diff --git a/milli/src/search/criteria/mod.rs b/milli/src/search/criteria/mod.rs
index 814030c98..61b0fe049 100644
--- a/milli/src/search/criteria/mod.rs
+++ b/milli/src/search/criteria/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
-use std::str::FromStr;
 
 use roaring::RoaringBitmap;
 
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@ use self::r#final::Final;
 use self::typo::Typo;
 use self::words::Words;
 use super::query_tree::{Operation, PrimitiveQueryPart, Query, QueryKind};
+use crate::criterion::AscDesc as AscDescName;
 use crate::search::{word_derivations, WordDerivationsCache};
 use crate::{DocumentId, FieldId, Index, Result, TreeLevel};
 
@@ -274,9 +274,9 @@ impl<'t> CriteriaBuilder<'t> {
         query_tree: Option<Operation>,
         primitive_query: Option<Vec<PrimitiveQueryPart>>,
         filtered_candidates: Option<RoaringBitmap>,
-        sort_criteria: Option<Vec<String>>,
+        sort_criteria: Option<Vec<AscDescName>>,
     ) -> Result<Final<'t>> {
-        use crate::criterion::{AscDesc as AscDescName, Criterion as Name};
+        use crate::criterion::Criterion as Name;
 
         let primitive_query = primitive_query.unwrap_or_default();
 
@@ -288,19 +288,19 @@ impl<'t> CriteriaBuilder<'t> {
                 Name::Typo => Box::new(Typo::new(self, criterion)),
                 Name::Sort => match sort_criteria {
                     Some(ref sort_criteria) => {
-                        for text in sort_criteria {
-                            criterion = match AscDescName::from_str(text)? {
+                        for asc_desc in sort_criteria {
+                            criterion = match asc_desc {
                                 AscDescName::Asc(field) => Box::new(AscDesc::asc(
                                     &self.index,
                                     &self.rtxn,
                                     criterion,
-                                    field,
+                                    field.to_string(),
                                 )?),
                                 AscDescName::Desc(field) => Box::new(AscDesc::desc(
                                     &self.index,
                                     &self.rtxn,
                                     criterion,
-                                    field,
+                                    field.to_string(),
                                 )?),
                             };
                         }
diff --git a/milli/src/search/mod.rs b/milli/src/search/mod.rs
index 43931b6af..ce2efcc98 100644
--- a/milli/src/search/mod.rs
+++ b/milli/src/search/mod.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ pub(crate) use self::facet::ParserRule;
 pub use self::facet::{FacetDistribution, FacetNumberIter, FilterCondition, Operator};
 pub use self::matching_words::MatchingWords;
 use self::query_tree::QueryTreeBuilder;
+use crate::criterion::AscDesc;
 use crate::search::criteria::r#final::{Final, FinalResult};
 use crate::{DocumentId, Index, Result};
 
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ pub struct Search<'a> {
     filter: Option<FilterCondition>,
     offset: usize,
     limit: usize,
+    sort_criteria: Option<Vec<AscDesc>>,
     optional_words: bool,
     authorize_typos: bool,
     words_limit: usize,
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ impl<'a> Search<'a> {
             filter: None,
             offset: 0,
             limit: 20,
+            sort_criteria: None,
             optional_words: true,
             authorize_typos: true,
             words_limit: 10,
@@ -74,6 +77,11 @@ impl<'a> Search<'a> {
         self
     }
 
+    pub fn sort_criteria(&mut self, criteria: Vec<AscDesc>) -> &mut Search<'a> {
+        self.sort_criteria = Some(criteria);
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn optional_words(&mut self, value: bool) -> &mut Search<'a> {
         self.optional_words = value;
         self
@@ -135,7 +143,7 @@ impl<'a> Search<'a> {
         };
 
         let criteria_builder = criteria::CriteriaBuilder::new(self.rtxn, self.index)?;
-        let sort_criteria = None;
+        let sort_criteria = self.sort_criteria.clone();
         let criteria = criteria_builder.build(
             query_tree,
             primitive_query,
@@ -205,6 +213,7 @@ impl fmt::Debug for Search<'_> {
             filter,
             offset,
             limit,
+            sort_criteria,
             optional_words,
             authorize_typos,
             words_limit,
@@ -216,6 +225,7 @@ impl fmt::Debug for Search<'_> {
             .field("filter", filter)
             .field("offset", offset)
             .field("limit", limit)
+            .field("sort_criteria", sort_criteria)
             .field("optional_words", optional_words)
             .field("authorize_typos", authorize_typos)
             .field("words_limit", words_limit)