diff --git a/core/playlists/generic.c b/core/playlists/generic.c
index aeba78c1..c3c3bc11 100644
--- a/core/playlists/generic.c
+++ b/core/playlists/generic.c
@@ -50,15 +50,21 @@ void playlist_generic_init(struct playlist *playlist)
 	}
 }
 
-void playlist_generic_init_sorted(struct playlist  *playlist)
+void playlist_generic_init_sorted(struct playlist *playlist,
+				  unsigned int nargs, ...)
 {
-	if (playlist) {
-		playlist_generic_init(playlist);
-		playlist_generic_sort(playlist, COMPARE_ARTIST);
-		playlist_generic_sort(playlist, COMPARE_YEAR);
-		playlist_generic_sort(playlist, COMPARE_ALBUM);
-		playlist_generic_sort(playlist, COMPARE_TRACK);
-	}
+	unsigned int i;
+	va_list argp;
+
+	if (!playlist)
+		return;
+
+	playlist_generic_init(playlist);
+
+	va_start(argp, nargs);
+	for (i = 0; i < nargs; i++)
+		playlist_generic_sort(playlist, va_arg(argp, unsigned int));
+	va_end(argp);
 }
 
 void playlist_generic_deinit(struct playlist *playlist)
@@ -82,7 +88,8 @@ struct playlist *playlist_generic_alloc(gchar *name, enum playlist_type_t type,
 	playlist->pl_id   = id;
 	playlist->pl_ops  = ops;
 
-	playlist_generic_init_sorted(playlist);
+	playlist_generic_init_sorted(playlist, 4, COMPARE_ARTIST, COMPARE_YEAR,
+						  COMPARE_ALBUM,  COMPARE_TRACK);
 	if (callbacks)
 		callbacks->pl_cb_alloc(playlist);
 	return playlist;
diff --git a/core/playlists/system.c b/core/playlists/system.c
index 58e7d718..c15d7968 100644
--- a/core/playlists/system.c
+++ b/core/playlists/system.c
@@ -423,7 +423,9 @@ void pl_system_init(void)
 			sys_pl_update(playlist);
 		case SYS_PL_FAVORITES:
 		case SYS_PL_HIDDEN:
-			playlist_generic_init_sorted(playlist);
+			playlist_generic_init_sorted(playlist, 4,
+						COMPARE_ARTIST, COMPARE_YEAR,
+						COMPARE_ALBUM,  COMPARE_TRACK);
 			break;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/include/core/playlists/generic.h b/include/core/playlists/generic.h
index 4d167047..54bfe564 100644
--- a/include/core/playlists/generic.h
+++ b/include/core/playlists/generic.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ void playlist_generic_set_callbacks(struct playlist_callbacks *);
 
 /* Generic playlist init functions. */
 void playlist_generic_init(struct playlist *);
-void playlist_generic_init_sorted(struct playlist *);
+void playlist_generic_init_sorted(struct playlist *, unsigned int, ...);
 
 /* Generic playlist deinit function. */
 void playlist_generic_deinit(struct playlist *);
diff --git a/tests/core/playlist.c b/tests/core/playlist.c
index 7ba779bd..8633e5a6 100644
--- a/tests/core/playlist.c
+++ b/tests/core/playlist.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static void test_null()
 	playlist_generic_free(NULL);
 
 	playlist_generic_init(NULL);
-	playlist_generic_init_sorted(NULL);
+	playlist_generic_init_sorted(NULL, 0);
 	playlist_generic_deinit(NULL);
 
 	g_assert_null(playlist_lookup(PL_MAX_TYPE, "NULL"));
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ static void test_sorting()
 	struct track *track;
 	unsigned int i;
 
-	playlist_generic_init_sorted(&p);
+	playlist_generic_init_sorted(&p, 4, COMPARE_ARTIST, COMPARE_YEAR,
+					    COMPARE_ALBUM,  COMPARE_TRACK);
 	g_assert_cmpuint(g_slist_length(p.pl_sort), ==, 4);
 	playlist_clear_sort(&p);
 	g_assert_cmpuint(g_slist_length(p.pl_sort), ==, 0);