diff --git a/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoError/markerNavigationService.ts b/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoError/markerNavigationService.ts
index e2f2a573708..5344ea6f091 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoError/markerNavigationService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoError/markerNavigationService.ts
@@ -47,27 +47,20 @@ export class MarkerList {
 			this._resourceFilter = resourceFilter;
 		}
 
-		const sortOrder = this._configService.getValue<string[]>('problems.sortOrder');
+		const compareOrder = this._configService.getValue<string>('problems.compareOrder');
 		const compareMarker = (a: IMarker, b: IMarker): number => {
-			let res = 0;
-			for (let i = 0; i < sortOrder.length; i++) {
+			let res = compare(a.resource.toString(), b.resource.toString());
+			const compareSeverity = () => { res = MarkerSeverity.compare(a.severity, b.severity); };
+			const comparePosition = () => { res = Range.compareRangesUsingStarts(a, b); };
+			let runnables = [compareSeverity, comparePosition];
+			if (compareOrder === 'position') {
+				runnables = [comparePosition, compareSeverity];
+			}
+			for (let i = 0; i < runnables.length; i++) {
 				if (res !== 0) {
 					break;
 				}
-				switch (sortOrder[i]) {
-					case 'resource':
-						res = compare(a.resource.toString(), b.resource.toString());
-						break;
-					case 'severity':
-						res = MarkerSeverity.compare(a.severity, b.severity);
-						break;
-					case 'starts':
-						res = Range.compareRangesUsingStarts(a, b);
-						break;
-					case 'ends':
-						res = Range.compareRangesUsingEnds(a, b);
-						break;
-				}
+				runnables[i]();
 			}
 			return res;
 		};
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/markers/browser/markers.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/markers/browser/markers.contribution.ts
index d11eefa196b..9fef8f58f12 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/markers/browser/markers.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/markers/browser/markers.contribution.ts
@@ -101,10 +101,10 @@ Registry.as<IConfigurationRegistry>(Extensions.Configuration).registerConfigurat
 			'type': 'boolean',
 			'default': false
 		},
-		'problems.sortOrder': {
-			'description': 'TODO',
-			'type': 'array',
-			'default': ['resource', 'severity', 'starts'],
+		'problems.compareOrder': {
+			'type': 'string',
+			'default': ['severity'],
+			'enum': ['severity', 'position'],
 		},
 	}
 });