diff --git a/src/filemanager/boxes.c b/src/filemanager/boxes.c
index 2cd267f87..8a76bd6e2 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/boxes.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/boxes.c
@@ -703,17 +703,17 @@ panel_listing_box (WPanel * panel, char **userp, char **minip, int *use_msformat
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 const panel_field_t *
-sort_box (panel_sort_info_t * info)
+sort_box (panel_sort_info_t * info, const panel_field_t * sort_field)
 {
     const char **sort_orders_names;
     gsize sort_names_num, i;
     int sort_idx = 0;
-    const panel_field_t *result = info->sort_field;
+    const panel_field_t *result = NULL;
 
     sort_orders_names = panel_get_sortable_fields (&sort_names_num);
 
     for (i = 0; i < sort_names_num; i++)
-        if (strcmp (sort_orders_names[i], _(info->sort_field->title_hotkey)) == 0)
+        if (strcmp (sort_orders_names[i], _(sort_field->title_hotkey)) == 0)
         {
             sort_idx = i;
             break;
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ sort_box (panel_sort_info_t * info)
             result = panel_get_field_by_title_hotkey (sort_orders_names[sort_idx]);
 
         if (result == NULL)
-            result = info->sort_field;
+            result = sort_field;
     }
 
     g_strfreev ((gchar **) sort_orders_names);
diff --git a/src/filemanager/boxes.h b/src/filemanager/boxes.h
index 65afc573c..36bdfab20 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/boxes.h
+++ b/src/filemanager/boxes.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 void configure_box (void);
 void panel_options_box (void);
 int panel_listing_box (WPanel * p, char **user, char **mini, int *use_msformat, int num);
-const panel_field_t *sort_box (panel_sort_info_t * info);
+const panel_field_t *sort_box (panel_sort_info_t * info, const panel_field_t * sort_field);
 void confirm_box (void);
 void display_bits_box (void);
 void configure_vfs (void);
diff --git a/src/filemanager/cmd.c b/src/filemanager/cmd.c
index 27a99c9eb..d8c3f1091 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/cmd.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/cmd.c
@@ -1648,7 +1648,7 @@ single_dirsize_cmd (void)
 
     recalculate_panel_summary (panel);
 
-    if (current_panel->sort_info.sort_field->sort_routine == (GCompareFunc) sort_size)
+    if (current_panel->sort_field->sort_routine == (GCompareFunc) sort_size)
         panel_re_sort (panel);
 
     panel->dirty = 1;
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ dirsizes_cmd (void)
 
     recalculate_panel_summary (panel);
 
-    if (current_panel->sort_info.sort_field->sort_routine == (GCompareFunc) sort_size)
+    if (current_panel->sort_field->sort_routine == (GCompareFunc) sort_size)
         panel_re_sort (panel);
 
     panel->dirty = 1;
diff --git a/src/filemanager/midnight.c b/src/filemanager/midnight.c
index 3c6ed66e3..eb1e745db 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/midnight.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/midnight.c
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ sort_cmd (void)
         return;
 
     p = MENU_PANEL;
-    sort_order = sort_box (&p->sort_info);
+    sort_order = sort_box (&p->sort_info, p->sort_field);
     panel_set_sort_order (p, sort_order);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/filemanager/panel.c b/src/filemanager/panel.c
index bbc252b0e..94841041c 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/panel.c
+++ b/src/filemanager/panel.c
@@ -1505,13 +1505,13 @@ panel_format_modified (WPanel * panel)
 static void
 panel_paint_sort_info (WPanel * panel)
 {
-    if (*panel->sort_info.sort_field->hotkey != '\0')
+    if (*panel->sort_field->hotkey != '\0')
     {
         const char *sort_sign =
             panel->sort_info.reverse ? panel_sort_down_sign : panel_sort_up_sign;
         char *str;
 
-        str = g_strdup_printf ("%s%s", sort_sign, Q_ (panel->sort_info.sort_field->hotkey));
+        str = g_strdup_printf ("%s%s", sort_sign, Q_ (panel->sort_field->hotkey));
         widget_move (panel, 1, 1);
         tty_print_string (str);
         g_free (str);
@@ -1580,7 +1580,7 @@ paint_frame (WPanel * panel)
                 g_string_set_size (format_txt, 0);
 
                 if (panel->list_type == list_long
-                    && strcmp (format->id, panel->sort_info.sort_field->id) == 0)
+                    && strcmp (format->id, panel->sort_field->id) == 0)
                     g_string_append (format_txt,
                                      panel->sort_info.reverse
                                      ? panel_sort_down_sign : panel_sort_up_sign);
@@ -2817,7 +2817,7 @@ panel_toggle_sort_order_prev (WPanel * panel)
 
     const panel_field_t *pfield = NULL;
 
-    title = panel_get_title_without_hotkey (panel->sort_info.sort_field->title_hotkey);
+    title = panel_get_title_without_hotkey (panel->sort_field->title_hotkey);
     lc_index = panel_get_format_field_index_by_name (panel, title);
     g_free (title);
 
@@ -2837,7 +2837,7 @@ panel_toggle_sort_order_prev (WPanel * panel)
 
     if (pfield != NULL)
     {
-        panel->sort_info.sort_field = pfield;
+        panel->sort_field = pfield;
         panel_set_sort_order (panel, pfield);
     }
 }
@@ -2853,7 +2853,7 @@ panel_toggle_sort_order_next (WPanel * panel)
     gchar *title;
 
     format_field_count = panel_get_format_field_count (panel);
-    title = panel_get_title_without_hotkey (panel->sort_info.sort_field->title_hotkey);
+    title = panel_get_title_without_hotkey (panel->sort_field->title_hotkey);
     lc_index = panel_get_format_field_index_by_name (panel, title);
     g_free (title);
 
@@ -2875,7 +2875,7 @@ panel_toggle_sort_order_next (WPanel * panel)
 
     if (pfield != NULL)
     {
-        panel->sort_info.sort_field = pfield;
+        panel->sort_field = pfield;
         panel_set_sort_order (panel, pfield);
     }
 }
@@ -2887,10 +2887,10 @@ panel_select_sort_order (WPanel * panel)
 {
     const panel_field_t *sort_order;
 
-    sort_order = sort_box (&panel->sort_info);
+    sort_order = sort_box (&panel->sort_info, panel->sort_field);
     if (sort_order != NULL)
     {
-        panel->sort_info.sort_field = sort_order;
+        panel->sort_field = sort_order;
         panel_set_sort_order (panel, sort_order);
     }
 }
@@ -2946,19 +2946,19 @@ panel_content_scroll_right (WPanel * panel)
 static void
 panel_set_sort_type_by_id (WPanel * panel, const char *name)
 {
-    if (strcmp (panel->sort_info.sort_field->id, name) != 0)
+    if (strcmp (panel->sort_field->id, name) != 0)
     {
         const panel_field_t *sort_order;
 
         sort_order = panel_get_field_by_id (name);
         if (sort_order == NULL)
             return;
-        panel->sort_info.sort_field = sort_order;
+        panel->sort_field = sort_order;
     }
     else
         panel->sort_info.reverse = !panel->sort_info.reverse;
 
-    panel_set_sort_order (panel, panel->sort_info.sort_field);
+    panel_set_sort_order (panel, panel->sort_field);
 }
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -3064,7 +3064,7 @@ _do_panel_cd (WPanel * panel, const vfs_path_t * new_dir_vpath, enum cd_enum cd_
     panel_clean_dir (panel);
 
     panel->count =
-        do_load_dir (panel->cwd_vpath, &panel->dir, panel->sort_info.sort_field->sort_routine,
+        do_load_dir (panel->cwd_vpath, &panel->dir, panel->sort_field->sort_routine,
                      panel->sort_info.reverse, panel->sort_info.case_sensitive,
                      panel->sort_info.exec_first, panel->filter);
     try_to_select (panel, get_parent_dir_name (panel->cwd_vpath, olddir_vpath));
@@ -3336,7 +3336,7 @@ panel_execute_cmd (WPanel * panel, unsigned long command)
         break;
     case CK_SortReverse:
         panel->sort_info.reverse = !panel->sort_info.reverse;
-        panel_set_sort_order (panel, panel->sort_info.sort_field);
+        panel_set_sort_order (panel, panel->sort_field);
         break;
     case CK_SortByName:
         panel_set_sort_type_by_id (panel, "name");
@@ -3562,7 +3562,7 @@ mouse_sort_col (WPanel * panel, int x)
     if (col_sort_format == NULL)
         return;
 
-    if (panel->sort_info.sort_field == col_sort_format)
+    if (panel->sort_field == col_sort_format)
     {
         /* reverse the sort if clicked column is already the sorted column */
         panel->sort_info.reverse = !panel->sort_info.reverse;
@@ -4143,7 +4143,7 @@ panel_new_with_dir (const char *panel_name, const vfs_path_t * vpath)
 
     /* Load the default format */
     panel->count =
-        do_load_dir (panel->cwd_vpath, &panel->dir, panel->sort_info.sort_field->sort_routine,
+        do_load_dir (panel->cwd_vpath, &panel->dir, panel->sort_field->sort_routine,
                      panel->sort_info.reverse, panel->sort_info.case_sensitive,
                      panel->sort_info.exec_first, panel->filter);
 
@@ -4190,7 +4190,7 @@ panel_reload (WPanel * panel)
     show_dir (panel);
 
     panel->count =
-        do_reload_dir (panel->cwd_vpath, &panel->dir, panel->sort_info.sort_field->sort_routine,
+        do_reload_dir (panel->cwd_vpath, &panel->dir, panel->sort_field->sort_routine,
                        panel->count, panel->sort_info.reverse, panel->sort_info.case_sensitive,
                        panel->sort_info.exec_first, panel->filter);
 
@@ -4447,7 +4447,7 @@ panel_re_sort (WPanel * panel)
 
     filename = g_strdup (selection (panel)->fname);
     unselect_item (panel);
-    do_sort (&panel->dir, panel->sort_info.sort_field->sort_routine, panel->count - 1,
+    do_sort (&panel->dir, panel->sort_field->sort_routine, panel->count - 1,
              panel->sort_info.reverse, panel->sort_info.case_sensitive,
              panel->sort_info.exec_first);
     panel->selected = -1;
@@ -4473,7 +4473,7 @@ panel_set_sort_order (WPanel * panel, const panel_field_t * sort_order)
     if (sort_order == NULL)
         return;
 
-    panel->sort_info.sort_field = sort_order;
+    panel->sort_field = sort_order;
 
     /* The directory is already sorted, we have to load the unsorted stuff */
     if (sort_order->sort_routine == (GCompareFunc) unsorted)
diff --git a/src/filemanager/panel.h b/src/filemanager/panel.h
index 7e88d8081..b8952f832 100644
--- a/src/filemanager/panel.h
+++ b/src/filemanager/panel.h
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ typedef struct panel_sort_info_struct
     gboolean reverse;           /* Show listing in reverse? */
     gboolean case_sensitive;    /* Listing is case sensitive? */
     gboolean exec_first;        /* Show executable top in list? */
-    const panel_field_t *sort_field;
 } panel_sort_info_t;
 
 typedef struct WPanel
@@ -110,7 +109,10 @@ typedef struct WPanel
     gboolean is_panelized;      /* Flag: special filelisting, can't reload */
     panel_display_t frame_size; /* half or full frame */
     char *filter;               /* File name filter */
-    panel_sort_info_t sort_info;        /* Sort descriptor */
+
+    /* sort */
+    panel_sort_info_t sort_info;
+    const panel_field_t *sort_field;
 
     int dirty;                  /* Should we redisplay the panel? */
 
diff --git a/src/setup.c b/src/setup.c
index dcbf9294e..7d2d9f5e3 100644
--- a/src/setup.c
+++ b/src/setup.c
@@ -1385,9 +1385,9 @@ panel_load_setup (WPanel * panel, const char *section)
 
     /* Load sort order */
     buffer = mc_config_get_string (mc_panels_config, section, "sort_order", "name");
-    panel->sort_info.sort_field = panel_get_field_by_id (buffer);
-    if (panel->sort_info.sort_field == NULL)
-        panel->sort_info.sort_field = panel_get_field_by_id ("name");
+    panel->sort_field = panel_get_field_by_id (buffer);
+    if (panel->sort_field == NULL)
+        panel->sort_field = panel_get_field_by_id ("name");
 
     g_free (buffer);
 
@@ -1431,7 +1431,7 @@ panel_save_setup (struct WPanel *panel, const char *section)
                        panel->sort_info.case_sensitive);
     mc_config_set_int (mc_panels_config, section, "exec_first", panel->sort_info.exec_first);
 
-    mc_config_set_string (mc_panels_config, section, "sort_order", panel->sort_info.sort_field->id);
+    mc_config_set_string (mc_panels_config, section, "sort_order", panel->sort_field->id);
 
     for (i = 0; list_types[i].key != NULL; i++)
         if (list_types[i].list_type == panel->list_type)