diff --git a/pkg/sql/exec/execgen/cmd/execgen/overloads.go b/pkg/sql/exec/execgen/cmd/execgen/overloads.go
index 05395371fb4e..b801cc251093 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/exec/execgen/cmd/execgen/overloads.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/exec/execgen/cmd/execgen/overloads.go
@@ -336,6 +336,13 @@ func (c floatCustomizer) getHashAssignFunc() assignFunc {
 	}
 }
 
+func (c floatCustomizer) getCmpOpCompareFunc() compareFunc {
+	// Float comparisons need special handling for NaN.
+	return func(l, r string) string {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("compareFloats(float64(%s), float64(%s))", l, r)
+	}
+}
+
 func (c intCustomizer) getHashAssignFunc() assignFunc {
 	return func(op overload, target, v, _ string) string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("%[1]s = memhash%[3]d(noescape(unsafe.Pointer(&%[2]s)), %[1]s)", target, v, c.width)
diff --git a/pkg/sql/exec/float.go b/pkg/sql/exec/float.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a30cdca8333f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sql/exec/float.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// Copyright 2019 The Cockroach Authors.
+//
+// Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License
+// included in the file licenses/BSL.txt.
+//
+// As of the Change Date specified in that file, in accordance with
+// the Business Source License, use of this software will be governed
+// by the Apache License, Version 2.0, included in the file
+// licenses/APL.txt.
+
+package exec
+
+import "math"
+
+// compareFloats compares two float values. This function is necessary for NaN
+// handling. In SQL, NaN is treated as less than all other float values. In Go,
+// any comparison with NaN returns false.
+func compareFloats(a, b float64) int {
+	if a < b {
+		return -1
+	}
+	if a > b {
+		return 1
+	}
+	// Compare bits so that NaN == NaN.
+	if math.Float64bits(a) == math.Float64bits(b) {
+		return 0
+	}
+	// Either a or b is NaN.
+	if math.IsNaN(a) {
+		return -1
+	}
+	return 1
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sql/exec/sort_test.go b/pkg/sql/exec/sort_test.go
index 335e18618f24..22772b4bf481 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/exec/sort_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/exec/sort_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ package exec
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"math/rand"
 	"sort"
 	"testing"
@@ -76,8 +77,8 @@ func TestSort(t *testing.T) {
 			ordCols:  []distsqlpb.Ordering_Column{{ColIdx: 0}},
 		},
 		{
-			tuples:   tuples{{3.2}, {2.0}, {2.4}},
-			expected: tuples{{2.0}, {2.4}, {3.2}},
+			tuples:   tuples{{3.2}, {2.0}, {2.4}, {math.NaN()}, {math.Inf(-1)}, {math.Inf(1)}},
+			expected: tuples{{math.NaN()}, {math.Inf(-1)}, {2.0}, {2.4}, {3.2}, {math.Inf(1)}},
 			typ:      []types.T{types.Float64},
 			ordCols:  []distsqlpb.Ordering_Column{{ColIdx: 0}},
 		},
diff --git a/pkg/sql/exec/utils_test.go b/pkg/sql/exec/utils_test.go
index d89e78787e37..3055319e89aa 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/exec/utils_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/exec/utils_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ package exec
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"math/rand"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
@@ -516,6 +517,14 @@ func tupleEquals(expected tuple, actual tuple) bool {
 				return false
 			}
 		} else {
+			// Special case for NaN, since it does not equal itself.
+			if f1, ok := expected[i].(float64); ok {
+				if f2, ok := actual[i].(float64); ok {
+					if math.IsNaN(f1) && math.IsNaN(f2) {
+						continue
+					}
+				}
+			}
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(reflect.ValueOf(actual[i]).Convert(reflect.TypeOf(expected[i])).Interface(), expected[i]) {
 				return false
 			}