diff --git a/src/fields/BaseRelationField.php b/src/fields/BaseRelationField.php
index ae1d3c6c07f..b9c5a80c742 100644
--- a/src/fields/BaseRelationField.php
+++ b/src/fields/BaseRelationField.php
@@ -702,10 +702,8 @@ public function normalizeValue(mixed $value, ?ElementInterface $element): mixed
                         if (
                             $this->sortable &&
                             !$this->maintainHierarchy &&
-                            (
-                                !$query->orderBy ||
-                                (count($query->orderBy) === 1) && ($query->orderBy[0] ?? null) instanceof OrderByPlaceholderExpression
-                            )
+                            count($query->orderBy ?? []) === 1 &&
+                            ($query->orderBy[0] ?? null) instanceof OrderByPlaceholderExpression
                         ) {
                             $q->orderBy(["$relationsAlias.sortOrder" => SORT_ASC]);
                         }