diff --git a/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.cpp b/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.cpp
index 02ff25f36f1b..3fd8d639f3ef 100644
--- a/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.cpp
+++ b/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.cpp
@@ -1096,6 +1096,12 @@ DocumentMetaStore::foreach(const search::IGidToLidMapperVisitor &visitor) const
                               { visitor.visit(getRawMetaData(key.get_lid()).getGid(), key.get_lid()); });
 }
 
+bool
+DocumentMetaStore::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 long
 DocumentMetaStore::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId lid, void * serTo, long available, const search::common::BlobConverter *) const {
     if ( ! validLid(lid)) return 0;
diff --git a/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.h b/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.h
index 410cd8d1550b..4374d3794ff2 100644
--- a/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.h
+++ b/searchcore/src/vespa/searchcore/proton/documentmetastore/documentmetastore.h
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ class DocumentMetaStore final : public DocumentMetaStoreAttribute,
     uint32_t getVersion() const override;
     void setTrackDocumentSizes(bool trackDocumentSizes) { _trackDocumentSizes = trackDocumentSizes; }
     void foreach(const search::IGidToLidMapperVisitor &visitor) const override;
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId, void *, long, const search::common::BlobConverter *) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId, void *, long, const search::common::BlobConverter *) const override;
 };
diff --git a/searchlib/src/tests/attribute/imported_attribute_vector/imported_attribute_vector_test.cpp b/searchlib/src/tests/attribute/imported_attribute_vector/imported_attribute_vector_test.cpp
index 27850004dc1b..4c58b6936be7 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/tests/attribute/imported_attribute_vector/imported_attribute_vector_test.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/tests/attribute/imported_attribute_vector/imported_attribute_vector_test.cpp
@@ -530,6 +530,8 @@ struct MockAttributeVector : NotImplementedAttribute {
         _bc = bc;
     }
 
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override { return true; }
+
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(
             DocId doc_id, void* ser_to,
             long available, const common::BlobConverter* bc) const override {
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchcommon/attribute/iattributevector.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchcommon/attribute/iattributevector.h
index 540948aabf8c..f5b4f517011f 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchcommon/attribute/iattributevector.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchcommon/attribute/iattributevector.h
@@ -434,6 +434,8 @@ class IAttributeVector
      */
     virtual bool has_uncased_matching() const noexcept { return true; }
 
+    virtual bool is_sortable() const noexcept = 0;
+
     /**
      * Will serialize the values for the documentid in ascending order. The serialized form can be used by memcmp and
      * sortorder will be preserved.
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.h
index c2e769595ab4..4d35fd99f4a3 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.h
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ class NumericDirectAttrVector : public search::NumericDirectAttribute<B>
     uint32_t get(DocId doc, WeightedEnum * v, uint32_t sz)  const override { return getAllEnumHelper(doc, v, sz); }
     uint32_t get(DocId doc, WeightedInt * v, uint32_t sz)   const override { return getAllHelper<WeightedInt, largeint_t>(doc, v, sz); }
     uint32_t get(DocId doc, WeightedFloat * v, uint32_t sz) const override { return getAllHelper<WeightedFloat, double>(doc, v, sz); }
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     template <bool asc>
     long on_serialize_for_sort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available) const;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const search::common::BlobConverter* bc) const override;
@@ -224,6 +225,7 @@ class StringDirectAttrVector : public search::StringDirectAttribute
         }
         return available;
     }
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long on_serialize_for_sort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const search::common::BlobConverter* bc, bool asc) const;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const search::common::BlobConverter* bc) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const search::common::BlobConverter* bc) const override;
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.hpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.hpp
index be1ab8a3507a..099b1c4c1f8e 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.hpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/attrvector.hpp
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ NumericDirectAttrVector(const std::string & baseFileName)
     }
 }
 
+template <typename F, typename B>
+bool
+NumericDirectAttrVector<F, B>::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 template <typename F, typename B>
 template <bool asc>
 long
@@ -160,6 +167,13 @@ StringDirectAttrVector<F>::on_serialize_for_sort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long av
     return writer.write();
 }
 
+template <typename F>
+bool
+StringDirectAttrVector<F>::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 template <typename F>
 long
 StringDirectAttrVector<F>::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const search::common::BlobConverter* bc) const
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.h
index 5214f45493ac..29d57e2579c3 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ class  FloatingPointAttributeTemplate : public FloatingPointAttribute
     virtual void load_enum_store(LoadedVector&) {}
     virtual void fillValues(LoadedVector &) {}
     virtual void load_posting_lists(LoadedVector&) {}
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter * bc) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter * bc) const override;
 
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.hpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.hpp
index cd67fe773efe..43e364215b5e 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.hpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/floatbase.hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ FloatingPointAttributeTemplate<T>::findFoldedEnums(const char *value) const
     return result;
 }
 
+template<typename T>
+bool
+FloatingPointAttributeTemplate<T>::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 template<typename T>
 long
 FloatingPointAttributeTemplate<T>::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter *) const {
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.cpp
index 1f91867cb695..e239822f8b68 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.cpp
@@ -281,6 +281,10 @@ bool ImportedAttributeVectorReadGuard::isUndefined(DocId doc) const {
     return _target_attribute.isUndefined(getTargetLid(doc));
 }
 
+bool ImportedAttributeVectorReadGuard::is_sortable() const noexcept {
+    return _target_attribute.is_sortable();
+}
+
 long ImportedAttributeVectorReadGuard::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc,
                                                                    void *serTo,
                                                                    long available,
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.h
index a65dd31ec2b9..c9a9cd850fee 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/imported_attribute_vector_read_guard.h
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ class ImportedAttributeVectorReadGuard : public IAttributeVector,
         return target_lid < _target_docid_limit ? target_lid : 0u;
     }
 
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available,
                                      const common::BlobConverter * bc) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available,
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.h
index 3ab5fa6265be..f398bd6e95c2 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ class IntegerAttributeTemplate : public IntegerAttribute
     virtual void load_enum_store(LoadedVector&) {}
     virtual void fillValues(LoadedVector &) {}
     virtual void load_posting_lists(LoadedVector&) {}
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter * bc) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter * bc) const override;
 
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.hpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.hpp
index 0085c2c03136..7d7f2fd2fb28 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.hpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/integerbase.hpp
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ IntegerAttributeTemplate<T>::findFoldedEnums(const char *value) const
     return result;
 }
 
+template<typename T>
+bool
+IntegerAttributeTemplate<T>::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 template<typename T>
 long
 IntegerAttributeTemplate<T>::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter *) const {
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.h
index 0161d04c0098..2ab6f6f80732 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class MultiValueNumericAttribute : public MultiValueAttribute<B, M> {
         return array.size();
     }
 
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     template <bool asc>
     long on_serialize_for_sort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available) const;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter* bc) const override;
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.hpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.hpp
index 30d556cedc13..f643f8405e43 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.hpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericattribute.hpp
@@ -186,6 +186,13 @@ MultiValueNumericAttribute<B, M>::onInitSave(std::string_view fileName)
         (std::move(guard), this->createAttributeHeader(fileName), this->_mvMapping);
 }
 
+template <typename B, typename M>
+bool
+MultiValueNumericAttribute<B, M>::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 template <typename B, typename M>
 template <bool asc>
 long
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.h
index c9367cb2527b..ed2de35ce604 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class MultiValueNumericEnumAttribute : public MultiValueEnumAttribute<B, M> {
     using WeightedInt = typename B::BaseClass::WeightedInt;
     using largeint_t = typename B::BaseClass::largeint_t;
 
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     template <bool asc>
     long on_serialize_for_sort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available) const;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter* bc) const override;
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.hpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.hpp
index 773a1723f512..ea47ccb8288c 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.hpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/multinumericenumattribute.hpp
@@ -148,6 +148,13 @@ MultiValueNumericEnumAttribute<B, M>::getSearch(QueryTermSimple::UP qTerm,
     return std::make_unique<attribute::MultiNumericEnumSearchContext<T, M>>(std::move(qTerm), *this, this->_mvMapping.make_read_view(doc_id_limit), this->_enumStore);
 }
 
+template <typename B, typename M>
+bool
+MultiValueNumericEnumAttribute<B, M>::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 template <typename B, typename M>
 template <bool asc>
 long
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.cpp
index b4549c1c0d05..803ee203e356 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.cpp
@@ -113,6 +113,12 @@ NotImplementedAttribute::findFoldedEnums(const char *) const {
     notImplemented();
 }
 
+bool
+NotImplementedAttribute::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return false;
+}
+
 long
 NotImplementedAttribute::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId, void *, long, const common::BlobConverter *) const {
     notImplemented();
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.h
index df7c436a964d..43631e6fb1f0 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/not_implemented_attribute.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ struct NotImplementedAttribute : AttributeVector {
     bool findEnum(const char *, EnumHandle &) const override;
     std::vector<EnumHandle> findFoldedEnums(const char *value) const override;
 
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId, void *, long, const common::BlobConverter *) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId, void *, long, const common::BlobConverter *) const override;
     uint32_t clearDoc(DocId) override;
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.cpp
index 76a71675379d..ba070b3eefe4 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ long serialize_for_sort(std::span<const char> raw, void* serTo, long available)
 
 }
 
+bool
+RawAttribute::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 long
 RawAttribute::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter*) const
 {
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.h
index 649cd3c879a6..4f759f0e8846 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/raw_attribute.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class RawAttribute : public NotImplementedAttribute
     RawAttribute(const std::string& name, const Config& config);
     ~RawAttribute() override;
 
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter*) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId doc, void* serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter*) const override;
 };
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.cpp
index 5d04c75d13de..79ceaf05e68f 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ StringAttribute::get(DocId doc, largeint_t * v, uint32_t sz) const
     return n;
 }
 
+bool
+StringAttribute::is_sortable() const noexcept
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 long
 StringAttribute::onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter * bc) const
 {
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.h
index aaadaba30298..a62f1235c306 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/attribute/stringbase.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ class StringAttribute : public AttributeVector
 
     bool get_match_is_cased() const noexcept;
     bool has_uncased_matching() const noexcept override;
+    bool is_sortable() const noexcept override;
     long onSerializeForAscendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter * bc) const override;
     long onSerializeForDescendingSort(DocId doc, void * serTo, long available, const common::BlobConverter * bc) const override;
 private:
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/common/sortresults.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/common/sortresults.cpp
index a0b547da5ca3..d0c0b78678ad 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/common/sortresults.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/common/sortresults.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,10 @@ FastS_SortSpec::Add(IAttributeContext & vecMan, const SortInfo & sInfo)
             Issue::report("sort spec: Attribute vector '%s' is not valid. Skipped in sorting", sInfo._field.c_str());
             return false;
         }
+        if (!vector->is_sortable()) {
+            Issue::report("sort spec: Attribute vector '%s' is not sortable. Skipped in sorting", sInfo._field.c_str());
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
     LOG(spam, "SortSpec: adding vector (%s)'%s'",
diff --git a/streamingvisitors/src/vespa/searchvisitor/searchvisitor.cpp b/streamingvisitors/src/vespa/searchvisitor/searchvisitor.cpp
index 291586931878..f71fcf02a8ce 100644
--- a/streamingvisitors/src/vespa/searchvisitor/searchvisitor.cpp
+++ b/streamingvisitors/src/vespa/searchvisitor/searchvisitor.cpp
@@ -1001,18 +1001,23 @@ SearchVisitor::setupAttributeVectorsForSorting(const search::common::SortSpec &
             if ( fid != StringFieldIdTMap::npos ) {
                 AttributeGuard::UP attr(_attrMan.getAttribute(sInfo._field));
                 if (attr->valid()) {
-                    size_t index(_attributeFields.size());
-                    for(size_t j(0); j < index; j++) {
-                        if ((_attributeFields[j]._field == fid) && notContained(_sortList, j)) {
-                            index = j;
-                            _attributeFields[index]._ascending = sInfo._ascending;
-                            _attributeFields[index]._converter = sInfo._converter.get();
+                    if (attr->get()->is_sortable()) {
+                        size_t index(_attributeFields.size());
+                        for (size_t j(0); j < index; j++) {
+                            if ((_attributeFields[j]._field == fid) && notContained(_sortList, j)) {
+                                index = j;
+                                _attributeFields[index]._ascending = sInfo._ascending;
+                                _attributeFields[index]._converter = sInfo._converter.get();
+                            }
                         }
+                        if (index == _attributeFields.size()) {
+                            _attributeFields.emplace_back(fid, std::move(attr), sInfo._ascending,
+                                                          sInfo._converter.get());
+                        }
+                        _sortList.push_back(index);
+                    } else {
+                        LOG(warning, "Attribute '%s' is not sortable", sInfo._field.c_str());
                     }
-                    if (index == _attributeFields.size()) {
-                        _attributeFields.emplace_back(fid, std::move(attr), sInfo._ascending, sInfo._converter.get());
-                    }
-                    _sortList.push_back(index);
                 } else {
                     LOG(warning, "Attribute '%s' is not valid", sInfo._field.c_str());
                 }