diff --git a/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/model/command/builders/CollectionSortClauseBuilder.java b/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/model/command/builders/CollectionSortClauseBuilder.java
index f0577b5bf3..8286ec6b0f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/model/command/builders/CollectionSortClauseBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/model/command/builders/CollectionSortClauseBuilder.java
@@ -36,21 +36,28 @@ public SortClause buildClauseFromDefinition(ObjectNode sortNode) {
 
     JsonNode lexicalNode = sortNode.get(DocumentConstants.Fields.LEXICAL_CONTENT_FIELD);
     if (lexicalNode != null) {
-      // We can also check if lexical sort supported by the collection:
-      if (!schema.lexicalConfig().enabled()) {
-        throw SchemaException.Code.LEXICAL_NOT_ENABLED_FOR_COLLECTION.get(errVars(schema));
-      }
-      if (sortNode.size() > 1) {
-        throw ErrorCodeV1.INVALID_SORT_CLAUSE.toApiException(
-            "if sorting by '%s' no other sort expressions allowed",
-            DocumentConstants.Fields.LEXICAL_CONTENT_FIELD);
-      }
-      if (!lexicalNode.isTextual()) {
-        throw ErrorCodeV1.INVALID_SORT_CLAUSE.toApiException(
-            "if sorting by '%s' value must be String, not %s",
-            DocumentConstants.Fields.LEXICAL_CONTENT_FIELD, JsonUtil.nodeTypeAsString(lexicalNode));
+      // Typical we need a String, but "old" 1/-1 still allowed: so bail out
+      // if we got a Number
+      if (lexicalNode.isNumber()) {
+        ; // do nothing, yet, fall-through to next block
+      } else {
+        // We can also check if lexical sort supported by the collection:
+        if (!schema.lexicalConfig().enabled()) {
+          throw SchemaException.Code.LEXICAL_NOT_ENABLED_FOR_COLLECTION.get(errVars(schema));
+        }
+        if (sortNode.size() > 1) {
+          throw ErrorCodeV1.INVALID_SORT_CLAUSE.toApiException(
+              "if sorting by '%s' no other sort expressions allowed",
+              DocumentConstants.Fields.LEXICAL_CONTENT_FIELD);
+        }
+        if (!lexicalNode.isTextual()) {
+          throw ErrorCodeV1.INVALID_SORT_CLAUSE.toApiException(
+              "if sorting by '%s' value must be String, not %s",
+              DocumentConstants.Fields.LEXICAL_CONTENT_FIELD,
+              JsonUtil.nodeTypeAsString(lexicalNode));
+        }
+        return SortClause.immutable(SortExpression.collectionLexicalSort(lexicalNode.textValue()));
       }
-      return SortClause.immutable(SortExpression.collectionLexicalSort(lexicalNode.textValue()));
     }
     JsonNode vectorNode = sortNode.get(DocumentConstants.Fields.VECTOR_EMBEDDING_FIELD);
     if (vectorNode != null) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/service/operation/collections/FindCollectionOperation.java b/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/service/operation/collections/FindCollectionOperation.java
index ab07d2f993..8406da50b1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/service/operation/collections/FindCollectionOperation.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/service/operation/collections/FindCollectionOperation.java
@@ -402,7 +402,6 @@ public Uni<FindResponse> getDocuments(
       QueryExecutor queryExecutor,
       String pageState,
       IDCollectionFilter additionalIdFilter) {
-
     // ensure we pass failure down if read type is not DOCUMENT or KEY
     // COUNT is not supported
     switch (readType) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/v1/FindCollectionWithLexicalIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/v1/FindCollectionWithLexicalIntegrationTest.java
index 730d015dff..623eeb56c3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/v1/FindCollectionWithLexicalIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/stargate/sgv2/jsonapi/api/v1/FindCollectionWithLexicalIntegrationTest.java
@@ -158,11 +158,34 @@ void findManyWithLexicalAndOtherFilter() {
           .body("data.documents", hasSize(1))
           .body("data.documents[0]._id", is("lexical-4"));
     }
+
+    // [data-api#2109] Non-lexical sort on $lexical column should also work
+    @Test
+    void findManyWithNonLexicalSort() {
+      givenHeadersPostJsonThenOkNoErrors(
+              keyspaceName,
+              COLLECTION_WITH_LEXICAL,
+              """
+                          {
+                            "find": {
+                              "projection": {"$lexical": 1 },
+                              "sort" : {"$lexical": 1 }
+                            }
+                          }
+                          """)
+          .body("$", responseIsFindSuccess())
+          .body("data.documents", hasSize(5))
+          .body("data.documents[0]._id", is("lexical-4"))
+          .body("data.documents[1]._id", is("lexical-3"))
+          .body("data.documents[2]._id", is("lexical-5"))
+          .body("data.documents[3]._id", is("lexical-2"))
+          .body("data.documents[4]._id", is("lexical-1"));
+    }
   }
 
   @DisabledIfSystemProperty(named = TEST_PROP_LEXICAL_DISABLED, matches = "true")
   @Nested
-  @Order(2)
+  @Order(3)
   class HappyCasesFindOne {
     @Test
     void findOneWithLexicalSortBiking() {
@@ -221,7 +244,7 @@ void findOneWithOnlyLexicalFilter() {
 
   @DisabledIfSystemProperty(named = TEST_PROP_LEXICAL_DISABLED, matches = "true")
   @Nested
-  @Order(3)
+  @Order(4)
   class FailingCasesFindMany {
     @Test
     void failSortIfLexicalDisabledForCollection() {
@@ -269,7 +292,7 @@ void failForBadLexicalSortValueType() {
               """
                       {
                         "find": {
-                          "sort" : {"$lexical": -1 }
+                          "sort" : {"$lexical": false }
                         }
                       }
                       """)
@@ -277,7 +300,7 @@ void failForBadLexicalSortValueType() {
           .body("errors[0].errorCode", is("INVALID_SORT_CLAUSE"))
           .body(
               "errors[0].message",
-              containsString("if sorting by '$lexical' value must be String, not Number"));
+              containsString("if sorting by '$lexical' value must be String, not Boolean"));
     }
 
     @Test