diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequest.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequest.java
index 3baca7dd1..895660ef0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequest.java
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class PageRequest extends AbstractPageRequest {
 	 */
 	@Deprecated
 	public PageRequest(int page, int size, Direction direction, String... properties) {
-		this(page, size, new Sort(direction, properties));
+		this(page, size, Sort.by(direction, properties));
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public class PageRequest extends AbstractPageRequest {
 	}
 
 	public static PageRequest of(int page, int size, Direction direction, String... properties) {
-		return of(page, size, new Sort(direction, properties));
+		return of(page, size, Sort.by(direction, properties));
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java
index 3ba48994d..c82d46fd9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/domain/Sort.java
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public class Sort implements Iterable<org.springframework.data.domain.Sort.Order
 
 	private static final long serialVersionUID = 5737186511678863905L;
 
-	private static final Sort UNSORTED = new Sort(new Order[0]);
+	private static final Sort UNSORTED = Sort.by(new Order[0]);
 
 	public static final Direction DEFAULT_DIRECTION = Direction.ASC;
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ public class Sort implements Iterable<org.springframework.data.domain.Sort.Order
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new {@link Sort} instance.
 	 * 
-	 * @param direction defaults to {@linke Sort#DEFAULT_DIRECTION} (for {@literal null} cases, too)
+	 * @param direction defaults to {@link Sort#DEFAULT_DIRECTION} (for {@literal null} cases, too)
 	 * @param properties must not be {@literal null} or contain {@literal null} or empty strings.
 	 */
 	public Sort(Direction direction, List<String> properties) {
@@ -148,6 +148,24 @@ public class Sort implements Iterable<org.springframework.data.domain.Sort.Order
 		return new Sort(orders);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link Sort} for the given {@link Order}s.
+	 * 
+	 * @param direction must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @param properties must not be {@literal null}.
+	 * @return
+	 */
+	public static Sort by(Direction direction, String... properties) {
+
+		Assert.notNull(direction, "Direction must not be null!");
+		Assert.notNull(properties, "Properties must not be null!");
+		Assert.isTrue(properties.length > 0, "At least one property must be given!");
+
+		return Sort.by(Arrays.stream(properties)//
+				.map(it -> new Order(direction, it))//
+				.collect(Collectors.toList()));
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns a {@link Sort} instances representing no sorting setup at all.
 	 * 
@@ -419,6 +437,10 @@ public class Sort implements Iterable<org.springframework.data.domain.Sort.Order
 			this(DEFAULT_DIRECTION, property);
 		}
 
+		public static Order by(String property) {
+			return new Order(property);
+		}
+
 		/**
 		 * Creates a new {@link Order} instance. if order is {@literal null} then order defaults to
 		 * {@link Sort#DEFAULT_DIRECTION}
@@ -515,7 +537,7 @@ public class Sort implements Iterable<org.springframework.data.domain.Sort.Order
 		 * @return
 		 */
 		public Sort withProperties(String... properties) {
-			return new Sort(this.direction, properties);
+			return Sort.by(this.direction, properties);
 		}
 
 		/**
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java
index 7c3eb10a1..515307ed2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver.java
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ public class SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver implements SortArgumentResolver {
 			return Sort.unsorted();
 		}
 
-		return sortOrNull.and(new Sort(sortDefault.direction(), fields));
+		return sortOrNull.and(Sort.by(sortDefault.direction(), fields));
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequestUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequestUnitTests.java
index 09f743105..21e324613 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequestUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/PageRequestUnitTests.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class PageRequestUnitTests extends AbstractPageRequestUnitTests {
 	@Test
 	public void equalsRegardsSortCorrectly() {
 
-		Sort sort = new Sort(Direction.DESC, "foo");
+		Sort sort = Sort.by(Direction.DESC, "foo");
 		AbstractPageRequest request = PageRequest.of(0, 10, sort);
 
 		// Equals itself
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/SortUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/SortUnitTests.java
index 0a27fb70d..57405d0af 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/SortUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/SortUnitTests.java
@@ -38,9 +38,7 @@ public class SortUnitTests {
 	 */
 	@Test
 	public void appliesDefaultForOrder() throws Exception {
-
 		assertThat(Sort.by("foo").iterator().next().getDirection()).isEqualTo(Sort.DEFAULT_DIRECTION);
-		assertThat(new Sort((Direction) null, "foo").iterator().next().getDirection()).isEqualTo(Sort.DEFAULT_DIRECTION);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -51,7 +49,7 @@ public class SortUnitTests {
 	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
 	public void preventsNullProperties() throws Exception {
 
-		new Sort(Direction.ASC, (String[]) null);
+		Sort.by(Direction.ASC, (String[]) null);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -62,7 +60,7 @@ public class SortUnitTests {
 	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
 	public void preventsNullProperty() throws Exception {
 
-		new Sort(Direction.ASC, (String) null);
+		Sort.by(Direction.ASC, (String) null);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -73,7 +71,7 @@ public class SortUnitTests {
 	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
 	public void preventsEmptyProperty() throws Exception {
 
-		new Sort(Direction.ASC, "");
+		Sort.by(Direction.ASC, "");
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -84,7 +82,7 @@ public class SortUnitTests {
 	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
 	public void preventsNoProperties() throws Exception {
 
-		new Sort(Direction.ASC);
+		Sort.by(Direction.ASC);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -152,4 +150,12 @@ public class SortUnitTests {
 		assertThat(result.getNullHandling()).isEqualTo(source.getNullHandling());
 		assertThat(result.isIgnoreCase()).isEqualTo(source.isIgnoreCase());
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void preventsNullDirection() {
+
+		assertThatExceptionOfType(IllegalArgumentException.class)//
+				.isThrownBy(() -> Sort.by((Direction) null, "foo"))//
+				.withMessageContaining("Direction");
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/jaxb/SpringDataJaxbUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/jaxb/SpringDataJaxbUnitTests.java
index 103019006..68b2f580d 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/jaxb/SpringDataJaxbUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/domain/jaxb/SpringDataJaxbUnitTests.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public class SpringDataJaxbUnitTests {
 	Marshaller marshaller;
 	Unmarshaller unmarshaller;
 
-	Sort sort = new Sort(Direction.ASC, "firstname", "lastname");
+	Sort sort = Sort.by(Direction.ASC, "firstname", "lastname");
 	Pageable pageable = PageRequest.of(2, 15, sort);
 	Resource resource = new ClassPathResource("pageable.xml", this.getClass());
 	Resource schemaFile = new ClassPathResource("spring-data-jaxb.xsd", this.getClass());
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/querydsl/QSortUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/querydsl/QSortUnitTests.java
index 801bc4c9e..e160bf9e6 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/querydsl/QSortUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/querydsl/QSortUnitTests.java
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public class QSortUnitTests {
 		QUser user = QUser.user;
 		QSort sort = new QSort(user.firstname.asc());
 
-		Sort result = sort.and(new Sort(Direction.ASC, "lastname"));
+		Sort result = sort.and(Sort.by(Direction.ASC, "lastname"));
 		assertThat(result).hasSize(2);
 		assertThat(result).contains(new Order(Direction.ASC, "lastname"), new Order(Direction.ASC, "firstname"));
 	}
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ public class QSortUnitTests {
 		QUser user = QUser.user;
 		QSort sort = new QSort(user.dateOfBirth.yearMonth().asc());
 
-		Sort result = sort.and(new Sort(Direction.ASC, "lastname"));
+		Sort result = sort.and(Sort.by(Direction.ASC, "lastname"));
 		assertThat(result).hasSize(2);
 		assertThat(result).contains(new Order(Direction.ASC, "lastname"),
 				new Order(Direction.ASC, user.dateOfBirth.yearMonth().toString()));
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/ExtensionAwareEvaluationContextProviderUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/ExtensionAwareEvaluationContextProviderUnitTests.java
index e494cafeb..53bc88e6c 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/ExtensionAwareEvaluationContextProviderUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/ExtensionAwareEvaluationContextProviderUnitTests.java
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public class ExtensionAwareEvaluationContextProviderUnitTests {
 	public void exposesPageableParameter() throws Exception {
 
 		this.method = SampleRepo.class.getMethod("findByFirstname", String.class, Pageable.class);
-		PageRequest pageable = PageRequest.of(2, 3, new Sort(Direction.DESC, "lastname"));
+		PageRequest pageable = PageRequest.of(2, 3, Sort.by(Direction.DESC, "lastname"));
 
 		assertThat(evaluateExpression("#pageable.offset", new Object[] { "test", pageable })).isEqualTo(6L);
 		assertThat(evaluateExpression("#pageable.pageSize", new Object[] { "test", pageable })).isEqualTo(3);
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ public class ExtensionAwareEvaluationContextProviderUnitTests {
 	public void exposesSortParameter() throws Exception {
 
 		this.method = SampleRepo.class.getMethod("findByFirstname", String.class, Sort.class);
-		Sort sort = new Sort(Direction.DESC, "lastname");
+		Sort sort = Sort.by(Direction.DESC, "lastname");
 
 		assertThat(evaluateExpression("#sort.toString()", new Object[] { "test", sort })).isEqualTo("lastname: DESC");
 	}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/parser/OrderBySourceUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/parser/OrderBySourceUnitTests.java
index 79aed5c16..c3bd738ed 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/parser/OrderBySourceUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/query/parser/OrderBySourceUnitTests.java
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ public class OrderBySourceUnitTests {
 
 		OrderBySource orderBySource = new OrderBySource("LastnameAscUsernameDesc");
 		assertThat(orderBySource.toSort()).isEqualTo(Sort.by("lastname").ascending().and(Sort.by("username").descending()));
-		// assertThat(orderBySource.toSort()).hasValue(new Sort(new Order(ASC, "lastname"), new Order(DESC, "username")));
 	}
 
 	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/HateoasSortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/HateoasSortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java
index a96e86bc0..e8f4b3d4e 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/HateoasSortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/HateoasSortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ public class HateoasSortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests extends SortHandl
 	public void buildsUpRequestParameters() throws Exception {
 
 		assertUriStringFor(SORT, "sort=firstname,lastname,desc");
-		assertUriStringFor(new Sort(ASC, "foo").and(new Sort(DESC, "bar").and(new Sort(ASC, "foobar"))),
+		assertUriStringFor(Sort.by(ASC, "foo").and(Sort.by(DESC, "bar").and(Sort.by(ASC, "foobar"))),
 				"sort=foo,asc&sort=bar,desc&sort=foobar,asc");
-		assertUriStringFor(new Sort(ASC, "foo").and(new Sort(ASC, "bar").and(new Sort(DESC, "foobar"))),
+		assertUriStringFor(Sort.by(ASC, "foo").and(Sort.by(ASC, "bar").and(Sort.by(DESC, "foobar"))),
 				"sort=foo,bar,asc&sort=foobar,desc");
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortDefaultUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortDefaultUnitTests.java
index d490f3ae8..e36a2bcf8 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortDefaultUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortDefaultUnitTests.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public abstract class SortDefaultUnitTests {
 	static final String[] SORT_FIELDS = new String[] { "firstname", "lastname" };
 	static final Direction SORT_DIRECTION = Direction.DESC;
 
-	static final Sort SORT = new Sort(SORT_DIRECTION, SORT_FIELDS);
+	static final Sort SORT = Sort.by(SORT_DIRECTION, SORT_FIELDS);
 
 	@Rule public ExpectedException exception = ExpectedException.none();
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java
index 367b1bb2f..0342d07e2 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/web/SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests.java
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests extends SortDefaultUnitT
 
 		MethodParameter parameter = TestUtils.getParameterOfMethod(getControllerClass(), "unsupportedMethod", String.class);
 		SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver resolver = new SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver();
-		Sort fallbackSort = new Sort(Direction.ASC, "ID");
+		Sort fallbackSort = Sort.by(Direction.ASC, "ID");
 		resolver.setFallbackSort(fallbackSort);
 
 		Sort sort = resolver.resolveArgument(parameter, null, new ServletWebRequest(new MockHttpServletRequest()), null);
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ public class SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests extends SortDefaultUnitT
 
 		SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver resolver = new SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolver();
 		Sort result = resolver.resolveArgument(parameter, null, new ServletWebRequest(request), null);
-		assertThat(result).isEqualTo(new Sort(Direction.ASC, "firstname", "lastname"));
+		assertThat(result).isEqualTo(Sort.by(Direction.ASC, "firstname", "lastname"));
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATACMNS-408
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public class SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests extends SortDefaultUnitT
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest();
 		request.addParameter("sort", "property1,,DESC");
 
-		assertThat(resolveSort(request, PARAMETER)).isEqualTo(new Sort(DESC, "property1"));
+		assertThat(resolveSort(request, PARAMETER)).isEqualTo(Sort.by(DESC, "property1"));
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATACMNS-408
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public class SortHandlerMethodArgumentResolverUnitTests extends SortDefaultUnitT
 		request.addParameter("sort", "property,DESC");
 		request.addParameter("sort", "");
 
-		assertThat(resolveSort(request, PARAMETER)).isEqualTo(new Sort(DESC, "property"));
+		assertThat(resolveSort(request, PARAMETER)).isEqualTo(Sort.by(DESC, "property"));
 	}
 
 	@Test // DATACMNS-379