diff --git a/public/scala/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/queue/extensions/picard/SamToFastq.scala b/public/scala/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/queue/extensions/picard/SamToFastq.scala
index 2f9f84c63..3a4217e60 100644
--- a/public/scala/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/queue/extensions/picard/SamToFastq.scala
+++ b/public/scala/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/queue/extensions/picard/SamToFastq.scala
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class SamToFastq extends org.broadinstitute.sting.queue.function.JavaCommandLine
 
   override def inputBams = input
   override def outputBam = null
+  this.sortOrder = null
 
   override def commandLine = super.commandLine +
        " FASTQ=" + fastq +