diff --git a/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/lib.rs b/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/lib.rs
index c32a4e5bb..87b99657c 100644
--- a/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/lib.rs
+++ b/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/lib.rs
@@ -1584,7 +1584,6 @@ mod tests {
                         "nested_number": {
                             "number": 3
                         },
-
                         "tie": 2,
                     })
                     .into(),
@@ -1646,6 +1645,26 @@ mod tests {
                 .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
             vec![1, 2, 3]
         );
+        let documents = collection
+            .get_documents(Some(json!({"order_by": { "COLUMN_id": "desc"}}).into()))
+            .await?;
+        assert_eq!(
+            documents
+                .iter()
+                .map(|d| d["row_id"].as_i64().unwrap())
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            vec![3, 2, 1]
+        );
+        let documents = collection
+            .get_documents(Some(json!({"order_by": { "COLUMN_id": "asc"}}).into()))
+            .await?;
+        assert_eq!(
+            documents
+                .iter()
+                .map(|d| d["row_id"].as_i64().unwrap())
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            vec![1, 2, 3]
+        );
         collection.archive().await?;
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/order_by_builder.rs b/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/order_by_builder.rs
index 4198612af..4c3cd4269 100644
--- a/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/order_by_builder.rs
+++ b/pgml-sdks/pgml/src/order_by_builder.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ pub(crate) struct OrderByBuilder<'a> {
     column_name: &'a str,
 }
 
+fn str_to_order(order: &str) -> anyhow::Result<Order> {
+    match order {
+        "asc" | "ASC" => Ok(Order::Asc),
+        "desc" | "DESC" => Ok(Order::Desc),
+        _ => anyhow::bail!("Invalid `order_by`. Please refer to examples in the documentation for correct `order_by` syntax"),
+    }
+}
+
 fn build_recursive_access(key: &str, value: &serde_json::Value) -> anyhow::Result<(String, Order)> {
     if value.is_object() {
         let (new_key, new_value) = value
@@ -14,19 +22,15 @@ fn build_recursive_access(key: &str, value: &serde_json::Value) -> anyhow::Resul
             .unwrap()
             .iter()
             .next()
-            .context("Invalid order by")?;
+            .context("Invalid `order_by`. Please refer to examples in the documentation for correct `order_by` syntax")?;
         let (path, order) = build_recursive_access(new_key, new_value)?;
         let path = format!("{},{}", key, path);
         Ok((path, order))
     } else if value.is_string() {
-        let order = match value.as_str().unwrap() {
-            "asc" | "ASC" => Order::Asc,
-            "desc" | "DESC" => Order::Desc,
-            _ => return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Invalid order by")),
-        };
+        let order = str_to_order(value.as_str().unwrap())?;
         Ok((key.to_string(), order))
     } else {
-        Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Invalid order by"))
+        Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Invalid `order_by`. Please refer to examples in the documentation for correct `order_by` syntax"))
     }
 }
 
@@ -42,17 +46,22 @@ impl<'a> OrderByBuilder<'a> {
     pub fn build(self) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<(SimpleExpr, Order)>> {
         self.filter
             .as_object()
-            .context("Invalid order by")?
+            .context("`order_by` must be an object")?
             .iter()
             .map(|(k, v)| {
-                if let Ok((path, order)) = build_recursive_access(k, v) {
+                if k.starts_with("COLUMN_") {
+                    Ok((
+                        Expr::cust(k.replace("COLUMN_", "")),
+                        str_to_order(v.as_str().context("Invalid `order_by`. Please refer to examples in the documentation for correct `order_by` syntax")?)?,
+                    ))
+                } else if let Ok((path, order)) = build_recursive_access(k, v) {
                     let expr = Expr::cust(format!(
                         "\"{}\".\"{}\"#>'{{{}}}'",
                         self.table_name, self.column_name, path
                     ));
                     Ok((expr, order))
                 } else {
-                    Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Invalid order by"))
+                    Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Invalid `order_by`. Please refer to examples in the documentation for correct `order_by` syntax"))
                 }
             })
             .collect()