diff --git a/src/js/media/models/attachments.js b/src/js/media/models/attachments.js
index 23510bd949f4c..0b764de042ae6 100644
--- a/src/js/media/models/attachments.js
+++ b/src/js/media/models/attachments.js
@@ -44,7 +44,17 @@ var Attachments = Backbone.Collection.extend(/** @lends wp.media.model.Attachmen
 		this.props.on( 'change:orderby', this._changeOrderby, this );
 		this.props.on( 'change:query',   this._changeQuery,   this );
 
-		this.props.set( _.defaults( options.props || {} ) );
+		options.props = _.defaults( options.props || {} );
+
+		// Normalize the order if it exists.
+		if ( 'string' === typeof options.props.order ) {
+			options.props.order = options.props.order.toUpperCase();
+			if ( 'ASC' !== options.props.order && 'DESC' !== options.props.order ) {
+				options.props.order = 'DESC';
+			}
+		}
+
+		this.props.set( options.props );
 
 		if ( options.observe ) {
 			this.observe( options.observe );
diff --git a/src/js/media/models/query.js b/src/js/media/models/query.js
index b3f62018f5cd4..3c47215c39833 100644
--- a/src/js/media/models/query.js
+++ b/src/js/media/models/query.js
@@ -251,12 +251,6 @@ Query = Attachments.extend(/** @lends wp.media.model.Query.prototype */{
 			// Fill default args.
 			_.defaults( props, defaults );
 
-			// Normalize the order.
-			props.order = props.order.toUpperCase();
-			if ( 'DESC' !== props.order && 'ASC' !== props.order ) {
-				props.order = defaults.order.toUpperCase();
-			}
-
 			// Ensure we have a valid orderby value.
 			if ( ! _.contains( orderby.allowed, props.orderby ) ) {
 				props.orderby = defaults.orderby;