diff --git a/internal/monero/monero.go b/internal/monero/monero.go
index 1686af0..c385160 100644
--- a/internal/monero/monero.go
+++ b/internal/monero/monero.go
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ type QueryNodes struct {
 }
 
 // toSQL generates SQL query from query parameters
-func (q QueryNodes) toSQL() (args []interface{}, where, sortBy, sortDirection string) {
+func (q *QueryNodes) toSQL() (args []interface{}, where string) {
 	wq := []string{}
 
 	if q.Host != "" {
@@ -128,17 +128,14 @@ func (q QueryNodes) toSQL() (args []interface{}, where, sortBy, sortDirection st
 		where = "WHERE " + strings.Join(wq, " AND ")
 	}
 
-	as := []string{"last_checked", "uptime"}
-	sortBy = "last_checked"
-	if slices.Contains(as, q.SortBy) {
-		sortBy = q.SortBy
+	if !slices.Contains([]string{"last_checked", "uptime"}, q.SortBy) {
+		q.SortBy = "last_checked"
 	}
-	sortDirection = "DESC"
-	if q.SortDirection == "asc" {
-		sortDirection = "ASC"
+	if q.SortDirection != "asc" {
+		q.SortDirection = "DESC"
 	}
 
-	return args, where, sortBy, sortDirection
+	return args, where
 }
 
 // Nodes represents a list of nodes
@@ -150,7 +147,7 @@ type Nodes struct {
 
 // Get nodes from database
 func (r *moneroRepo) Nodes(q QueryNodes) (Nodes, error) {
-	args, where, sortBy, sortDirection := q.toSQL()
+	args, where := q.toSQL()
 
 	var nodes Nodes
 
@@ -174,12 +171,12 @@ func (r *moneroRepo) Nodes(q QueryNodes) (Nodes, error) {
 			*
 		FROM
 			tbl_node
-		%s -- where query if any
+		%s
 		ORDER BY
 			%s
 			%s
 		LIMIT ?
-		OFFSET ?`, where, sortBy, sortDirection)
+		OFFSET ?`, where, q.SortBy, q.SortDirection)
 	err = r.db.Select(&nodes.Items, query, args...)
 
 	return nodes, err
diff --git a/internal/monero/monero_test.go b/internal/monero/monero_test.go
index d47ebb0..b9cddf5 100644
--- a/internal/monero/monero_test.go
+++ b/internal/monero/monero_test.go
@@ -87,18 +87,18 @@ func TestQueryNodes_toSQL(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			gotArgs, gotWhere, gotSortBy, gotSortDirection := tt.query.toSQL()
+			gotArgs, gotWhere := tt.query.toSQL()
 			if !equalArgs(gotArgs, tt.wantArgs) {
 				t.Errorf("QueryNodes.toSQL() gotArgs = %v, want %v", gotArgs, tt.wantArgs)
 			}
 			if gotWhere != tt.wantWhere {
 				t.Errorf("QueryNodes.toSQL() gotWhere = %v, want %v", gotWhere, tt.wantWhere)
 			}
-			if gotSortBy != tt.wantSortBy {
-				t.Errorf("QueryNodes.toSQL() gotSortBy = %v, want %v", gotSortBy, tt.wantSortBy)
+			if tt.query.SortBy != tt.wantSortBy {
+				t.Errorf("QueryNodes.toSQL() gotSortBy = %v, want %v", tt.query.SortBy, tt.wantSortBy)
 			}
-			if gotSortDirection != tt.wantSortDirection {
-				t.Errorf("QueryNodes.toSQL() gotSortDirection = %v, want %v", gotSortDirection, tt.wantSortDirection)
+			if tt.query.SortDirection != tt.wantSortDirection {
+				t.Errorf("QueryNodes.toSQL() gotSortDirection = %v, want %v", tt.query.SortDirection, tt.wantSortDirection)
 			}
 		})
 	}
@@ -107,19 +107,20 @@ func TestQueryNodes_toSQL(t *testing.T) {
 // Single bench test:
 // go test ./internal/monero -bench QueryNodes_toSQL -benchmem -run=^$ -v
 func Benchmark_QueryNodes_toSQL(b *testing.B) {
+	q := QueryNodes{
+		Host:          "test",
+		Nettype:       "any",
+		Protocol:      "any",
+		CC:            "any",
+		Status:        -1,
+		CORS:          -1,
+		RowsPerPage:   10,
+		Page:          1,
+		SortBy:        "last_checked",
+		SortDirection: "desc",
+	}
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		_, _, _, _ = QueryNodes{
-			Host:          "test",
-			Nettype:       "any",
-			Protocol:      "any",
-			CC:            "any",
-			Status:        -1,
-			CORS:          -1,
-			RowsPerPage:   10,
-			Page:          1,
-			SortBy:        "last_checked",
-			SortDirection: "desc",
-		}.toSQL()
+		_, _ = q.toSQL()
 	}
 }