diff --git a/pysnc/query.py b/pysnc/query.py
index 1dd595d..e4e8ad3 100644
--- a/pysnc/query.py
+++ b/pysnc/query.py
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ def generate_query(self, encoded_query=None, order_by=None) -> str:
             query = '^'.join(filter(None, (query, encoded_query)))
         if order_by:
             query = '^'.join((query, order_by))
+        # dont start with ^
+        if query.startswith('^'):
+            query = query[1:]
         return query
 
 
diff --git a/pysnc/record.py b/pysnc/record.py
index 23a092a..5bd4116 100644
--- a/pysnc/record.py
+++ b/pysnc/record.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ def __init__(self, client: 'ServiceNowClient', table: str, batch_size=500):
         self.__total: Optional[int] = None
         self.__limit: Optional[int] = None
         self.__page: int = -1
-        self.__order: Optional[str] = None
+        self.__order: str = "ORDERBYsys_id" # we *need* a default order in the event we page, see issue#96
         self.__is_new_record: bool = False
         self.__display_value: Union[bool, str] = 'all'
 
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ def order_by(self, column: str):
         if column:
             self.__order = "ORDERBY%s" % column
         else:
-            self.__order = None
+            self.__order = "ORDERBYsys_id"
 
     def order_by_desc(self, column: str):
         """
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ def order_by_desc(self, column: str):
         if column:
             self.__order = "ORDERBYDESC%s" % column
         else:
-            self.__order = None
+            self.__order = 'ORDERBYDESCsys_id'
 
     def pop_record(self) -> 'GlideRecord':
         """
diff --git a/test/test_snc_api.py b/test/test_snc_api.py
index 592e281..ae41f57 100644
--- a/test/test_snc_api.py
+++ b/test/test_snc_api.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def test_link_list(self):
         gr.add_query("name","CONTAINS","a")
         link = gr.get_link_list()
         print(link)
-        self.assertTrue(link.endswith('sys_user_list.do?sysparm_query=active%3Dtrue%5EnameCONTAINSa'))
+        self.assertTrue(link.endswith('sys_user_list.do?sysparm_query=active%3Dtrue%5EnameCONTAINSa%5EORDERBYsys_id'))
         client.session.close()
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_snc_api_query.py b/test/test_snc_api_query.py
index bc7bc71..f7f06bc 100644
--- a/test/test_snc_api_query.py
+++ b/test/test_snc_api_query.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def test_get_query(self):
         o = gr.add_query('name', 'alm_asset')
         o.add_or_condition('name', 'bsm_chart')
         enc_query = gr.get_encoded_query()
-        self.assertEqual(enc_query, 'name=alm_asset^ORname=bsm_chart')
+        self.assertEqual(enc_query, 'name=alm_asset^ORname=bsm_chart^ORDERBYsys_id')
         client.session.close()
 
     def test_get_query_two(self):
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def test_get_query_two(self):
         gr = client.GlideRecord('sys_user')
         gr.get('6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441')
         enc_query = gr.get_encoded_query()
-        self.assertEqual(enc_query, '')
+        self.assertEqual(enc_query, 'ORDERBYsys_id') # always have default orderby
         client.session.close()
 
     def test_null_query(self):
@@ -102,14 +102,14 @@ def test_double_query(self):
         gr.add_encoded_query('test=what')
 
         query = gr.get_encoded_query()
-        self.assertEqual(query, "active=true^test=what")
+        self.assertEqual(query, "active=true^test=what^ORDERBYsys_id")
 
         gr = client.GlideRecord('sys_user')
         gr.add_encoded_query('test=what')
         gr.add_query('active','true')
 
         query = gr.get_encoded_query()
-        self.assertEqual(query, "active=true^test=what")
+        self.assertEqual(query, "active=true^test=what^ORDERBYsys_id")
         client.session.close()
 
     def test_get_true(self):
@@ -176,12 +176,12 @@ def test_code_query_one(self):
         q.add_query('sys_id', '6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441')
         q.add_query('second', 'asdf')
         self.assertEqual(q.generate_query(), 'sys_id=6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441^second=asdf')
-        self.assertEqual(gr.get_encoded_query(), '')
+        self.assertEqual(gr.get_encoded_query(), 'ORDERBYsys_id')
         gr.query(q)
         self.assertEqual(len(gr), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(gr.get_encoded_query(), '')
+        self.assertEqual(gr.get_encoded_query(), 'ORDERBYsys_id')
         gr.add_encoded_query(q.generate_query())
-        self.assertEqual(gr.get_encoded_query(), 'sys_id=6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441^second=asdf')
+        self.assertEqual(gr.get_encoded_query(), 'sys_id=6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441^second=asdf^ORDERBYsys_id')
         gr.query()
         self.assertEqual(len(gr), 1)
 
diff --git a/test/test_snc_batching.py b/test/test_snc_batching.py
index 996c75b..b02b260 100644
--- a/test/test_snc_batching.py
+++ b/test/test_snc_batching.py
@@ -58,4 +58,14 @@ def test_default_limit(self):
         self.assertEqual(params['sysparm_limit'], 100, "batch size still 100 if we have a limit over batch size")
         client.session.close()
 
+    def test_default_order(self):
+        client = ServiceNowClient(self.c.server, self.c.credentials)
+        gr = client.GlideRecord('problem')
 
+        self.assertEqual(gr._parameters()['sysparm_query'], 'ORDERBYsys_id')
+        gr.order_by('number')
+        self.assertEqual(gr._parameters()['sysparm_query'], 'ORDERBYnumber')
+
+        gr.order_by(None)
+        self.assertEqual(gr._parameters()['sysparm_query'], 'ORDERBYsys_id')
+        client.session.close()