diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs
index 5c440ff5c..a6a3944e9 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs
@@ -271,22 +271,12 @@ pub fn sort(
     insensitive: bool,
     natural: bool,
 ) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
-    if vec.is_empty() {
-        return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
-            "no values to work with".to_string(),
-            "".to_string(),
-            None,
-            Some("no values to work with".to_string()),
-            Vec::new(),
-        ));
-    }
-
-    match &vec[0] {
-        Value::Record {
+    match vec.first() {
+        Some(Value::Record {
             cols,
             vals: _input_vals,
             ..
-        } => {
+        }) => {
             let columns = cols.clone();
             vec.sort_by(|a, b| process(a, b, &columns, span, insensitive, natural));
         }
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs
index 0c64b951a..c1e65e6a6 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs
@@ -107,21 +107,11 @@ impl Command for UniqBy {
 }
 
 fn validate(vec: Vec<Value>, columns: &Vec<String>, span: Span) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
-    if vec.is_empty() {
-        return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
-            "no values to work with".to_string(),
-            "".to_string(),
-            None,
-            Some("no values to work with".to_string()),
-            Vec::new(),
-        ));
-    }
-
-    if let Value::Record {
+    if let Some(Value::Record {
         cols,
         vals: _input_vals,
         span: val_span,
-    } = &vec[0]
+    }) = vec.first()
     {
         if columns.is_empty() {
             // This uses the same format as the 'requires a column name' error in split_by.rs
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
index fca2b4913..92d9e395f 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
@@ -61,22 +61,12 @@ pub fn sort(
     insensitive: bool,
     natural: bool,
 ) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
-    if vec.is_empty() {
-        return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
-            "no values to work with".to_string(),
-            "".to_string(),
-            None,
-            Some("no values to work with".to_string()),
-            Vec::new(),
-        ));
-    }
-
-    match &vec[0] {
-        Value::Record {
+    match vec.first() {
+        Some(Value::Record {
             cols,
             vals: _input_vals,
             span: val_span,
-        } => {
+        }) => {
             if sort_columns.is_empty() {
                 // This uses the same format as the 'requires a column name' error in split_by.rs
                 return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort.rs
index c72b3fa49..c99e14058 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort.rs
@@ -118,3 +118,10 @@ fn sort_record_values_insensitive_reverse() {
 
     assert_eq!(actual.out, r#"{"2": zed, "3": ABE, "1": abe}"#);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn sort_empty() {
+    let actual = nu!("[] | sort | to nuon");
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "[]");
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort_by.rs
index 914f29e61..c39bb9e66 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/sort_by.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@ fn by_invalid_column() {
     assert!(actual.err.contains("value originates here"));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn sort_by_empty() {
+    let actual = nu!("[] | sort-by foo | to nuon");
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "[]");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn ls_sort_by_name_sensitive() {
     let actual = nu!(
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq.rs
index 9246287ef..90ff7d5c3 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ fn uniq_values() {
     })
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn uniq_empty() {
+    let actual = nu!("[] | uniq | to nuon");
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "[]");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn nested_json_structures() {
     Playground::setup("uniq_test_3", |dirs, sandbox| {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq_by.rs
index 20100bbfa..08cca2d55 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/uniq_by.rs
@@ -126,6 +126,13 @@ fn table() {
     assert_eq!(actual.out, expected.out);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn uniq_by_empty() {
+    let actual = nu!("[] | uniq-by foo | to nuon");
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "[]");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn uniq_by_multiple_columns() {
     let actual = nu!(