diff --git a/examples/basic_init/zero_config.html b/examples/basic_init/zero_config.html
index 5b110bb8..55c1d425 100644
--- a/examples/basic_init/zero_config.html
+++ b/examples/basic_init/zero_config.html
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@
 		<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="../../media/js/jquery.dataTables.js"></script>
 		<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
 			$(document).ready(function() {
-				$('#example').dataTable( {
-					bSort: false
-				} );
+				$('#example').dataTable();
 			} );
 		</script>
 	</head>
diff --git a/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js b/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js
index 4c28d7ed..649d35e4 100644
--- a/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js
+++ b/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js
@@ -11991,7 +11991,7 @@
 		 */
 		"numeric-pre": function ( a )
 		{
-			return (a=="-" || a==="") ? 0 : a*1;
+			return (a=="-" || a==="") ? -Infinity : a*1;
 		}
 	} );
 	
diff --git a/media/src/ext/ext.sorting.js b/media/src/ext/ext.sorting.js
index 24abd276..fc9ca1e9 100644
--- a/media/src/ext/ext.sorting.js
+++ b/media/src/ext/ext.sorting.js
@@ -56,6 +56,6 @@ $.extend( DataTable.ext.oSort, {
 	 */
 	"numeric-pre": function ( a )
 	{
-		return (a=="-" || a==="") ? 0 : a*1;
+		return (a=="-" || a==="") ? -Infinity : a*1;
 	}
 } );