diff --git a/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs b/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs
index 84825de7d..9c961d292 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs
@@ -522,12 +522,17 @@ fn do_sort(
     key_func: Option<PyObjectRef>,
     reverse: bool,
 ) -> PyResult<()> {
-    let op = if reverse {
-        PyComparisonOp::Lt
-    } else {
-        PyComparisonOp::Gt
+    // CPython uses __lt__ for all comparisons in sort.
+    // try_sort_by_gt expects is_gt(a, b) = true when a should come AFTER b.
+    let cmp = |a: &PyObjectRef, b: &PyObjectRef| {
+        if reverse {
+            // Descending: a comes after b when a < b
+            a.rich_compare_bool(b, PyComparisonOp::Lt, vm)
+        } else {
+            // Ascending: a comes after b when b < a
+            b.rich_compare_bool(a, PyComparisonOp::Lt, vm)
+        }
     };
-    let cmp = |a: &PyObjectRef, b: &PyObjectRef| a.rich_compare_bool(b, op, vm);
 
     if let Some(ref key_func) = key_func {
         let mut items = values
diff --git a/extra_tests/snippets/builtin_list.py b/extra_tests/snippets/builtin_list.py
index 3e6bb8fc9..711bf6acc 100644
--- a/extra_tests/snippets/builtin_list.py
+++ b/extra_tests/snippets/builtin_list.py
@@ -270,6 +270,47 @@ class C:
 lst.sort(key=C)
 assert lst == [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
 
+# Test that sorted() uses __lt__ (not __gt__) for comparisons.
+# Track which comparison method is actually called during sort.
+class TrackComparison:
+    lt_calls = 0
+    gt_calls = 0
+
+    def __init__(self, value):
+        self.value = value
+
+    def __lt__(self, other):
+        TrackComparison.lt_calls += 1
+        return self.value < other.value
+
+    def __gt__(self, other):
+        TrackComparison.gt_calls += 1
+        return self.value > other.value
+
+# Reset and test sorted()
+TrackComparison.lt_calls = 0
+TrackComparison.gt_calls = 0
+items = [TrackComparison(3), TrackComparison(1), TrackComparison(2)]
+sorted(items)
+assert TrackComparison.lt_calls > 0, "sorted() should call __lt__"
+assert TrackComparison.gt_calls == 0, f"sorted() should not call __gt__, but it was called {TrackComparison.gt_calls} times"
+
+# Reset and test list.sort()
+TrackComparison.lt_calls = 0
+TrackComparison.gt_calls = 0
+items = [TrackComparison(3), TrackComparison(1), TrackComparison(2)]
+items.sort()
+assert TrackComparison.lt_calls > 0, "list.sort() should call __lt__"
+assert TrackComparison.gt_calls == 0, f"list.sort() should not call __gt__, but it was called {TrackComparison.gt_calls} times"
+
+# Reset and test sorted(reverse=True) - should still use __lt__, not __gt__
+TrackComparison.lt_calls = 0
+TrackComparison.gt_calls = 0
+items = [TrackComparison(3), TrackComparison(1), TrackComparison(2)]
+sorted(items, reverse=True)
+assert TrackComparison.lt_calls > 0, "sorted(reverse=True) should call __lt__"
+assert TrackComparison.gt_calls == 0, f"sorted(reverse=True) should not call __gt__, but it was called {TrackComparison.gt_calls} times"
+
 lst = [5, 1, 2, 3, 4]