diff --git a/structr-ui/src/main/java/org/structr/websocket/command/SearchCommand.java b/structr-ui/src/main/java/org/structr/websocket/command/SearchCommand.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/structr-ui/src/main/java/org/structr/websocket/command/SearchCommand.java
+++ b/structr-ui/src/main/java/org/structr/websocket/command/SearchCommand.java
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public class SearchCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 		}
 
 		final String sortOrder = webSocketData.getSortOrder();
-		final String sortKey = webSocketData.getSortKey();
+		final String sortKey = (webSocketData.getSortKey() == null ? "name" : webSocketData.getSortKey());
 		final PropertyKey sortProperty = StructrApp.key(AbstractNode.class, sortKey);
 		final Query query = StructrApp.getInstance(securityContext).nodeQuery().includeDeletedAndHidden().sort(sortProperty).order("desc".equals(sortOrder));
Bugfix: If no sort key is given for the search command then use "name" by default instead of producing a stack trace.