diff --git a/models/db/search.go b/models/db/search.go
index aa577f08e0439..f4a03ddc24239 100644
--- a/models/db/search.go
+++ b/models/db/search.go
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ const (
 	SearchOrderByStarsReverse          SearchOrderBy = "num_stars DESC"
 	SearchOrderByForks                 SearchOrderBy = "num_forks ASC"
 	SearchOrderByForksReverse          SearchOrderBy = "num_forks DESC"
+	SearchOrderByLeastIndex            SearchOrderBy = "index DESC"
+	SearchOrderByHighestIndex          SearchOrderBy = "index ASC"
 )
 
 const (
diff --git a/models/git/commit_status.go b/models/git/commit_status.go
index 17090f30dd55b..c183ce700e360 100644
--- a/models/git/commit_status.go
+++ b/models/git/commit_status.go
@@ -254,17 +254,17 @@ func listCommitStatusesStatement(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repositor
 func sortCommitStatusesSession(sess *xorm.Session, sortType string) {
 	switch sortType {
 	case "oldest":
-		sess.Asc("created_unix")
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByOldest.String())
 	case "recentupdate":
-		sess.Desc("updated_unix")
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByRecentUpdated.String())
 	case "leastupdate":
-		sess.Asc("updated_unix")
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByLeastUpdated.String())
 	case "leastindex":
-		sess.Desc("index")
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByLeastIndex.String())
 	case "highestindex":
-		sess.Asc("index")
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByHighestIndex.String())
 	default:
-		sess.Desc("created_unix")
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByNewest.String())
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/models/project/project.go b/models/project/project.go
index 17348a9443408..48c1d34dcb338 100644
--- a/models/project/project.go
+++ b/models/project/project.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 
 	"xorm.io/builder"
+	"xorm.io/xorm"
 )
 
 type (
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ type SearchOptions struct {
 	RepoID   int64
 	Page     int
 	IsClosed util.OptionalBool
-	OrderBy  db.SearchOrderBy
+	OrderBy  string
 	Type     Type
 }
 
@@ -226,24 +227,24 @@ func CountProjects(ctx context.Context, opts SearchOptions) (int64, error) {
 	return db.GetEngine(ctx).Where(opts.toConds()).Count(new(Project))
 }
 
-func GetSearchOrderByBySortType(sortType string) db.SearchOrderBy {
+func sortProjectSession(sess *xorm.Session, sortType string) {
 	switch sortType {
 	case "oldest":
-		return db.SearchOrderByOldest
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByOldest.String())
 	case "recentupdate":
-		return db.SearchOrderByRecentUpdated
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByRecentUpdated.String())
 	case "leastupdate":
-		return db.SearchOrderByLeastUpdated
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByLeastUpdated.String())
 	default:
-		return db.SearchOrderByNewest
+		sess.OrderBy(db.SearchOrderByNewest.String())
 	}
 }
 
 // FindProjects returns a list of all projects that have been created in the repository
 func FindProjects(ctx context.Context, opts SearchOptions) ([]*Project, int64, error) {
 	e := db.GetEngine(ctx).Where(opts.toConds())
-	if opts.OrderBy.String() != "" {
-		e = e.OrderBy(opts.OrderBy.String())
+	if opts.OrderBy != "" {
+		sortProjectSession(e, opts.OrderBy)
 	}
 	projects := make([]*Project, 0, setting.UI.IssuePagingNum)
 
diff --git a/models/project/project_test.go b/models/project/project_test.go
index d1a471565367c..964ac1f4f58b9 100644
--- a/models/project/project_test.go
+++ b/models/project/project_test.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func TestProjectsSort(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		projects, count, err := FindProjects(db.DefaultContext, SearchOptions{
-			OrderBy: GetSearchOrderByBySortType(tt.sortType),
+			OrderBy: tt.sortType,
 		})
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, int64(4), count)
diff --git a/routers/web/org/projects.go b/routers/web/org/projects.go
index ea6e7dff48ffd..6ce107dea4fbd 100644
--- a/routers/web/org/projects.go
+++ b/routers/web/org/projects.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func Projects(ctx *context.Context) {
 		OwnerID:  ctx.ContextUser.ID,
 		Page:     page,
 		IsClosed: util.OptionalBoolOf(isShowClosed),
-		OrderBy:  project_model.GetSearchOrderByBySortType(sortType),
+		OrderBy:  sortType,
 		Type:     projectType,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/projects.go b/routers/web/repo/projects.go
index b8662e0605562..292b78fd1dd6c 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/projects.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/projects.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func Projects(ctx *context.Context) {
 		RepoID:   repo.ID,
 		Page:     page,
 		IsClosed: util.OptionalBoolOf(isShowClosed),
-		OrderBy:  project_model.GetSearchOrderByBySortType(sortType),
+		OrderBy:  sortType,
 		Type:     project_model.TypeRepository,
 	})
 	if err != nil {