diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py b/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py
index 48033b3522..32bf9a9828 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import time
 
 from calibre.utils.date import parse_date
 from calibre.devices.usbms.books import Book as Book_
+from calibre.ebooks.metadata import author_to_author_sort
 
 class Book(Book_):
 
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ class Book(Book_):
             self.authors = ['']
         else:
             self.authors = [authors]
+        self.author_sort = author_to_author_sort(self.authors[0])
 
         if not title:
             self.title = _('Unknown')
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
index f0296a32c7..246b0835a5 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
@@ -1193,7 +1193,10 @@ class DeviceBooksModel(BooksModel): # {{{
                     ax = authors_to_string(self.db[x].authors)
                 except:
                     ax = ''
-            return ax
+            try:
+                return sort_key(ax)
+            except:
+                return ax
 
         keygen = {
                 'title': ('title_sorter', lambda x: sort_key(x) if x else ''),