diff --git a/src/documents/filters.py b/src/documents/filters.py
index ff2cc2936..fd52e43aa 100644
--- a/src/documents/filters.py
+++ b/src/documents/filters.py
@@ -778,8 +778,9 @@ class DocumentsOrderingFilter(OrderingFilter):
         param = request.query_params.get("ordering")
         if param and self.prefix in param:
             custom_field_id = int(param.split(self.prefix)[1])
-            field = CustomField.objects.get(pk=custom_field_id)
-            if not field:
+            try:
+                field = CustomField.objects.get(pk=custom_field_id)
+            except CustomField.DoesNotExist:
                 raise ValueError("Custom field not found")
 
             annotation = None
@@ -877,6 +878,7 @@ class DocumentsOrderingFilter(OrderingFilter):
                     )
 
             if not annotation:
+                # Only happens if a new data type is added and not handled here
                 raise ValueError("Invalid custom field data type")
 
             queryset = (
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py b/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py
index 35b6a2b89..048449fd4 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_api_documents.py
@@ -2909,3 +2909,40 @@ class TestDocumentApiCustomFieldsSorting(DirectoriesMixin, APITestCase):
                     [results[0]["id"], results[1]["id"], results[2]["id"]],
                     [self.doc1.id, self.doc3.id, self.doc2.id],
                 )
+
+    def test_document_custom_fields_sorting_invalid(self):
+        """
+        GIVEN:
+            - Documents with custom fields
+        WHEN:
+            - API request for document filtering with invalid custom field sorting
+        THEN:
+            - 400 is returned
+        """
+
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            response = self.client.get(
+                "/api/documents/?ordering=custom_field_999",
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(response.status_code, status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
+
+    def test_document_custom_fields_sorting_invalid_data_type(self):
+        """
+        GIVEN:
+            - Documents with custom fields
+        WHEN:
+            - API request for document filtering with a custom field sorting with a new (unhandled) data type
+        THEN:
+            - 400 is returned
+        """
+
+        custom_field = CustomField.objects.create(
+            name="custom field",
+            data_type="foo",
+        )
+
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            response = self.client.get(
+                f"/api/documents/?ordering=custom_field_{custom_field.pk}",
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(response.status_code, status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)