diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapper.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapper.java
index 95bc206..69beac3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapper.java
@@ -20,12 +20,13 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
+import org.springframework.data.mapping.MappingException;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.PersistentPropertyPath;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.PropertyPath;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.PropertyReferenceException;
-import org.springframework.data.mapping.context.InvalidPersistentPropertyPath;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.context.MappingContext;
 import org.springframework.data.r2dbc.convert.R2dbcConverter;
 import org.springframework.data.r2dbc.dialect.BindMarker;
@@ -626,7 +627,7 @@ public class QueryMapper {
 
 		private final RelationalPersistentEntity<?> entity;
 		private final MappingContext<? extends RelationalPersistentEntity<?>, RelationalPersistentProperty> mappingContext;
-		private final RelationalPersistentProperty property;
+		private final @Nullable RelationalPersistentProperty property;
 		private final @Nullable PersistentPropertyPath<RelationalPersistentProperty> path;
 
 		/**
@@ -675,7 +676,7 @@ public class QueryMapper {
 		/**
 		 * Returns the {@link PersistentPropertyPath} for the given {@code pathExpression}.
 		 *
-		 * @param pathExpression
+		 * @param pathExpression the path expression to use.
 		 * @return
 		 */
 		@Nullable
@@ -683,18 +684,27 @@ public class QueryMapper {
 
 			try {
 
-				PropertyPath path = PropertyPath.from(pathExpression, this.entity.getTypeInformation());
+				PropertyPath path = forName(pathExpression);
 
 				if (isPathToJavaLangClassProperty(path)) {
 					return null;
 				}
 
 				return this.mappingContext.getPersistentPropertyPath(path);
-			} catch (PropertyReferenceException | InvalidPersistentPropertyPath e) {
+			} catch (MappingException | PropertyReferenceException e) {
 				return null;
 			}
 		}
 
+		private PropertyPath forName(String path) {
+
+			if (entity.getPersistentProperty(path) != null) {
+				return PropertyPath.from(Pattern.quote(path), entity.getTypeInformation());
+			}
+
+			return PropertyPath.from(path, entity.getTypeInformation());
+		}
+
 		private boolean isPathToJavaLangClassProperty(PropertyPath path) {
 			return path.getType().equals(Class.class) && path.getLeafProperty().getOwningType().getType().equals(Class.class);
 		}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapperUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapperUnitTests.java
index 436f436..9a28908 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapperUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/r2dbc/query/QueryMapperUnitTests.java
@@ -369,6 +369,25 @@ public class QueryMapperUnitTests {
 		assertThat(mapped.getOrderFor("alternative")).isNull();
 	}
 
+	@Test // gh-369
+	public void mapSortForPropertyPathInPrimitiveShouldFallBackToColumnName() {
+
+		Sort sort = Sort.by(desc("alternative_name"));
+
+		Sort mapped = mapper.getMappedObject(sort, context.getRequiredPersistentEntity(Person.class));
+		assertThat(mapped.getOrderFor("alternative_name")).isEqualTo(desc("alternative_name"));
+	}
+
+	@Test // gh-369
+	public void mapQueryForPropertyPathInPrimitiveShouldFallBackToColumnName() {
+
+		Criteria criteria = Criteria.where("alternative_name").is("a");
+
+		BoundCondition bindings = map(criteria);
+
+		assertThat(bindings.getCondition().toString()).isEqualTo("person.alternative_name = ?[$1]");
+	}
+
 	private BoundCondition map(Criteria criteria) {
 
 		BindMarkersFactory markers = BindMarkersFactory.indexed("$", 1);