diff --git a/django/template/defaultfilters.py b/django/template/defaultfilters.py
index 9eabb6dd60..f93e799535 100644
--- a/django/template/defaultfilters.py
+++ b/django/template/defaultfilters.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from decimal import Decimal, InvalidOperation, Context, ROUND_HALF_UP
 from functools import wraps
 from pprint import pformat
 
-from django.template.base import Variable, Library
+from django.template.base import Variable, Library, VariableDoesNotExist
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils import formats
 from django.utils.dateformat import format, time_format
@@ -490,7 +490,10 @@ def dictsort(value, arg):
     Takes a list of dicts, returns that list sorted by the property given in
     the argument.
     """
-    return sorted(value, key=Variable(arg).resolve)
+    try:
+        return sorted(value, key=Variable(arg).resolve)
+    except (TypeError, VariableDoesNotExist):
+        return u''
 
 @register.filter(is_safe=False)
 def dictsortreversed(value, arg):
@@ -498,7 +501,10 @@ def dictsortreversed(value, arg):
     Takes a list of dicts, returns that list sorted in reverse order by the
     property given in the argument.
     """
-    return sorted(value, key=Variable(arg).resolve, reverse=True)
+    try:
+        return sorted(value, key=Variable(arg).resolve, reverse=True)
+    except (TypeError, VariableDoesNotExist):
+        return u''
 
 @register.filter(is_safe=False)
 def first(value):
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
index b44aa97704..94e8c43430 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
@@ -368,6 +368,13 @@ class DefaultFiltersTests(TestCase):
              [('age', 23), ('name', 'Barbara-Ann')],
              [('age', 63), ('name', 'Ra Ra Rasputin')]])
 
+        # If it gets passed a list of something else different from
+        # dictionaries it should fail silently
+        self.assertEqual(dictsort([1, 2, 3], 'age'), '')
+        self.assertEqual(dictsort('Hello!', 'age'), '')
+        self.assertEqual(dictsort({'a': 1}, 'age'), '')
+        self.assertEqual(dictsort(1, 'age'), '')
+
     def test_dictsortreversed(self):
         sorted_dicts = dictsortreversed([{'age': 23, 'name': 'Barbara-Ann'},
                                          {'age': 63, 'name': 'Ra Ra Rasputin'},
@@ -379,6 +386,13 @@ class DefaultFiltersTests(TestCase):
              [('age', 23), ('name', 'Barbara-Ann')],
              [('age', 18), ('name', 'Jonny B Goode')]])
 
+        # If it gets passed a list of something else different from
+        # dictionaries it should fail silently
+        self.assertEqual(dictsortreversed([1, 2, 3], 'age'), '')
+        self.assertEqual(dictsortreversed('Hello!', 'age'), '')
+        self.assertEqual(dictsortreversed({'a': 1}, 'age'), '')
+        self.assertEqual(dictsortreversed(1, 'age'), '')
+
     def test_first(self):
         self.assertEqual(first([0,1,2]), 0)
         self.assertEqual(first(u''), u'')