diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 2a920ed..e008df2 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -13954,6 +13954,7 @@
 	rettv->vval.v_list = l;
 	rettv->v_type = VAR_LIST;
 	++l->lv_refcount;
+	l->lv_idx = l->lv_len - l->lv_idx - 1;
     }
 }
 
@@ -15202,7 +15203,7 @@
 	    if (!item_compare_func_err)
 	    {
 		/* Clear the List and append the items in the sorted order. */
-		l->lv_first = l->lv_last = NULL;
+		l->lv_first = l->lv_last = l->lv_idx_item = NULL;
 		l->lv_len = 0;
 		for (i = 0; i < len; ++i)
 		    list_append(l, ptrs[i]);