+  const orderByValue = computeOrderBy(resolveInfo, schemaType);
   const mutationTypeCypherDirective = getMutationCypherDirective(resolveInfo);
   const params = initializeMutationParams({
     resolveInfo,
@@ -918,13 +923,14 @@ const customMutation = ({
   if (cypherParams) {
     params['cypherParams'] = cypherParams;
   }
+  const { cypherPart: orderByClause } = orderByValue;
   const query = `CALL apoc.cypher.doIt("${
     cypherQueryArg.value.value
   }", ${argString}) YIELD value
     WITH apoc.map.values(value, [keys(value)[0]])[0] AS ${safeVariableName}
     RETURN ${safeVariableName} ${
     !temporalType && !isScalarType
-      ? `{${subQuery}} AS ${safeVariableName}${orderByValue}${outerSkipLimit}`
+      ? `{${subQuery}} AS ${safeVariableName}${orderByClause}${outerSkipLimit}`
       : ''
   }`;
   return [query, params];
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index f1a40b6b..690b65f6 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -375,31 +375,49 @@ export function computeSkipLimit(selection, variableValues) {
   return `[${offset}..${parseInt(offset) + parseInt(first)}]`;
 }
 
-function orderByStatement(resolveInfo, orderByVar) {
+function splitOrderByArg(orderByVar) {
   const splitIndex = orderByVar.lastIndexOf('_');
   const order = orderByVar.substring(splitIndex + 1);
   const orderBy = orderByVar.substring(0, splitIndex);
+  return { orderBy, order };
+}
+
+function orderByStatement(resolveInfo, { orderBy, order }) {
   const { variableName } = typeIdentifiers(resolveInfo.returnType);
   return ` ${variableName}.${orderBy} ${order === 'asc' ? 'ASC' : 'DESC'} `;
 }
 
-export const computeOrderBy = (resolveInfo, selection) => {
+export const computeOrderBy = (resolveInfo, schemaType) => {
+  let selection = resolveInfo.operation.selectionSet.selections[0];
   const orderByArgs = argumentValue(
-    resolveInfo.operation.selectionSet.selections[0],
+    selection,
     'orderBy',
     resolveInfo.variableValues
   );
 
   if (orderByArgs == undefined) {
-    return '';
+    return { cypherPart: '', optimization: { earlyOrderBy: false } };
   }
 
   const orderByArray = Array.isArray(orderByArgs) ? orderByArgs : [orderByArgs];
-  const orderByStatments = orderByArray.map(orderByVar =>
-    orderByStatement(resolveInfo, orderByVar)
-  );
 
-  return ' ORDER BY' + orderByStatments.join(',');
+  let optimization = { earlyOrderBy: true };
+  let orderByStatements = [];
+
+  const orderByStatments = orderByArray.map(orderByVar => {
+    const { orderBy, order } = splitOrderByArg(orderByVar);
+    const hasNoCypherDirective = _.isEmpty(
+      cypherDirective(schemaType, orderBy)
+    );
+    optimization.earlyOrderBy =
+      optimization.earlyOrderBy && hasNoCypherDirective;
+    orderByStatements.push(orderByStatement(resolveInfo, { orderBy, order }));
+  });
+
+  return {
+    cypherPart: ` ORDER BY${orderByStatements.join(',')}`,
+    optimization
+  };
 };
 
 export const possiblySetFirstId = ({ args, statements, params }) => {
diff --git a/test/cypherTest.js b/test/cypherTest.js
index bf4a05f9..d4a10712 100644
--- a/test/cypherTest.js
+++ b/test/cypherTest.js
@@ -1346,7 +1346,7 @@ test('orderBy test - descending, top level - augmented schema', t => {
     }
   }
   `,
-    expectedCypherQuery = `MATCH (\`movie\`:\`Movie\` {year:$year}) RETURN \`movie\` { .title ,actors: [(\`movie\`)<-[:\`ACTED_IN\`]-(\`movie_actors\`:\`Actor\`) | movie_actors { .name }][..3] } AS \`movie\` ORDER BY movie.title DESC  LIMIT $first`;
+    expectedCypherQuery = `MATCH (\`movie\`:\`Movie\` {year:$year}) WITH \`movie\` ORDER BY movie.title DESC RETURN \`movie\` { .title ,actors: [(\`movie\`)<-[:\`ACTED_IN\`]-(\`movie_actors\`:\`Actor\`) | movie_actors { .name }][..3] } AS \`movie\` LIMIT $first`;
 
   t.plan(1);
 
@@ -3860,7 +3860,38 @@ test('Deeply nested orderBy', t => {
     }
   }`,
     expectedCypherQuery =
-      "MATCH (`movie`:`Movie`) RETURN `movie` { .title ,actors: apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`movie`)<-[:`ACTED_IN`]-(`movie_actors`:`Actor`) | movie_actors { .name ,movies: apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`movie_actors`)-[:`ACTED_IN`]->(`movie_actors_movies`:`Movie`) | movie_actors_movies { .title }], ['^title','title']) }], ['name']) } AS `movie` ORDER BY movie.title DESC ";
+      "MATCH (`movie`:`Movie`) WITH `movie` ORDER BY movie.title DESC RETURN `movie` { .title ,actors: apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`movie`)<-[:`ACTED_IN`]-(`movie_actors`:`Actor`) | movie_actors { .name ,movies: apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`movie_actors`)-[:`ACTED_IN`]->(`movie_actors_movies`:`Movie`) | movie_actors_movies { .title }], ['^title','title']) }], ['name']) } AS `movie`";
+
+  t.plan(1);
+  return Promise.all([
+    augmentedSchemaCypherTestRunner(t, graphQLQuery, {}, expectedCypherQuery)
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('Optimize performance - not requesting attributes with @cypher directive - early ORDER BY', async t => {
+  const graphQLQuery = `{
+    User(orderBy: name_desc) {
+      _id
+      name
+    }
+  }`,
+    expectedCypherQuery = `MATCH (\`user\`:\`User\`) WITH \`user\` ORDER BY user.name DESC RETURN \`user\` {_id: ID(\`user\`), .name } AS \`user\``;
+
+  t.plan(1);
+  return Promise.all([
+    augmentedSchemaCypherTestRunner(t, graphQLQuery, {}, expectedCypherQuery)
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('Optimize performance - attributes with @cypher directive requested - no optimization', async t => {
+  const graphQLQuery = `{
+    User(orderBy: currentUserId_desc) {
+      _id
+      name
+      currentUserId
+    }
+  }`,
+    expectedCypherQuery = `MATCH (\`user\`:\`User\`) RETURN \`user\` {_id: ID(\`user\`), .name ,currentUserId: apoc.cypher.runFirstColumn("RETURN $cypherParams.currentUserId AS cypherParamsUserId", {this: user, cypherParams: $cypherParams, strArg: "Neo4j"}, false)} AS \`user\` ORDER BY user.currentUserId DESC `;
 
   t.plan(1);
   return Promise.all([
@@ -3876,7 +3907,7 @@ test('Query using enum orderBy', t => {
     }
   }`,
     expectedCypherQuery =
-      'MATCH (`book`:`Book`) RETURN `book` {_id: ID(`book`), .genre } AS `book` ORDER BY book.genre ASC ';
+      'MATCH (`book`:`Book`) WITH `book` ORDER BY book.genre ASC RETURN `book` {_id: ID(`book`), .genre } AS `book`';
 
   t.plan(1);
   return Promise.all([
@@ -3895,7 +3926,7 @@ test('Query using temporal orderBy', t => {
     }
   }`,
     expectedCypherQuery =
-      'MATCH (`temporalNode`:`TemporalNode`) RETURN `temporalNode` {datetime: { formatted: toString(`temporalNode`.datetime) }} AS `temporalNode` ORDER BY temporalNode.datetime DESC , temporalNode.datetime ASC ';
+      'MATCH (`temporalNode`:`TemporalNode`) WITH `temporalNode` ORDER BY temporalNode.datetime DESC , temporalNode.datetime ASC RETURN `temporalNode` {datetime: { formatted: toString(`temporalNode`.datetime) }} AS `temporalNode`';
 
   t.plan(1);
   return Promise.all([
@@ -3952,7 +3983,7 @@ test('Deeply nested query using temporal orderBy', t => {
     }
   }`,
     expectedCypherQuery =
-      "MATCH (`temporalNode`:`TemporalNode`) RETURN `temporalNode` {_id: ID(`temporalNode`),datetime: { year: `temporalNode`.datetime.year , month: `temporalNode`.datetime.month , day: `temporalNode`.datetime.day , hour: `temporalNode`.datetime.hour , minute: `temporalNode`.datetime.minute , second: `temporalNode`.datetime.second , millisecond: `temporalNode`.datetime.millisecond , microsecond: `temporalNode`.datetime.microsecond , nanosecond: `temporalNode`.datetime.nanosecond , timezone: `temporalNode`.datetime.timezone , formatted: toString(`temporalNode`.datetime) },temporalNodes: [sortedElement IN apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`temporalNode`)-[:`TEMPORAL`]->(`temporalNode_temporalNodes`:`TemporalNode`) | temporalNode_temporalNodes {_id: ID(`temporalNode_temporalNodes`),datetime: `temporalNode_temporalNodes`.datetime,time: `temporalNode_temporalNodes`.time,temporalNodes: [sortedElement IN apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`temporalNode_temporalNodes`)-[:`TEMPORAL`]->(`temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`:`TemporalNode`) | temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes {_id: ID(`temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`),datetime: `temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`.datetime,time: `temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`.time}], ['datetime','time']) | sortedElement { .*,  datetime: {year: sortedElement.datetime.year,formatted: toString(sortedElement.datetime)},time: {hour: sortedElement.time.hour}}][1..3] }], ['^datetime']) | sortedElement { .*,  datetime: {year: sortedElement.datetime.year,month: sortedElement.datetime.month,day: sortedElement.datetime.day,hour: sortedElement.datetime.hour,minute: sortedElement.datetime.minute,second: sortedElement.datetime.second,millisecond: sortedElement.datetime.millisecond,microsecond: sortedElement.datetime.microsecond,nanosecond: sortedElement.datetime.nanosecond,timezone: sortedElement.datetime.timezone,formatted: toString(sortedElement.datetime)},time: {hour: sortedElement.time.hour}}] } AS `temporalNode` ORDER BY temporalNode.datetime DESC ";
+      "MATCH (`temporalNode`:`TemporalNode`) WITH `temporalNode` ORDER BY temporalNode.datetime DESC RETURN `temporalNode` {_id: ID(`temporalNode`),datetime: { year: `temporalNode`.datetime.year , month: `temporalNode`.datetime.month , day: `temporalNode`.datetime.day , hour: `temporalNode`.datetime.hour , minute: `temporalNode`.datetime.minute , second: `temporalNode`.datetime.second , millisecond: `temporalNode`.datetime.millisecond , microsecond: `temporalNode`.datetime.microsecond , nanosecond: `temporalNode`.datetime.nanosecond , timezone: `temporalNode`.datetime.timezone , formatted: toString(`temporalNode`.datetime) },temporalNodes: [sortedElement IN apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`temporalNode`)-[:`TEMPORAL`]->(`temporalNode_temporalNodes`:`TemporalNode`) | temporalNode_temporalNodes {_id: ID(`temporalNode_temporalNodes`),datetime: `temporalNode_temporalNodes`.datetime,time: `temporalNode_temporalNodes`.time,temporalNodes: [sortedElement IN apoc.coll.sortMulti([(`temporalNode_temporalNodes`)-[:`TEMPORAL`]->(`temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`:`TemporalNode`) | temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes {_id: ID(`temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`),datetime: `temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`.datetime,time: `temporalNode_temporalNodes_temporalNodes`.time}], ['datetime','time']) | sortedElement { .*,  datetime: {year: sortedElement.datetime.year,formatted: toString(sortedElement.datetime)},time: {hour: sortedElement.time.hour}}][1..3] }], ['^datetime']) | sortedElement { .*,  datetime: {year: sortedElement.datetime.year,month: sortedElement.datetime.month,day: sortedElement.datetime.day,hour: sortedElement.datetime.hour,minute: sortedElement.datetime.minute,second: sortedElement.datetime.second,millisecond: sortedElement.datetime.millisecond,microsecond: sortedElement.datetime.microsecond,nanosecond: sortedElement.datetime.nanosecond,timezone: sortedElement.datetime.timezone,formatted: toString(sortedElement.datetime)},time: {hour: sortedElement.time.hour}}] } AS `temporalNode`";
 
   t.plan(1);
   return Promise.all([