diff --git a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_article.php b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_article.php
index 0573796c2..3d81b477a 100644
--- a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_article.php
+++ b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_article.php
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ public function init($functablename): bool
 
             $tableObj = $this->getTableObj();
             $tableObj->setConfig($tableConfig);
-            $tableObj->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
+
+            if (isset($GLOBALS['TCA'][$tableObj->getName()]['columns']['sorting'])) {
+                $tableObj->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
+            }
         }
 
         return $result;
diff --git a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_category.php b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_category.php
index eb932af9b..eff8596dd 100644
--- a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_category.php
+++ b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_category.php
@@ -62,7 +62,9 @@ public function init(
             $cnf = GeneralUtility::makeInstance('tx_ttproducts_config');
             $this->tableconf = $cnf->getTableConf($functablename);
             $tableObj = $this->getTableObj();
-            $tableObj->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
+            if (isset($GLOBALS['TCA'][$tableObj->getName()]['columns']['sorting'])) {
+                $tableObj->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
+            }
             $tablename = $this->getTablename();
             $tableObj->setTCAFieldArray($tablename);
 
diff --git a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_email.php b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_email.php
index 2b8c564f3..d7c1c4ac0 100644
--- a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_email.php
+++ b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_email.php
@@ -52,9 +52,12 @@ public function init($functablename): bool
         $result = parent::init($functablename);
 
         if ($result) {
+            $tableObj = $this->getTableObj();
             $tablename = $this->getTablename();
-            $this->getTableObj()->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
-            $this->getTableObj()->setTCAFieldArray('tt_products_emails');
+            if (isset($GLOBALS['TCA'][$tablename]['columns']['sorting'])) {
+                $tableObj->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
+            }
+            $tableObj->setTCAFieldArray('tt_products_emails');
         }
 
         return $result;
diff --git a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_product.php b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_product.php
index cde566648..2a133a41d 100644
--- a/model/class.tx_ttproducts_product.php
+++ b/model/class.tx_ttproducts_product.php
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ public function init(
 
             $tableObj = $this->getTableObj();
             $tableObj->setConfig($tableConfig);
-            $tableObj->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
+            if (isset($GLOBALS['TCA'][$tableObj->getName()]['columns']['sorting'])) {
+                $tableObj->addDefaultFieldArray(['sorting' => 'sorting']);
+            }
         }
 
         return $result;
diff --git a/view/class.tx_ttproducts_list_view.php b/view/class.tx_ttproducts_list_view.php
index e77f87d42..e8b492dd0 100644
--- a/view/class.tx_ttproducts_list_view.php
+++ b/view/class.tx_ttproducts_list_view.php
@@ -1375,6 +1375,12 @@ public function printView(
                         ksort($displayConf['header'], SORT_STRING);
                     }
                 }
+
+                $categorySorting = 'uid';
+                if (isset($GLOBALS['TCA'][$categoryTable->getTableObj()->getName()]['columns']['sorting'])) {
+                    $categorySorting = 'sorting';
+                }
+
                 $selectConf['orderBy'] = $tableConfArray[$functablename]['orderBy'];
                 // performing query for display:
                 if (!$selectConf['orderBy']) {
@@ -2018,8 +2024,7 @@ public function printView(
                             ) {
                                 $currentCat = $row['category'];
                             }
-
-                            $catArray = $categoryTable->getCategoryArray($row, 'sorting');
+                            $catArray = $categoryTable->getCategoryArray($row, $categorySorting);
 
                             if (
                                 empty($tableConfArray[$categoryfunctablename]['onlyDefaultCategory']) &&
diff --git a/view/class.tx_ttproducts_single_view.php b/view/class.tx_ttproducts_single_view.php
index 186a21db8..f89b3374b 100644
--- a/view/class.tx_ttproducts_single_view.php
+++ b/view/class.tx_ttproducts_single_view.php
@@ -1097,6 +1097,13 @@ public function printView(
                             );
                         $count = count($orderByFieldArray);
 
+                        if (
+                            !isset($GLOBALS['TCA'][$tablename]['columns']['sorting']) &&
+                            in_array('sorting', $orderByFieldArray)
+                        ) {
+                            throw new RuntimeException('Error in tt_products: No "sorting" field is set in the backend for table "' . $tablename . '", but it is set in the setup of orderBy.', 1708024007);
+                        }
+
                         if ($count) {
                             $bDefaultOrder = false;
                             $queryPrevPrefixArray = [];