diff --git a/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java b/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java
index 133a3a088..d51fe837c 100755
--- a/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/commcare/cases/entity/AsyncEntity.java
@@ -132,6 +132,11 @@ public String getNormalizedField(int i) {
 
     @Override
     public String getSortField(int i) {
+        synchronized (mAsyncLock) {
+            if (sortData[i] != null) {
+                return sortData[i];
+            }
+        }
         try (Closeable ignored = mEntityStorageCache != null ? mEntityStorageCache.lockCache() : null) {
             //get our second lock.
             synchronized (mAsyncLock) {