diff --git a/browser/components/places/content/controller.js b/browser/components/places/content/controller.js
index 32d90d4a13f..4950ec54a57 100644
--- a/browser/components/places/content/controller.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/content/controller.js
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ PlacesController.prototype = {
       case "placesCmd_new:folder":
       case "placesCmd_new:livemark":
       case "placesCmd_new:bookmark":
-      case "placesCmd_sortBy:name":
       case "placesCmd_createBookmark":
         return false;
       }
@@ -297,7 +296,7 @@ PlacesController.prototype = {
       this.reloadSelectedLivemark();
       break;
     case "placesCmd_sortBy:name":
-      this.sortFolderByName();
+      this.sortFolderByName().then(null, Cu.reportError);
       break;
     case "placesCmd_createBookmark":
       let node = this._view.selectedNode;
@@ -781,7 +780,7 @@ PlacesController.prototype = {
       throw Cr.NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
 
     if (!PlacesUIUtils.useAsyncTransactions) {
-      var txn = new PlacesCreateSeparatorTransaction(ip.itemId, ip.index);
+      let txn = new PlacesCreateSeparatorTransaction(ip.itemId, ip.index);
       PlacesUtils.transactionManager.doTransaction(txn);
       // Select the new item.
       let insertedNodeId = PlacesUtils.bookmarks
@@ -810,11 +809,16 @@ PlacesController.prototype = {
   /**
    * Sort the selected folder by name
    */
-  sortFolderByName: function PC_sortFolderByName() {
-    var itemId = PlacesUtils.getConcreteItemId(this._view.selectedNode);
-    var txn = new PlacesSortFolderByNameTransaction(itemId);
-    PlacesUtils.transactionManager.doTransaction(txn);
-  },
+  sortFolderByName: Task.async(function* () {
+    let itemId = PlacesUtils.getConcreteItemId(this._view.selectedNode);
+    if (!PlacesUIUtils.useAsyncTransactions) {
+      var txn = new PlacesSortFolderByNameTransaction(itemId);
+      PlacesUtils.transactionManager.doTransaction(txn);
+      return;
+    }
+    let guid = yield PlacesUtils.promiseItemGUID(itemId);
+    yield PlacesTransactions.transact(PlacesTransactions.SortByName(guid));
+  }),
 
   /**
    * Walk the list of folders we're removing in this delete operation, and