diff --git a/wp-includes/media.php b/wp-includes/media.php
index b9d38fcf0a..73877bfb1d 100644
--- a/wp-includes/media.php
+++ b/wp-includes/media.php
@@ -959,9 +959,6 @@ function gallery_shortcode( $attr ) {
 	), $attr, 'gallery' );
 
 	$id = intval( $atts['id'] );
-	if ( 'RAND' == $atts['order'] ) {
-		$atts['orderby'] = 'none';
-	}
 
 	if ( ! empty( $atts['include'] ) ) {
 		$_attachments = get_posts( array( 'include' => $atts['include'], 'post_status' => 'inherit', 'post_type' => 'attachment', 'post_mime_type' => 'image', 'order' => $atts['order'], 'orderby' => $atts['orderby'] ) );
@@ -1166,7 +1163,7 @@ add_action( 'wp_playlist_scripts', 'wp_playlist_scripts' );
  *
  *     @type string  $type         Type of playlist to display. Accepts 'audio' or 'video'. Default 'audio'.
  *     @type string  $order        Designates ascending or descending order of items in the playlist.
- *                                 Accepts 'ASC', 'DESC', or 'RAND'. Default 'ASC'.
+ *                                 Accepts 'ASC', 'DESC'. Default 'ASC'.
  *     @type string  $orderby      Any column, or columns, to sort the playlist. If $ids are
  *                                 passed, this defaults to the order of the $ids array ('post__in').
  *                                 Otherwise default is 'menu_order ID'.
@@ -1243,9 +1240,6 @@ function wp_playlist_shortcode( $attr ) {
 	), $attr, 'playlist' );
 
 	$id = intval( $atts['id'] );
-	if ( 'RAND' == $atts['order'] ) {
-		$atts['orderby'] = 'none';
-	}
 
 	$args = array(
 		'post_status' => 'inherit',
diff --git a/wp-includes/query.php b/wp-includes/query.php
index 39a22c7dc5..a832e6d515 100644
--- a/wp-includes/query.php
+++ b/wp-includes/query.php
@@ -2795,10 +2795,11 @@ class WP_Query {
 
 		$where .= $search . $whichauthor . $whichmimetype;
 
+		$rand = ( isset( $q['orderby'] ) && 'rand' === $q['orderby'] );
 		if ( ! isset( $q['order'] ) ) {
-			$q['order'] = 'DESC';
+			$q['order'] = $rand ? '' : 'DESC';
 		} else {
-			$q['order'] = $this->parse_order( $q['order'] );
+			$q['order'] = $rand ? '' : $this->parse_order( $q['order'] );
 		}
 
 		// Order by.
@@ -2849,8 +2850,8 @@ class WP_Query {
 				$orderby = implode( ' ' . $q['order'] . ', ', $orderby_array );
 
 				if ( empty( $orderby ) ) {
-					$orderby = "$wpdb->posts.post_date ".$q['order'];
-				} else {
+					$orderby = "$wpdb->posts.post_date " . $q['order'];
+				} elseif ( ! empty( $q['order'] ) ) {
 					$orderby .= " {$q['order']}";
 				}
 			}