diff --git a/pkg/common/sql_helpers.go b/pkg/common/sql_helpers.go
index 51e6a5c..01d7228 100644
--- a/pkg/common/sql_helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/common/sql_helpers.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/bitechdev/ResolveSpec/pkg/logger"
+	"github.com/bitechdev/ResolveSpec/pkg/modelregistry"
+	"github.com/bitechdev/ResolveSpec/pkg/reflection"
 )
 
 // ValidateAndFixPreloadWhere validates that the WHERE clause for a preload contains
@@ -135,6 +137,15 @@ func SanitizeWhereClause(where string, tableName string) string {
 
 	where = strings.TrimSpace(where)
 
+	// Strip outer parentheses and re-trim
+	where = stripOuterParentheses(where)
+
+	// Get valid columns from the model if tableName is provided
+	var validColumns map[string]bool
+	if tableName != "" {
+		validColumns = getValidColumnsForTable(tableName)
+	}
+
 	// Split by AND to handle multiple conditions
 	conditions := splitByAND(where)
 
@@ -146,22 +157,32 @@ func SanitizeWhereClause(where string, tableName string) string {
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// Strip parentheses from the condition before checking
+		condToCheck := stripOuterParentheses(cond)
+
 		// Skip trivial conditions that always evaluate to true
-		if IsTrivialCondition(cond) {
+		if IsTrivialCondition(condToCheck) {
 			logger.Debug("Removing trivial condition: '%s'", cond)
 			continue
 		}
 
 		// If tableName is provided and the condition doesn't already have a table prefix,
 		// attempt to add it
-		if tableName != "" && !hasTablePrefix(cond) {
+		if tableName != "" && !hasTablePrefix(condToCheck) {
 			// Check if this is a SQL expression/literal that shouldn't be prefixed
-			if !IsSQLExpression(strings.ToLower(cond)) {
+			if !IsSQLExpression(strings.ToLower(condToCheck)) {
 				// Extract the column name and prefix it
-				columnName := ExtractColumnName(cond)
+				columnName := ExtractColumnName(condToCheck)
 				if columnName != "" {
-					cond = strings.Replace(cond, columnName, tableName+"."+columnName, 1)
-					logger.Debug("Prefixed column in condition: '%s'", cond)
+					// Only prefix if this is a valid column in the model
+					// If we don't have model info (validColumns is nil), prefix anyway for backward compatibility
+					if validColumns == nil || isValidColumn(columnName, validColumns) {
+						// Replace in the original condition (without stripped parens)
+						cond = strings.Replace(cond, columnName, tableName+"."+columnName, 1)
+						logger.Debug("Prefixed column in condition: '%s'", cond)
+					} else {
+						logger.Debug("Skipping prefix for '%s' - not a valid column in model", columnName)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -182,6 +203,43 @@ func SanitizeWhereClause(where string, tableName string) string {
 	return result
 }
 
+// stripOuterParentheses removes matching outer parentheses from a string
+// It handles nested parentheses correctly
+func stripOuterParentheses(s string) string {
+	s = strings.TrimSpace(s)
+
+	for {
+		if len(s) < 2 || s[0] != '(' || s[len(s)-1] != ')' {
+			return s
+		}
+
+		// Check if these parentheses match (i.e., they're the outermost pair)
+		depth := 0
+		matched := false
+		for i := 0; i < len(s); i++ {
+			switch s[i] {
+			case '(':
+				depth++
+			case ')':
+				depth--
+				if depth == 0 && i == len(s)-1 {
+					matched = true
+				} else if depth == 0 {
+					// Found a closing paren before the end, so outer parens don't match
+					return s
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if !matched {
+			return s
+		}
+
+		// Strip the outer parentheses and continue
+		s = strings.TrimSpace(s[1 : len(s)-1])
+	}
+}
+
 // splitByAND splits a WHERE clause by AND operators (case-insensitive)
 // This is a simple split that doesn't handle nested parentheses or complex expressions
 func splitByAND(where string) []string {
@@ -245,3 +303,38 @@ func IsSQLKeyword(word string) bool {
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+// getValidColumnsForTable retrieves the valid SQL columns for a table from the model registry
+// Returns a map of column names for fast lookup, or nil if the model is not found
+func getValidColumnsForTable(tableName string) map[string]bool {
+	// Try to get the model from the registry
+	model, err := modelregistry.GetModelByName(tableName)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Model not found, return nil to indicate we should use fallback behavior
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Get SQL columns from the model
+	columns := reflection.GetSQLModelColumns(model)
+	if len(columns) == 0 {
+		// No columns found, return nil
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Build a map for fast lookup
+	columnMap := make(map[string]bool, len(columns))
+	for _, col := range columns {
+		columnMap[strings.ToLower(col)] = true
+	}
+
+	return columnMap
+}
+
+// isValidColumn checks if a column name exists in the valid columns map
+// Handles case-insensitive comparison
+func isValidColumn(columnName string, validColumns map[string]bool) bool {
+	if validColumns == nil {
+		return true // No model info, assume valid
+	}
+	return validColumns[strings.ToLower(columnName)]
+}
diff --git a/pkg/common/sql_helpers_test.go b/pkg/common/sql_helpers_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b0d5a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/common/sql_helpers_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+package common
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/bitechdev/ResolveSpec/pkg/modelregistry"
+)
+
+func TestSanitizeWhereClause(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		where     string
+		tableName string
+		expected  string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:      "trivial conditions in parentheses",
+			where:     "(true AND true AND true)",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "trivial conditions without parentheses",
+			where:     "true AND true AND true",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "single trivial condition",
+			where:     "true",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "valid condition with parentheses",
+			where:     "(status = 'active')",
+			tableName: "users",
+			expected:  "users.status = 'active'",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "mixed trivial and valid conditions",
+			where:     "true AND status = 'active' AND 1=1",
+			tableName: "users",
+			expected:  "users.status = 'active'",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "condition already with table prefix",
+			where:     "users.status = 'active'",
+			tableName: "users",
+			expected:  "users.status = 'active'",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "multiple valid conditions",
+			where:     "status = 'active' AND age > 18",
+			tableName: "users",
+			expected:  "users.status = 'active' AND users.age > 18",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "no table name provided",
+			where:     "status = 'active'",
+			tableName: "",
+			expected:  "status = 'active'",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "empty where clause",
+			where:     "",
+			tableName: "users",
+			expected:  "",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := SanitizeWhereClause(tt.where, tt.tableName)
+			if result != tt.expected {
+				t.Errorf("SanitizeWhereClause(%q, %q) = %q; want %q", tt.where, tt.tableName, result, tt.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStripOuterParentheses(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		input    string
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "single level parentheses",
+			input:    "(true)",
+			expected: "true",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "multiple levels",
+			input:    "((true))",
+			expected: "true",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "no parentheses",
+			input:    "true",
+			expected: "true",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "mismatched parentheses",
+			input:    "(true",
+			expected: "(true",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "complex expression",
+			input:    "(a AND b)",
+			expected: "a AND b",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "nested but not outer",
+			input:    "(a AND (b OR c)) AND d",
+			expected: "(a AND (b OR c)) AND d",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "with spaces",
+			input:    "  ( true )  ",
+			expected: "true",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := stripOuterParentheses(tt.input)
+			if result != tt.expected {
+				t.Errorf("stripOuterParentheses(%q) = %q; want %q", tt.input, result, tt.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestIsTrivialCondition(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		input    string
+		expected bool
+	}{
+		{"true", "true", true},
+		{"true with spaces", "  true  ", true},
+		{"TRUE uppercase", "TRUE", true},
+		{"1=1", "1=1", true},
+		{"1 = 1", "1 = 1", true},
+		{"true = true", "true = true", true},
+		{"valid condition", "status = 'active'", false},
+		{"false", "false", false},
+		{"column name", "is_active", false},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := IsTrivialCondition(tt.input)
+			if result != tt.expected {
+				t.Errorf("IsTrivialCondition(%q) = %v; want %v", tt.input, result, tt.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// Test model for model-aware sanitization tests
+type MasterTask struct {
+	ID     int    `bun:"id,pk"`
+	Name   string `bun:"name"`
+	Status string `bun:"status"`
+	UserID int    `bun:"user_id"`
+}
+
+func TestSanitizeWhereClauseWithModel(t *testing.T) {
+	// Register the test model
+	err := modelregistry.RegisterModel(MasterTask{}, "mastertask")
+	if err != nil {
+		// Model might already be registered, ignore error
+		t.Logf("Model registration returned: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		where     string
+		tableName string
+		expected  string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:      "valid column gets prefixed",
+			where:     "status = 'active'",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "mastertask.status = 'active'",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "multiple valid columns get prefixed",
+			where:     "status = 'active' AND user_id = 123",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "mastertask.status = 'active' AND mastertask.user_id = 123",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "invalid column does not get prefixed",
+			where:     "invalid_column = 'value'",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "invalid_column = 'value'",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "mix of valid and trivial conditions",
+			where:     "true AND status = 'active' AND 1=1",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "mastertask.status = 'active'",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "parentheses with valid column",
+			where:     "(status = 'active')",
+			tableName: "mastertask",
+			expected:  "mastertask.status = 'active'",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := SanitizeWhereClause(tt.where, tt.tableName)
+			if result != tt.expected {
+				t.Errorf("SanitizeWhereClause(%q, %q) = %q; want %q", tt.where, tt.tableName, result, tt.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/restheadspec/handler.go b/pkg/restheadspec/handler.go
index 40a395b..a7bbc89 100644
--- a/pkg/restheadspec/handler.go
+++ b/pkg/restheadspec/handler.go
@@ -652,6 +652,7 @@ func (h *Handler) applyPreloadWithRecursion(query common.SelectQuery, preload co
 				sq = sq.Order(fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", sort.Column, sort.Direction))
 			}
 		}
+		
 
 		// Apply WHERE clause
 		if len(preload.Where) > 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/restheadspec/headers.go b/pkg/restheadspec/headers.go
index a7541cf..7f1debb 100644
--- a/pkg/restheadspec/headers.go
+++ b/pkg/restheadspec/headers.go
@@ -267,6 +267,12 @@ func (h *Handler) parseOptionsFromHeaders(r common.Request, model interface{}) E
 		h.resolveRelationNamesInOptions(&options, model)
 	}
 
+	//Always sort according to the primary key if no sorting is specified
+	if len(options.Sort) == 0 {
+		pkName := reflection.GetPrimaryKeyName(model)
+		options.Sort = []common.SortOption{{Column: pkName, Direction: "ASC"}}
+	}
+
 	return options
 }