diff --git a/src/material/sort/sort-header.scss b/src/material/sort/sort-header.scss
index c836a7383091..ee01087a5a9e 100644
--- a/src/material/sort/sort-header.scss
+++ b/src/material/sort/sort-header.scss
@@ -2,9 +2,16 @@
 @use '../core/tokens/token-utils';
 @use '../core/focus-indicators/private';
 
+.mat-sort-header {
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
+.mat-sort-header-disabled {
+  cursor: default;
+}
+
 .mat-sort-header-container {
   display: flex;
-  cursor: pointer;
   align-items: center;
   letter-spacing: normal;
 
@@ -19,10 +26,6 @@
     border-bottom: solid 1px currentColor;
   }
 
-  .mat-sort-header-disabled & {
-    cursor: default;
-  }
-
   // For the sort-header element, default inset/offset values are necessary to ensure that
   // the focus indicator is sufficiently contrastive and renders appropriately.
   &::before {