diff --git a/CRM/Contact/BAO/Query.php b/CRM/Contact/BAO/Query.php
index 9d5e64a38a51..56acef4c3670 100644
--- a/CRM/Contact/BAO/Query.php
+++ b/CRM/Contact/BAO/Query.php
@@ -6419,6 +6419,10 @@ protected function prepareOrderBy($sort, $sortOrder) {
         if (!empty($pseudoConstantMetadata['optionGroupName'])
           || $this->isPseudoFieldAnFK($fieldSpec)
         ) {
+          // dev/core#1305 @todo this is not the right thing to do but for now avoid fatal error
+          if (empty($fieldSpec['bao'])) {
+            continue;
+          }
           $sortedOptions = $fieldSpec['bao']::buildOptions($fieldSpec['name'], NULL, [
             'orderColumn' => CRM_Utils_Array::value('labelColumn', $pseudoConstantMetadata, 'label'),
           ]);