diff --git a/src/DataTable/DataTable.svelte b/src/DataTable/DataTable.svelte
index 66dc3840..d44017f6 100644
--- a/src/DataTable/DataTable.svelte
+++ b/src/DataTable/DataTable.svelte
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@
   /** Set to `true` for the sortable variant */
   export let sortable = false;
 
+  /**
+   * Specify the header key to sort by
+   * @type {DataTableKey}
+   */
+  export let sortKey = null;
+
+  /**
+   * Specify the sort direction
+   * @type {"none" | "ascending" | "descending"}
+   */
+  export let sortDirection = "none";
+
   /**
    * Set to `true` for the expandable variant
    * Automatically set to `true` if `batchExpansion` is `true`
@@ -133,12 +145,6 @@
   const dispatch = createEventDispatcher();
   const batchSelectedIds = writable(false);
   const tableSortable = writable(sortable);
-  const sortHeader = writable({
-    id: null,
-    key: null,
-    sort: undefined,
-    sortDirection: "none",
-  });
   const headerItems = writable([]);
   const tableRows = writable(rows);
   const thKeys = derived(headerItems, () =>
@@ -209,11 +215,11 @@
   );
   $: $tableRows = rows;
   $: sortedRows = [...$tableRows];
-  $: ascending = $sortHeader.sortDirection === "ascending";
-  $: sortKey = $sortHeader.key;
+  $: ascending = sortDirection === "ascending";
   $: sorting = sortable && sortKey != null;
+  $: sortingHeader = headers.find((header) => header.key === sortKey);
   $: if (sorting) {
-    if ($sortHeader.sortDirection === "none") {
+    if (sortDirection === "none") {
       sortedRows = $tableRows;
     } else {
       sortedRows = [...$tableRows].sort((a, b) => {
@@ -224,7 +230,7 @@
           ? resolvePath(b, sortKey)
           : resolvePath(a, sortKey);
 
-        if ($sortHeader.sort) return $sortHeader.sort(itemA, itemB);
+        if (sortingHeader?.sort) return sortingHeader.sort(itemA, itemB);
 
         if (typeof itemA === "number" && typeof itemB === "number")
           return itemA - itemB;
@@ -344,26 +350,18 @@
               id="{header.key}"
               style="{formatHeaderWidth(header)}"
               sortable="{sortable && header.sort !== false}"
-              sortDirection="{$sortHeader.sortDirection}"
-              active="{$sortHeader.id === header.key}"
+              sortDirection="{sortDirection}"
+              active="{sortKey !== null && sortKey === header.key}"
               on:click="{() => {
                 dispatch('click', { header });
 
                 if (header.sort === false) {
                   dispatch('click:header', { header });
                 } else {
-                  let active = header.key === $sortHeader.key;
-                  let currentSortDirection = active
-                    ? $sortHeader.sortDirection
-                    : 'none';
-                  let sortDirection = sortDirectionMap[currentSortDirection];
+                  sortDirection = sortDirectionMap[sortDirection];
+                  sortKey =
+                    sortDirection === 'none' ? null : $thKeys[header.key];
                   dispatch('click:header', { header, sortDirection });
-                  sortHeader.set({
-                    id: sortDirection === 'none' ? null : $thKeys[header.key],
-                    key: header.key,
-                    sort: header.sort,
-                    sortDirection,
-                  });
                 }
               }}"
             >