diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 7b919ccbb..51078d24f 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ list( APPEND tests_data_reqd
     bufr_ecc-750
     grib_ecc-490
     grib_ecc-756
+    grib_ecc-873
     bufr_ecc-556
     gts_get
     gts_ls
diff --git a/tests/grib_ecc-873.sh b/tests/grib_ecc-873.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..4cb832953
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/grib_ecc-873.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Copyright 2005-2018 ECMWF.
+#
+# This software is licensed under the terms of the Apache Licence Version 2.0
+# which can be obtained at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.
+#
+# In applying this licence, ECMWF does not waive the privileges and immunities granted to it by
+# virtue of its status as an intergovernmental organisation nor does it submit to any jurisdiction.
+#
+
+. ./include.sh
+set -u
+# ---------------------------------------------------------
+# This is the test for the JIRA issue ECC-873.
+# It tests grib_ls with the ordering option '-B'
+# ---------------------------------------------------------
+label="grib_ecc-873-test"
+tempRef=temp.${label}.ref
+tempOut=temp.${label}.out
+
+# Test 1
+# ------
+input=${data_dir}/tigge_pf_ecmwf.grib2
+${tools_dir}/grib_ls -p count,level -B'level:i' $input > $tempOut
+
+cat > $tempRef <<EOF
+count       level
+1           0
+2           0
+3           0
+4           0
+5           0
+6           0
+7           0
+8           0
+9           0
+10          0
+11          0
+12          0
+13          0
+14          0
+15          0
+16          0
+17          0
+18          0
+19          0
+20          0
+21          0
+22          0
+23          0
+24          2
+25          2
+26          2
+27          2
+28          2
+29          2
+30          2
+31          10
+32          10
+33          320
+34          925
+35          925
+36          925
+37          925
+38          925
+EOF
+
+diff -w $tempRef $tempOut
+
+# Test 2
+# ------
+input=${data_dir}/tigge_pf_ecmwf.grib2
+${tools_dir}/grib_ls -p count,level,shortName -B'level:i desc, shortName asc' $input > $tempOut
+cat > $tempRef <<EOF
+count       level       shortName
+1           925         gh
+2           925         q
+3           925         t
+4           925         u
+5           925         v
+6           320         pv
+7           10          10u
+8           10          10v
+9           2           2d
+10          2           2t
+11          2           mn2t6
+12          2           mx2t6
+13          2           pt
+14          2           u
+15          2           v
+16          0           cape
+17          0           msl
+18          0           sd
+19          0           sf
+20          0           skt
+21          0           slhf
+22          0           slhf
+23          0           sm
+24          0           sp
+25          0           sshf
+26          0           sshf
+27          0           ssr
+28          0           ssr
+29          0           st
+30          0           str
+31          0           str
+32          0           sund
+33          0           tcc
+34          0           tcw
+35          0           tp
+36          0           ttr
+37          0           ttr
+38          0           u
+EOF
+
+# Clean up
+rm -f $tempRef $tempOut
diff --git a/tools/grib_tools.c b/tools/grib_tools.c
index 0a7a72b3b..7c05df5b8 100644
--- a/tools/grib_tools.c
+++ b/tools/grib_tools.c
@@ -219,9 +219,13 @@ static int grib_tool_with_orderby(grib_runtime_options* options)
     }
 
     options->handle_count=0;
+    grib_context_set_handle_file_count(c, 0); /* ECC-873 */
+    grib_context_set_handle_total_count(c, 0); /* ECC-873 */
     while(!options->skip_all && ((h = grib_fieldset_next_handle(set,&err))
             != NULL || err != GRIB_SUCCESS )) {
         options->handle_count++;
+        grib_context_set_handle_file_count(c, options->handle_count);/* ECC-873 */
+        grib_context_set_handle_total_count(c, options->handle_count);/* ECC-873 */
         options->error=err;
 
         if (!h) {