diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/routes/blocks.ts b/packages/core-api/src/routes/blocks.ts
index 43753f707e..9b96a40b33 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/routes/blocks.ts
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/routes/blocks.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.blockCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.blocksOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
             validate: {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.blocksOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
                 payload: Joi.object({
diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/routes/transactions.ts b/packages/core-api/src/routes/transactions.ts
index c78afcc519..de02f0c4bc 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/routes/transactions.ts
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/routes/transactions.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
             validate: {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
                 payload: Joi.object({
diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/routes/votes.ts b/packages/core-api/src/routes/votes.ts
index da56982d1a..ce5568355e 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/routes/votes.ts
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/routes/votes.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/routes/wallets.ts b/packages/core-api/src/routes/wallets.ts
index e8b1b0f951..76c74901d5 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/routes/wallets.ts
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/routes/wallets.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ export const register = (server: Hapi.Server): void => {
                 query: Joi.object({
                     ...server.app.schemas.transactionCriteriaSchemas,
                     ...server.app.schemas.pagination,
-                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.orderBy,
+                    orderBy: server.app.schemas.transactionsOrderBy,
                     transform: Joi.bool().default(true),
                 }),
             },
diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/schemas.ts b/packages/core-api/src/schemas.ts
index f4fe8e5b6f..2a60bc8512 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/schemas.ts
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/schemas.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ export const createSchemas = (settings: SchemaSettings) => {
         "orderBy query parameter (<iteratee>:<direction>)",
     );
 
+    const blocksOrderBy = orderBy.default("height:desc");
+    const transactionsOrderBy = orderBy.default("timestamp:desc,sequence:desc");
+
     const equalCriteria = (value: any) => value;
     const numericCriteria = (value: any) =>
         Joi.alternatives().try(
@@ -127,6 +130,8 @@ export const createSchemas = (settings: SchemaSettings) => {
         numberFixedOrBetween,
         walletId,
         orderBy,
+        blocksOrderBy,
+        transactionsOrderBy,
         blockCriteriaSchemas,
         transactionCriteriaSchemas,
     };