diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py b/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
index 254f202..421c11a 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
@@ -225,7 +225,9 @@ class ChangeList(object):
         # manually-specified ordering from the query string.
         ordering = self.model_admin.ordering or lookup_opts.ordering or ['-' + lookup_opts.pk.name]
 
-        if ordering[0].startswith('-'):
+        if len(ordering) > 1:
+            order_field, order_type = '', ''
+        elif ordering[0].startswith('-'):
             order_field, order_type = ordering[0][1:], 'desc'
         else:
             order_field, order_type = ordering[0], 'asc'