diff --git a/apiserver/database/model/base.py b/apiserver/database/model/base.py
index cb82937..a865abe 100644
--- a/apiserver/database/model/base.py
+++ b/apiserver/database/model/base.py
@@ -754,7 +754,9 @@ class GetMixin(PropsMixin):
     @classmethod
     def _get_collation_override(cls, field: str) -> Optional[dict]:
         return first(
-            v for k, v in cls._field_collation_overrides.items() if field.startswith(k)
+            v
+            for k, v in cls._field_collation_overrides.items()
+            if field.startswith(k) or field.startswith(f"-{k}")
         )
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/apiserver/tests/automated/test_task_hyperparams.py b/apiserver/tests/automated/test_task_hyperparams.py
index ec28f4a..f3df3dc 100644
--- a/apiserver/tests/automated/test_task_hyperparams.py
+++ b/apiserver/tests/automated/test_task_hyperparams.py
@@ -298,6 +298,23 @@ class TestTasksHyperparams(TestService):
         ).tasks[0]
         self.assertEqual(new_params_dict2, res.hyperparams)
 
+    def test_numeric_ordering(self):
+        params = [
+            dict(section="section1", name="param1", type="type1", value="1"),
+            dict(section="section1", name="param1", type="type1", value="2"),
+            dict(section="section1", name="param1", type="type1", value="11"),
+        ]
+        tasks = [
+            self.new_task(hyperparams=self._param_dict_from_list([p]), project=None)[0]
+            for p in params
+        ]
+
+        res = self.api.tasks.get_all_ex(id=tasks, order_by=["hyperparams.section1.param1"]).tasks
+        self.assertEqual([t.id for t in res], tasks)
+
+        res = self.api.tasks.get_all_ex(id=tasks, order_by=["-hyperparams.section1.param1"]).tasks
+        self.assertEqual([t.id for t in res], list(reversed(tasks)))
+
     def test_old_api(self):
         legacy_params = {"legacy.1": "val1", "TF_DEFINE/param2": "val2"}
         legacy_config = {"design": "hello"}