diff --git a/framework/CHANGELOG.md b/framework/CHANGELOG.md
index 4739832..7a58904 100644
--- a/framework/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/framework/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ Yii Framework 2 Change Log
 - Bug #2862: Using `DbCache` while enabling schema caching may cause infinite loops (qiangxue)
 - Bug #3052: Fixed the issue that cache dependency data is not reused when `reusable` is set true (qiangxue)
 - Bug #3691: Fixed the issue that `CookieCollection::has` always returns false for cookies from browser (sonicgd)
+- Bug #4212: MSSQL query builder should not generate the `ORDER BY` clause when it is not needed (qiangxue)
 - Bug: Fixed `Call to a member function registerAssetFiles() on a non-object` in case of wrong `sourcePath` for an asset bundle (samdark)
 - Bug: Fixed incorrect event name for `yii\jui\Spinner` (samdark)
 - Bug: Json::encode() did not handle objects that implement JsonSerializable interface correctly (cebe)
diff --git a/framework/db/mssql/QueryBuilder.php b/framework/db/mssql/QueryBuilder.php
index bbf1249..6852c60 100644
--- a/framework/db/mssql/QueryBuilder.php
+++ b/framework/db/mssql/QueryBuilder.php
@@ -39,15 +39,6 @@ class QueryBuilder extends \yii\db\QueryBuilder
         Schema::TYPE_MONEY => 'decimal(19,4)',
     ];
 
-//	public function update($table, $columns, $condition, &$params)
-//	{
-//		return '';
-//	}
-
-//	public function delete($table, $condition, &$params)
-//	{
-//		return '';
-//	}
 
     /**
      * @param integer $limit
@@ -71,11 +62,6 @@ class QueryBuilder extends \yii\db\QueryBuilder
         }
     }
 
-//	public function resetSequence($table, $value = null)
-//	{
-//		return '';
-//	}
-
     /**
      * Builds a SQL statement for renaming a DB table.
      * @param string $table the table to be renamed. The name will be properly quoted by the method.
@@ -143,25 +129,19 @@ class QueryBuilder extends \yii\db\QueryBuilder
     /**
      * @inheritdoc
      */
-    public function buildOrderBy($columns)
-    {
-        if (empty($columns)) {
-            // hack so LIMIT will work if no ORDER BY is specified
-            return 'ORDER BY (SELECT NULL)';
-        } else {
-            return parent::buildOrderBy($columns);
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @inheritdoc
-     */
     public function build($query, $params = [])
     {
         $query->prepareBuild($this);
 
         $params = empty($params) ? $query->params : array_merge($params, $query->params);
 
+        if (empty($query->orderBy) && ($this->hasLimit($query->limit) || $this->hasOffset($query->offset)) && $this->isOldMssql()) {
+            // hack so LIMIT will work because ROW_NUMBER requires an ORDER BY clause
+            $orderBy = 'ORDER BY (SELECT NULL)';
+        } else {
+            $orderBy = $this->buildOrderBy($query->orderBy);
+        }
+
         $clauses = [
             $this->buildSelect($query->select, $params, $query->distinct, $query->selectOption),
             $this->buildFrom($query->from, $params),
@@ -169,7 +149,7 @@ class QueryBuilder extends \yii\db\QueryBuilder
             $this->buildWhere($query->where, $params),
             $this->buildGroupBy($query->groupBy),
             $this->buildHaving($query->having, $params),
-            $this->buildOrderBy($query->orderBy),
+            $orderBy,
             $this->isOldMssql() ? '' : $this->buildLimit($query->limit, $query->offset),
         ];
 
@@ -189,7 +169,7 @@ class QueryBuilder extends \yii\db\QueryBuilder
      * Applies limit and offset to SQL query
      *
      * @param string $sql SQL query
-     * @param \yii\db\ActiveQuery $query the [[Query]] object from which the SQL statement generated
+     * @param \yii\db\Query $query the [[Query]] object from which the SQL statement generated
      * @return string resulting SQL
      */
     private function applyLimitAndOffset($sql, $query)