diff --git a/src/ORM/DataList.php b/src/ORM/DataList.php
index e9f65b04dc0..e253daefc7f 100644
--- a/src/ORM/DataList.php
+++ b/src/ORM/DataList.php
@@ -321,9 +321,35 @@ public function distinct($value)
      * @param string|array Escaped SQL statement. If passed as array, all keys and values are assumed to be escaped.
      * @return static
      */
-    public function sort()
+    public function sort(...$args)
     {
-        $count = func_num_args();
+        return $this->sortInner(false, $args);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The same as sort(), though allows raw SQL to be used for sorting
+     *
+     * Return a new DataList instance as a copy of this data list with the sort
+     * order set.
+     *
+     * @see SS_List::sort()
+     * @see SQLSelect::orderby
+     * @example $list = $list->sort('Name'); // default ASC sorting
+     * @example $list = $list->sort('Mod(ID, 3) ASC, Name ASC'); // Raw SQL sort
+     * @example $list = $list->sort('Name', 'ASC');
+     * @example $list = $list->sort(array('Name'=>'ASC', 'Age'=>'DESC'));
+     *
+     * @param string|array Escaped SQL statement. If passed as array, all keys and values are assumed to be escaped.
+     * @return static
+     */
+    public function sortRaw(...$args)
+    {
+        return $this->sortInner(true, $args);
+    }
+
+    private function sortInner(bool $allowRawSql, array $args)
+    {
+        $count = count($args);
 
         if ($count == 0) {
             return $this;
@@ -336,7 +362,7 @@ public function sort()
         if ($count == 2) {
             $col = null;
             $dir = null;
-            list($col, $dir) = func_get_args();
+            list($col, $dir) = $args;
 
             // Validate direction
             if (!in_array(strtolower($dir ?? ''), ['desc', 'asc'])) {
@@ -345,12 +371,16 @@ public function sort()
 
             $sort = [$col => $dir];
         } else {
-            $sort = func_get_arg(0);
+            $sort = $args[0];
         }
 
         return $this->alterDataQuery(function (DataQuery $query, DataList $list) use ($sort) {
 
             if (is_string($sort) && $sort) {
+                // TODO:
+                // this is raw sql - validate it matches "Name ASC, ID DESC" style if !$allowRawSql
+                // also validate that column exists - note: "This is a - (legit) column name" so
+                // regex will not work for validation
                 if (false !== stripos($sort ?? '', ' asc') || false !== stripos($sort ?? '', ' desc')) {
                     $query->sort($sort);
                 } else {
diff --git a/src/ORM/DataQuery.php b/src/ORM/DataQuery.php
index 89e9dae7442..bd4b2a4a632 100644
--- a/src/ORM/DataQuery.php
+++ b/src/ORM/DataQuery.php
@@ -722,6 +722,7 @@ public function whereAny($filter)
      * @param string $direction Direction ("ASC" or "DESC", escaped SQL statement)
      * @param bool $clear Clear existing values
      * @return $this
+     *
      */
     public function sort($sort = null, $direction = null, $clear = true)
     {