diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 0b7ed82654a..69211f8dd1c 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -77,12 +77,11 @@ define_list_config_array(color_branch_slots);
 static int git_branch_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 {
 	const char *slot_name;
-	struct ref_sorting **sorting_tail = (struct ref_sorting **)cb;
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "branch.sort")) {
 		if (!value)
 			return config_error_nonbool(var);
-		parse_ref_sorting(sorting_tail, value);
+		string_list_append(cb, value);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -624,7 +623,8 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	enum branch_track track;
 	struct ref_filter filter;
 	int icase = 0;
-	static struct ref_sorting *sorting = NULL, **sorting_tail = &sorting;
+	static struct ref_sorting *sorting;
+	struct string_list sorting_options = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 	struct ref_format format = REF_FORMAT_INIT;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_MERGED(&filter, N_("print only branches that are merged")),
 		OPT_NO_MERGED(&filter, N_("print only branches that are not merged")),
 		OPT_COLUMN(0, "column", &colopts, N_("list branches in columns")),
-		OPT_REF_SORT(sorting_tail),
+		OPT_REF_SORT(&sorting_options),
 		OPT_CALLBACK(0, "points-at", &filter.points_at, N_("object"),
 			N_("print only branches of the object"), parse_opt_object_name),
 		OPT_BOOL('i', "ignore-case", &icase, N_("sorting and filtering are case insensitive")),
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-h"))
 		usage_with_options(builtin_branch_usage, options);
 
-	git_config(git_branch_config, sorting_tail);
+	git_config(git_branch_config, &sorting_options);
 
 	track = git_branch_track;
 
@@ -748,8 +748,7 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		 * local branches 'refs/heads/...' and finally remote-tracking
 		 * branches 'refs/remotes/...'.
 		 */
-		if (!sorting)
-			sorting = ref_default_sorting();
+		sorting = ref_sorting_options(&sorting_options);
 		ref_sorting_set_sort_flags_all(sorting, REF_SORTING_ICASE, icase);
 		ref_sorting_set_sort_flags_all(
 			sorting, REF_SORTING_DETACHED_HEAD_FIRST, 1);
diff --git a/builtin/for-each-ref.c b/builtin/for-each-ref.c
index 16a2c7d57ca..6f62f40d126 100644
--- a/builtin/for-each-ref.c
+++ b/builtin/for-each-ref.c
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ static char const * const for_each_ref_usage[] = {
 int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i;
-	struct ref_sorting *sorting = NULL, **sorting_tail = &sorting;
+	struct ref_sorting *sorting;
+	struct string_list sorting_options = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 	int maxcount = 0, icase = 0;
 	struct ref_array array;
 	struct ref_filter filter;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_INTEGER( 0 , "count", &maxcount, N_("show only <n> matched refs")),
 		OPT_STRING(  0 , "format", &format.format, N_("format"), N_("format to use for the output")),
 		OPT__COLOR(&format.use_color, N_("respect format colors")),
-		OPT_REF_SORT(sorting_tail),
+		OPT_REF_SORT(&sorting_options),
 		OPT_CALLBACK(0, "points-at", &filter.points_at,
 			     N_("object"), N_("print only refs which points at the given object"),
 			     parse_opt_object_name),
@@ -70,8 +71,7 @@ int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (verify_ref_format(&format))
 		usage_with_options(for_each_ref_usage, opts);
 
-	if (!sorting)
-		sorting = ref_default_sorting();
+	sorting = ref_sorting_options(&sorting_options);
 	ref_sorting_set_sort_flags_all(sorting, REF_SORTING_ICASE, icase);
 	filter.ignore_case = icase;
 
diff --git a/builtin/ls-remote.c b/builtin/ls-remote.c
index 318949c3d75..44448fa61d1 100644
--- a/builtin/ls-remote.c
+++ b/builtin/ls-remote.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	struct transport *transport;
 	const struct ref *ref;
 	struct ref_array ref_array;
-	static struct ref_sorting *sorting = NULL, **sorting_tail = &sorting;
+	struct string_list sorting_options = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT__QUIET(&quiet, N_("do not print remote URL")),
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_BIT(0, "refs", &flags, N_("do not show peeled tags"), REF_NORMAL),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "get-url", &get_url,
 			 N_("take url.<base>.insteadOf into account")),
-		OPT_REF_SORT(sorting_tail),
+		OPT_REF_SORT(&sorting_options),
 		OPT_SET_INT_F(0, "exit-code", &status,
 			      N_("exit with exit code 2 if no matching refs are found"),
 			      2, PARSE_OPT_NOCOMPLETE),
@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	packet_trace_identity("ls-remote");
 
-	UNLEAK(sorting);
-
 	if (argc > 1) {
 		int i;
 		CALLOC_ARRAY(pattern, argc);
@@ -139,8 +137,13 @@ int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		item->symref = xstrdup_or_null(ref->symref);
 	}
 
-	if (sorting)
+	if (sorting_options.nr) {
+		struct ref_sorting *sorting;
+
+		sorting = ref_sorting_options(&sorting_options);
 		ref_array_sort(sorting, &ref_array);
+		ref_sorting_release(sorting);
+	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ref_array.nr; i++) {
 		const struct ref_array_item *ref = ref_array.items[i];
diff --git a/builtin/tag.c b/builtin/tag.c
index 6fe646710d6..41863c5ab77 100644
--- a/builtin/tag.c
+++ b/builtin/tag.c
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ static const char tag_template_nocleanup[] =
 static int git_tag_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 {
 	int status;
-	struct ref_sorting **sorting_tail = (struct ref_sorting **)cb;
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "tag.gpgsign")) {
 		config_sign_tag = git_config_bool(var, value);
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ static int git_tag_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 	if (!strcmp(var, "tag.sort")) {
 		if (!value)
 			return config_error_nonbool(var);
-		parse_ref_sorting(sorting_tail, value);
+		string_list_append(cb, value);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -436,7 +435,8 @@ int cmd_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct ref_filter filter;
-	static struct ref_sorting *sorting = NULL, **sorting_tail = &sorting;
+	struct ref_sorting *sorting;
+	struct string_list sorting_options = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 	struct ref_format format = REF_FORMAT_INIT;
 	int icase = 0;
 	int edit_flag = 0;
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ int cmd_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_WITHOUT(&filter.no_commit, N_("print only tags that don't contain the commit")),
 		OPT_MERGED(&filter, N_("print only tags that are merged")),
 		OPT_NO_MERGED(&filter, N_("print only tags that are not merged")),
-		OPT_REF_SORT(sorting_tail),
+		OPT_REF_SORT(&sorting_options),
 		{
 			OPTION_CALLBACK, 0, "points-at", &filter.points_at, N_("object"),
 			N_("print only tags of the object"), PARSE_OPT_LASTARG_DEFAULT,
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ int cmd_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	setup_ref_filter_porcelain_msg();
 
-	git_config(git_tag_config, sorting_tail);
+	git_config(git_tag_config, &sorting_options);
 
 	memset(&opt, 0, sizeof(opt));
 	memset(&filter, 0, sizeof(filter));
@@ -525,8 +525,7 @@ int cmd_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			die(_("--column and -n are incompatible"));
 		colopts = 0;
 	}
-	if (!sorting)
-		sorting = ref_default_sorting();
+	sorting = ref_sorting_options(&sorting_options);
 	ref_sorting_set_sort_flags_all(sorting, REF_SORTING_ICASE, icase);
 	filter.ignore_case = icase;
 	if (cmdmode == 'l') {
diff --git a/ref-filter.c b/ref-filter.c
index bdf8b0725df..ec7f30c5d31 100644
--- a/ref-filter.c
+++ b/ref-filter.c
@@ -2470,6 +2470,12 @@ static int memcasecmp(const void *vs1, const void *vs2, size_t n)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+struct ref_sorting {
+	struct ref_sorting *next;
+	int atom; /* index into used_atom array (internal) */
+	enum ref_sorting_order sort_flags;
+};
+
 static int cmp_ref_sorting(struct ref_sorting *s, struct ref_array_item *a, struct ref_array_item *b)
 {
 	struct atom_value *va, *vb;
@@ -2663,7 +2669,7 @@ static int parse_sorting_atom(const char *atom)
 }
 
 /*  If no sorting option is given, use refname to sort as default */
-struct ref_sorting *ref_default_sorting(void)
+static struct ref_sorting *ref_default_sorting(void)
 {
 	static const char cstr_name[] = "refname";
 
@@ -2674,7 +2680,7 @@ struct ref_sorting *ref_default_sorting(void)
 	return sorting;
 }
 
-void parse_ref_sorting(struct ref_sorting **sorting_tail, const char *arg)
+static void parse_ref_sorting(struct ref_sorting **sorting_tail, const char *arg)
 {
 	struct ref_sorting *s;
 
@@ -2692,17 +2698,25 @@ void parse_ref_sorting(struct ref_sorting **sorting_tail, const char *arg)
 	s->atom = parse_sorting_atom(arg);
 }
 
-int parse_opt_ref_sorting(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset)
+struct ref_sorting *ref_sorting_options(struct string_list *options)
 {
+	struct string_list_item *item;
+	struct ref_sorting *sorting = NULL, **tail = &sorting;
+
+	if (!options->nr) {
+		sorting = ref_default_sorting();
+	} else {
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, options)
+			parse_ref_sorting(tail, item->string);
+	}
+
 	/*
-	 * NEEDSWORK: We should probably clear the list in this case, but we've
-	 * already munged the global used_atoms list, which would need to be
-	 * undone.
+	 * From here on, the ref_sorting list should be used to talk
+	 * about the sort order used for the output.  The caller
+	 * should not touch the string form anymore.
 	 */
-	BUG_ON_OPT_NEG(unset);
-
-	parse_ref_sorting(opt->value, arg);
-	return 0;
+	string_list_clear(options, 0);
+	return sorting;
 }
 
 void ref_sorting_release(struct ref_sorting *sorting)
diff --git a/ref-filter.h b/ref-filter.h
index 6228458d306..b6a317e92c5 100644
--- a/ref-filter.h
+++ b/ref-filter.h
@@ -23,16 +23,13 @@
 #define FILTER_REFS_KIND_MASK      (FILTER_REFS_ALL | FILTER_REFS_DETACHED_HEAD)
 
 struct atom_value;
+struct ref_sorting;
 
-struct ref_sorting {
-	struct ref_sorting *next;
-	int atom; /* index into used_atom array (internal) */
-	enum {
-		REF_SORTING_REVERSE = 1<<0,
-		REF_SORTING_ICASE = 1<<1,
-		REF_SORTING_VERSION = 1<<2,
-		REF_SORTING_DETACHED_HEAD_FIRST = 1<<3,
-	} sort_flags;
+enum ref_sorting_order {
+	REF_SORTING_REVERSE = 1<<0,
+	REF_SORTING_ICASE = 1<<1,
+	REF_SORTING_VERSION = 1<<2,
+	REF_SORTING_DETACHED_HEAD_FIRST = 1<<3,
 };
 
 struct ref_array_item {
@@ -97,9 +94,8 @@ struct ref_format {
 #define OPT_NO_MERGED(f, h) _OPT_MERGED_NO_MERGED("no-merged", f, h)
 
 #define OPT_REF_SORT(var) \
-	OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "sort", (var), \
-		       N_("key"), N_("field name to sort on"), \
-		       PARSE_OPT_NONEG, parse_opt_ref_sorting)
+	OPT_STRING_LIST(0, "sort", (var), \
+			N_("key"), N_("field name to sort on"))
 
 /*
  * API for filtering a set of refs. Based on the type of refs the user
@@ -121,12 +117,8 @@ int format_ref_array_item(struct ref_array_item *info,
 			  struct ref_format *format,
 			  struct strbuf *final_buf,
 			  struct strbuf *error_buf);
-/*  Parse a single sort specifier and add it to the list */
-void parse_ref_sorting(struct ref_sorting **sorting_tail, const char *atom);
-/*  Callback function for parsing the sort option */
-int parse_opt_ref_sorting(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset);
-/*  Default sort option based on refname */
-struct ref_sorting *ref_default_sorting(void);
+/*  Convert list of sort options into ref_sorting */
+struct ref_sorting *ref_sorting_options(struct string_list *);
 /* Release a "struct ref_sorting" */
 void ref_sorting_release(struct ref_sorting *);
 /*  Function to parse --merged and --no-merged options */
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index e575ffb4ffb..0e23d18807b 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -1418,7 +1418,17 @@ test_expect_success 'invalid sort parameter in configuration' '
 	(
 		cd sort &&
 		git config branch.sort "v:notvalid" &&
-		test_must_fail git branch
+
+		# this works in the "listing" mode, so bad sort key
+		# is a dying offence.
+		test_must_fail git branch &&
+
+		# these do not need to use sorting, and should all
+		# succeed
+		git branch newone main &&
+		git branch -c newone newerone &&
+		git branch -m newone newestone &&
+		git branch -d newerone newestone
 	)
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh b/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh
index 80679d5e12d..83921502a40 100755
--- a/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh
@@ -419,6 +419,11 @@ test_expect_success 'Verify descending sort' '
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'Give help even with invalid sort atoms' '
+	test_expect_code 129 git for-each-ref --sort=bogus -h >actual 2>&1 &&
+	grep "^usage: git for-each-ref" actual
+'
+
 cat >expected <<\EOF
 refs/tags/testtag
 refs/tags/testtag-2
