diff --git a/vlib/orm/orm_test.v b/vlib/orm/orm_test.v
index 88f685cc38..bc3a485858 100644
--- a/vlib/orm/orm_test.v
+++ b/vlib/orm/orm_test.v
@@ -199,14 +199,14 @@ fn test_orm_sqlite() {
 	assert z[0].id == 3
 
 	oldest := sql db {
-		select from User order age desc limit 1
+		select from User order by age desc limit 1
 	}
 	assert oldest.age == 34
 
 	offs := 1
 
 	second_oldest := sql db {
-		select from User order age desc limit 1 offset offs
+		select from User order by age desc limit 1 offset offs
 	}
 	assert second_oldest.age == 31
 }
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/sql.v b/vlib/v/parser/sql.v
index c71c258b9c..0c9956bca5 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/sql.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/sql.v
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ fn (mut p Parser) sql_expr() ast.Expr {
 	mut has_desc := false
 	if p.tok.kind == .name && p.tok.lit == 'order' {
 		p.check_name() // `order`
+		order_pos := p.tok.position()
+		if p.tok.kind == .name && p.tok.lit == 'by' {
+			p.check_name() // `by`
+		} else {
+			p.error_with_pos('use `order by` in ORM queries', order_pos)
+		}
 		has_order = true
 		order_expr = p.expr(0)
 		if p.tok.kind == .name && p.tok.lit == 'desc' {