diff --git a/opac/opac-readingrecord.pl b/opac/opac-readingrecord.pl
index bee8684ae0..b1ec579e07 100755
--- a/opac/opac-readingrecord.pl
+++ b/opac/opac-readingrecord.pl
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ elsif ( $order eq 'author' ) {
     $template->param( orderbyauthor => 1 );
 }
 else {
-    $order = "date_due desc";
+    $order = { -desc => "date_due" };
     $template->param( orderbydate => 1 );
 }