diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/validation.py b/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
index 1173098668..fbf7de02ed 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
@@ -79,8 +79,14 @@ def validate(cls, model):
                         "ordering marker `?`, but contains other fields as "
                         "well. Please either remove `?` or the other fields."
                         % cls.__name__)
+            if field == '?':
+                continue
             if field.startswith('-'):
                 field = field[1:]
+            # Skip ordering in the format field1__field2 (FIXME: checking
+            # this format would be nice, but it's a little fiddly).
+            if '__' in field:
+                continue
             _check_field_existsw('ordering[%d]' % idx, field)
 
     # list_select_related = False
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/modeladmin/models.py b/tests/regressiontests/modeladmin/models.py
index f95fec80d0..39f8599a78 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/modeladmin/models.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/modeladmin/models.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class ValidationTestModel(models.Model):
     state = models.CharField(max_length=2, choices=(("CO", "Colorado"), ("WA", "Washington")))
     is_active = models.BooleanField()
     pub_date = models.DateTimeField()
+    band = models.ForeignKey(Band)
 
 class ValidationTestInlineModel(models.Model):
     parent = models.ForeignKey(ValidationTestModel)
@@ -610,6 +611,14 @@ Traceback (most recent call last):
 ...
 ImproperlyConfigured: `ValidationTestModelAdmin.ordering` has the random ordering marker `?`, but contains other fields as well. Please either remove `?` or the other fields.
 
+>>> class ValidationTestModelAdmin(ModelAdmin):
+...     ordering = ('?',)
+>>> validate(ValidationTestModelAdmin, ValidationTestModel)
+
+>>> class ValidationTestModelAdmin(ModelAdmin):
+...     ordering = ('band__name',)
+>>> validate(ValidationTestModelAdmin, ValidationTestModel)
+
 >>> class ValidationTestModelAdmin(ModelAdmin):
 ...     ordering = ('name',)
 >>> validate(ValidationTestModelAdmin, ValidationTestModel)