diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php b/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php
index a633752c8c..d8b4f19416 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-list-table.php
@@ -1006,6 +1006,38 @@ class WP_List_Table {
 		return count( $columns ) - count( $hidden );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * If 'orderby' is set, return it.
+	 *
+	 * @access protected
+	 * @since 4.4.0
+	 *
+	 * @return string The value of 'orderby' or empty string.
+	 */
+	protected function get_orderby() {
+		if ( isset( $_GET['orderby'] ) ) {
+			return $_GET['orderby'];
+		}
+
+		return '';
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * If 'order' is 'desc', return it. Else return 'asc'.
+	 *
+	 * @access protected
+	 * @since 4.4.0
+	 *
+	 * @return string 'desc' or 'asc'.
+	 */
+	protected function get_order() {
+		if ( isset( $_GET['order'] ) && 'desc' === $_GET['order'] ) {
+			return 'desc';
+		}
+
+		return 'asc';
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Print column headers, accounting for hidden and sortable columns.
 	 *
@@ -1022,15 +1054,8 @@ class WP_List_Table {
 		$current_url = set_url_scheme( 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] . $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] );
 		$current_url = remove_query_arg( 'paged', $current_url );
 
-		if ( isset( $_GET['orderby'] ) )
-			$current_orderby = $_GET['orderby'];
-		else
-			$current_orderby = '';
-
-		if ( isset( $_GET['order'] ) && 'desc' === $_GET['order'] )
-			$current_order = 'desc';
-		else
-			$current_order = 'asc';
+		$current_orderby = $this->get_orderby();
+		$current_order = $this->get_order();
 
 		if ( ! empty( $columns['cb'] ) ) {
 			static $cb_counter = 1;
diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php b/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
index 2b4938f38e..a63668b586 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php
@@ -120,6 +120,30 @@ class WP_Posts_List_Table extends WP_List_Table {
 		return current_user_can( get_post_type_object( $this->screen->post_type )->cap->edit_posts );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Get the value of the 'orderby' query var.
+	 *
+	 * @access protected
+	 * @since 4.4.0
+	 *
+	 * @return string The value of 'orderby'.
+	 */
+	protected function get_orderby() {
+		return strtolower( get_query_var( 'orderby' ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Get the value of the 'order' query var.
+	 *
+	 * @access protected
+	 * @since 4.4.0
+	 *
+	 * @return string The value of 'order'.
+	 */
+	protected function get_order() {
+		return strtolower( get_query_var( 'order' ) );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 *
 	 * @global array    $avail_post_stati
@@ -130,6 +154,7 @@ class WP_Posts_List_Table extends WP_List_Table {
 	public function prepare_items() {
 		global $avail_post_stati, $wp_query, $per_page, $mode;
 
+		// is going to call wp()
 		$avail_post_stati = wp_edit_posts_query();
 
 		$this->set_hierarchical_display( is_post_type_hierarchical( $this->screen->post_type ) && 'menu_order title' === $wp_query->query['orderby'] );
diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/post.php b/wp-admin/includes/post.php
index 7ed2a66112..bf49ed4fc8 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/post.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/post.php
@@ -1004,15 +1004,21 @@ function wp_edit_posts_query( $q = false ) {
 		$perm = 'readable';
 	}
 
-	if ( isset($q['orderby']) )
+	if ( isset( $q['orderby'] ) ) {
 		$orderby = $q['orderby'];
-	elseif ( isset($q['post_status']) && in_array($q['post_status'], array('pending', 'draft')) )
+	} elseif ( isset( $q['post_status'] ) && in_array( $q['post_status'], array( 'pending', 'draft' ) ) ) {
 		$orderby = 'modified';
+	} else {
+		$orderby = 'date';
+	}
 
-	if ( isset($q['order']) )
+	if ( isset( $q['order'] ) ) {
 		$order = $q['order'];
-	elseif ( isset($q['post_status']) && 'pending' == $q['post_status'] )
+	} elseif ( isset( $q['post_status'] ) && 'pending' == $q['post_status'] ) {
 		$order = 'ASC';
+	} else {
+		$order = 'desc';
+	}
 
 	$per_page = "edit_{$post_type}_per_page";
 	$posts_per_page = (int) get_user_option( $per_page );
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 3748d0d626..4bff212b71 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.4-alpha-34727';
+$wp_version = '4.4-alpha-34728';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.