diff --git a/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts b/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
index 4bb93438..e533d03b 100644
--- a/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
@@ -197,74 +197,7 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(config: ModerationQueueManagerConfig):
           setLoadingState("refreshing");
         }
 
-        // Helper function to apply filters consistently to both count and data queries
-        const applyFilters = (query: any) => {
-          let filteredQuery = query;
-
-          // CRITICAL: Multi-level ordering
-          // Level 1: Always sort by escalated first (descending)
-          filteredQuery = filteredQuery.order('escalated', { ascending: false });
-
-          // Level 2: Apply user-selected sort (use debounced config)
-          filteredQuery = filteredQuery.order(
-            sort.debouncedConfig.field,
-            { ascending: sort.debouncedConfig.direction === 'asc' }
-          );
-
-          // Level 3: Tertiary sort by created_at (if not already primary)
-          if (sort.debouncedConfig.field !== 'created_at') {
-            filteredQuery = filteredQuery.order('created_at', { ascending: true });
-          }
-
-          // Apply tab-based status filtering
-          const tab = filters.activeTab;
-          const statusFilter = filters.debouncedStatusFilter;
-          const entityFilter = filters.debouncedEntityFilter;
-
-          if (tab === "mainQueue") {
-            if (statusFilter === "all") {
-              filteredQuery = filteredQuery.in("status", ["pending", "flagged", "partially_approved"]);
-            } else if (statusFilter === "pending") {
-              filteredQuery = filteredQuery.in("status", ["pending", "partially_approved"]);
-            } else {
-              filteredQuery = filteredQuery.eq("status", statusFilter);
-            }
-          } else {
-            if (statusFilter === "all") {
-              filteredQuery = filteredQuery.in("status", ["approved", "rejected"]);
-            } else {
-              filteredQuery = filteredQuery.eq("status", statusFilter);
-            }
-          }
-
-          // Apply entity type filter
-          if (entityFilter === "photos") {
-            filteredQuery = filteredQuery.eq("submission_type", "photo");
-          } else if (entityFilter === "submissions") {
-            filteredQuery = filteredQuery.neq("submission_type", "photo");
-          }
-
-          // Apply access control
-          if (!isAdmin && !isSuperuser) {
-            const now = new Date().toISOString();
-            filteredQuery = filteredQuery.or(
-              `assigned_to.is.null,locked_until.lt.${now},assigned_to.eq.${user.id}`,
-            );
-          }
-
-          return filteredQuery;
-        };
-
-        // Get total count using the same filter logic
-        let countQuery = supabase
-          .from("content_submissions")
-          .select("*", { count: "exact", head: true });
-        
-        countQuery = applyFilters(countQuery);
-        const { count } = await countQuery;
-        pagination.setTotalCount(count || 0);
-
-        // Build data query with full select
+        // Build base query
         let submissionsQuery = supabase
           .from("content_submissions")
           .select(
@@ -290,8 +223,64 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(config: ModerationQueueManagerConfig):
         `,
           );
 
-        // Apply the same filters to data query
-        submissionsQuery = applyFilters(submissionsQuery);
+        // CRITICAL: Multi-level ordering
+        // Level 1: Always sort by escalated first (descending)
+        submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.order('escalated', { ascending: false });
+
+      // Level 2: Apply user-selected sort (use debounced config)
+      submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.order(
+        sort.debouncedConfig.field,
+        { ascending: sort.debouncedConfig.direction === 'asc' }
+      );
+
+      // Level 3: Tertiary sort by created_at (if not already primary)
+      if (sort.debouncedConfig.field !== 'created_at') {
+          submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.order('created_at', { ascending: true });
+        }
+
+        // Apply tab-based status filtering
+        const tab = filters.activeTab;
+        const statusFilter = filters.debouncedStatusFilter;
+        const entityFilter = filters.debouncedEntityFilter;
+
+        if (tab === "mainQueue") {
+          if (statusFilter === "all") {
+            submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.in("status", ["pending", "flagged", "partially_approved"]);
+          } else if (statusFilter === "pending") {
+            submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.in("status", ["pending", "partially_approved"]);
+          } else {
+            submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.eq("status", statusFilter);
+          }
+        } else {
+          if (statusFilter === "all") {
+            submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.in("status", ["approved", "rejected"]);
+          } else {
+            submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.eq("status", statusFilter);
+          }
+        }
+
+        // Apply entity type filter
+        if (entityFilter === "photos") {
+          submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.eq("submission_type", "photo");
+        } else if (entityFilter === "submissions") {
+          submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.neq("submission_type", "photo");
+        }
+
+        // Apply access control
+        if (!isAdmin && !isSuperuser) {
+          const now = new Date().toISOString();
+          submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.or(
+            `assigned_to.is.null,locked_until.lt.${now},assigned_to.eq.${user.id}`,
+          );
+        }
+
+        // Get total count
+        const { count } = await supabase
+          .from("content_submissions")
+          .select("*", { count: "exact", head: true })
+          .match(submissionsQuery as any);
+
+        pagination.setTotalCount(count || 0);
 
         // Apply pagination
         const startIndex = pagination.startIndex;