diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
index ebac7c9a4f..bd9728989b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
         '''
         rows = [r.row() for r in \
                 self.gui.library_view.selectionModel().selectedRows()]
-        db = self.gui.library_view.model().db
-        ids = [db.id(r) for r in rows]
+        m = self.gui.library_view.model()
+        ids = [m.id(r) for r in rows]
         if not rows or len(rows) == 0:
             d = error_dialog(self.gui, _('Cannot edit metadata'),
                     _('No books selected'))
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
             self.gui.tags_view.recount()
             if self.gui.cover_flow:
                 self.gui.cover_flow.dataChanged()
-            self.gui.library_view.select_rows_with_id(ids)
+            self.gui.library_view.select_rows(ids)
 
     # Merge books {{{
     def merge_books(self, safe_merge=False):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py
index 77d15e69c6..724454dccf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py
@@ -479,20 +479,35 @@ class BooksView(QTableView): # {{{
                 sm = self.selectionModel()
                 sm.select(index, sm.ClearAndSelect|sm.Rows)
 
-    def select_rows_with_id(self, ids):
+    def select_rows(self, identifiers, using_ids=True, change_current=True,
+            scroll=True):
         '''
-        Loop through the visible rows, selecting any that have db_id in list ids
+        Select rows identified by identifiers. identifiers can be a set of ids,
+        row numbers or QModelIndexes.
         '''
-        ids = set(ids)
         selmode = self.selectionMode()
         self.setSelectionMode(QAbstractItemView.MultiSelection)
-        self.clearSelection()
-        db = self.model().db
-        loc = db.FIELD_MAP['id']
-        for i in range(0, len(db.data)):
-            if db.get_property(i, index_is_id=False, loc=loc) in ids:
-                self.selectRow(i)
-        self.setSelectionMode(selmode)
+        try:
+            rows = set([x.row() if hasattr(x, 'row') else x for x in
+                identifiers])
+            if using_ids:
+                rows = set([])
+                identifiers = set(identifiers)
+                m = self.model()
+                for row in range(m.rowCount(QModelIndex())):
+                    if m.id(row) in identifiers:
+                        rows.add(row)
+            if rows:
+                row = list(sorted(rows))[0]
+                if change_current:
+                    self.set_current_row(row, select=False)
+                if scroll:
+                    self.scroll_to_row(row)
+            self.clearSelection()
+            for r in rows:
+                self.selectRow(r)
+        finally:
+            self.setSelectionMode(selmode)
 
     def close(self):
         self._model.close()
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/content.py b/src/calibre/library/server/content.py
index ecb467b4c2..95794a8c1d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/content.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/content.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class ContentServer(object):
 
     def sort(self, items, field, order):
         field = self.db.data.sanitize_sort_field_name(field)
-        if field not in ('title', 'authors', 'rating', 'timestamp', 'tags', 'size', 'series'):
+        if field not in self.db.field_metadata.field_keys():
             raise cherrypy.HTTPError(400, '%s is not a valid sort field'%field)
         keyg = CSSortKeyGenerator([(field, order)], self.db.field_metadata)
         items.sort(key=keyg, reverse=not order)