diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/sort.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/sort.py
index 5236301bb4..36e1ef6532 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/sort.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/sort.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ __license__ = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2013, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>'
 
 from contextlib import suppress
+from enum import Enum
 from functools import partial
 from qt.core import (
     QAbstractItemView, QAction, QDialog, QDialogButtonBox, QIcon, QListWidget,
-    QListWidgetItem, QSize, Qt, QToolButton, QVBoxLayout, pyqtSignal,
+    QListWidgetItem, QMenu, QSize, Qt, QToolButton, QVBoxLayout, pyqtSignal,
 )
 
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
@@ -35,6 +36,21 @@ class SortAction(QAction):
         self.sort_requested.emit(self.key, self.ascending)
 
 
+class InitializationEnum(Enum):
+    WaitingInitialization = 0
+    InitializeCalled = 1
+    FullyInitialized = 2
+
+
+class FakeAction(QAction):
+
+    def menu(self):
+        return self.the_menu
+
+    def setMenu(self, menu):
+        self.the_menu = menu
+
+
 class SortByAction(InterfaceAction):
 
     name = 'Sort By'
@@ -43,8 +59,11 @@ class SortByAction(InterfaceAction):
     popup_type = QToolButton.ToolButtonPopupMode.InstantPopup
     action_add_menu = True
     dont_add_to = frozenset(('context-menu-cover-browser', ))
+    init_complete = InitializationEnum.WaitingInitialization
+    menu_shown = False
 
     def genesis(self):
+        self.fake_action = None
         self.sorted_icon = QIcon.ic('ok.png')
         self.qaction.menu().aboutToShow.connect(self.about_to_show)
 
@@ -57,6 +76,45 @@ class SortByAction(InterfaceAction):
         c('reverse_sort_action', _('Reverse current sort'), _('Reverse the current sort order'), self.reverse_sort, 'shift+f5')
         c('reapply_sort_action', _('Re-apply current sort'), _('Re-apply the current sort'), self.reapply_sort, 'f5')
 
+
+    # The property is here because Qt can put the menu on the wrong screen if
+    # the menu is built for the first time outside of the process of showing it.
+    # On Windows this happens if calibre is on screen 2; the menu appears on
+    # screen 1. Why Qt does this I can't say. The problem can be triggered if a
+    # plugin queries the menu during its own initialization. We solve this
+    # problem by giving the caller a fake QAction with the menu, which works for
+    # plugins. We use the "real" action once the user has requested the menu. Of
+    # course, the right fix would be for Qt to show the menu where it should go
+    # even if built previously, but I can't find how to make that happen
+
+    @property
+    def qaction(self):
+        try:
+            # if initialization_complete() hasn't been called or we are fully
+            # initialized then do nothing special
+            if self.init_complete == InitializationEnum.InitializeCalled:
+                if not self.menu_shown:
+                    # This is the problematic case where something wants the
+                    # menu before it's been shown. Construct the fake action
+                    m = QMenu()
+                    self.update_menu(m)
+                    if self.fake_action is None:
+                        self.fake_action = FakeAction()
+                    self.fake_action.setMenu(m)
+                    return self.fake_action
+                else:
+                    # The menu has been shown. No need to construct the fake
+                    # action in the future.
+                    self.init_complete = InitializationEnum.FullyInitialized
+        except Exception:
+            import traceback
+            traceback.print_exc()
+        return self.my_qaction
+
+    @qaction.setter
+    def qaction(self, val):
+        self.my_qaction = val
+
     def reverse_sort(self):
         self.gui.current_view().reverse_sort()
 
@@ -69,13 +127,14 @@ class SortByAction(InterfaceAction):
         self.menuless_qaction.setEnabled(enabled)
 
     def about_to_show(self):
+        self.menu_shown = True
         self.update_menu()
 
     def library_changed(self, db):
         self.update_menu()
 
     def initialization_complete(self):
-        self.update_menu()
+        self.init_complete = InitializationEnum.InitializeCalled
 
     def update_menu(self, menu=None):
         menu = self.qaction.menu() if menu is None else menu
@@ -128,6 +187,8 @@ class SortByAction(InterfaceAction):
                 menu.insertSeparator(before)
             else:
                 menu.addAction(sac)
+        if self.fake_action is not None:
+            self.fake_action.setMenu(menu)
 
     def select_sortable_columns(self):
         db = self.gui.current_db
@@ -166,7 +227,7 @@ class SortByAction(InterfaceAction):
         d = ChooseMultiSort(self.gui.current_db, parent=self.gui, is_device_connected=self.gui.device_connected)
         if d.exec() == QDialog.DialogCode.Accepted:
             self.gui.library_view.multisort(d.current_sort_spec)
-            self.update_menu()
+        self.update_menu()
 
     def sort_requested(self, key, ascending):
         if ascending is None: