diff --git a/classes/repos/notification_repo.php b/classes/repos/notification_repo.php
index a4594756..c53a0638 100644
--- a/classes/repos/notification_repo.php
+++ b/classes/repos/notification_repo.php
@@ -141,8 +141,11 @@ private static function get_all_for_course_sql($courseid, $userid = null, $sortb
             $sql .= ' AND n.user_id = :user_id';
         }
 
-        $sql .= ' AND n.timedeleted = 0
-                 ORDER BY ' . $sortby . ' ' . $sortdir;
+        $sql .= ' AND n.timedeleted = 0';
+        
+        if (! $as_count) {
+            $sql .= ' ORDER BY ' . $sort_by . ' ' . $sort_dir;
+        }
 
         return $sql;
     }
diff --git a/classes/repos/queued_repo.php b/classes/repos/queued_repo.php
index 1246b285..e434ede9 100644
--- a/classes/repos/queued_repo.php
+++ b/classes/repos/queued_repo.php
@@ -189,11 +189,14 @@ private static function get_for_user_sql($courseid, $sortby, $sortdir, $ascount
             $sql .= ' AND m.course_id = :course_id';
         }
 
-        $sql .= ' AND m.to_send_at <> 0
-                  AND m.timedeleted = 0
-                  AND m.sent_at = 0
-                  AND m.is_draft = 0
-                  ORDER BY ' . $sortby . ' ' . $sortdir;
+        $sql .= ' AND m.to_send_at <> 0 
+                  AND m.timedeleted = 0 
+                  AND m.sent_at = 0 
+                  AND m.is_draft = 0';
+        
+        if (!$as_count) {
+                $sql .= ' ORDER BY ' . $sort_by . ' ' . $sort_dir;
+        }
 
         return $sql;
     }
diff --git a/classes/repos/sent_repo.php b/classes/repos/sent_repo.php
index 209c1745..bcab863c 100644
--- a/classes/repos/sent_repo.php
+++ b/classes/repos/sent_repo.php
@@ -126,8 +126,12 @@ private static function get_for_user_sql($courseid, $sortby, $sortdir, $ascount
             $sql .= ' AND m.course_id = :course_id';
         }
 
-        $sql .= ' AND m.is_draft = 0 AND m.timedeleted = 0 AND m.sent_at > 0 ORDER BY ' . $sortby . ' ' . $sortdir;
+        $sql .= ' AND m.is_draft = 0 AND m.timedeleted = 0 AND m.sent_at > 0';
 
+        if (! $as_count) {
+            $sql .= ' ORDER BY ' . $sort_by . ' ' . $sort_dir;
+        }
+        
         return $sql;
     }