diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/Optimizer.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/Optimizer.scala
index b163707cc9925cbb986a8a85632a4155fb426386..c2818d957cc79251536813d44eda6fd6160ab37a 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/Optimizer.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/Optimizer.scala
@@ -156,6 +156,11 @@ object ColumnPruning extends Rule[LogicalPlan] {
     case Project(projectList, Limit(exp, child)) =>
       Limit(exp, Project(projectList, child))
 
+    // push down project if possible when the child is sort
+    case p @ Project(projectList, s @ Sort(_, _, grandChild))
+      if s.references.subsetOf(p.outputSet) =>
+      s.copy(child = Project(projectList, grandChild))
+
     // Eliminate no-op Projects
     case Project(projectList, child) if child.output == projectList => child
   }
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/FilterPushdownSuite.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/FilterPushdownSuite.scala
index 0c428f7231b8e1413f381b9e752e9bbe9774b5ae..be33cb9bb8eaaf8c5b9856804902baeffcfed967 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/FilterPushdownSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/optimizer/FilterPushdownSuite.scala
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ package org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.optimizer
 
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.analysis
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.analysis.EliminateSubQueries
-import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.{Count, Explode}
+import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.{SortOrder, Ascending, Count, Explode}
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical._
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.{LeftSemi, PlanTest, LeftOuter, RightOuter}
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.rules._
@@ -542,4 +542,38 @@ class FilterPushdownSuite extends PlanTest {
 
     comparePlans(optimized, originalQuery)
   }
+
+  test("push down project past sort") {
+    val x = testRelation.subquery('x)
+
+    // push down valid
+    val originalQuery = {
+      x.select('a, 'b)
+       .sortBy(SortOrder('a, Ascending))
+       .select('a)
+    }
+
+    val optimized = Optimize.execute(originalQuery.analyze)
+    val correctAnswer =
+      x.select('a)
+       .sortBy(SortOrder('a, Ascending)).analyze
+
+    comparePlans(optimized, analysis.EliminateSubQueries(correctAnswer))
+
+    // push down invalid
+    val originalQuery1 = {
+      x.select('a, 'b)
+        .sortBy(SortOrder('a, Ascending))
+        .select('b)
+    }
+
+    val optimized1 = Optimize.execute(originalQuery1.analyze)
+    val correctAnswer1 =
+      x.select('a, 'b)
+        .sortBy(SortOrder('a, Ascending))
+        .select('b).analyze
+
+    comparePlans(optimized1, analysis.EliminateSubQueries(correctAnswer1))
+
+  }
 }