diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_sort_by.rs b/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_sort_by.rs
index 9dddbe814317..c7339a3bdd05 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_sort_by.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_sort_by.rs
@@ -2,12 +2,11 @@ use clippy_utils::diagnostics::span_lint_and_then;
 use clippy_utils::res::{MaybeDef, MaybeTypeckRes};
 use clippy_utils::std_or_core;
 use clippy_utils::sugg::Sugg;
-use clippy_utils::ty::implements_trait;
+use clippy_utils::ty::{implements_trait, is_copy};
 use rustc_errors::Applicability;
 use rustc_hir::{Closure, Expr, ExprKind, Mutability, Param, Pat, PatKind, Path, PathSegment, QPath};
 use rustc_lint::LateContext;
-use rustc_middle::ty;
-use rustc_middle::ty::GenericArgKind;
+use rustc_middle::ty::{self, GenericArgKind, Ty};
 use rustc_span::sym;
 use rustc_span::symbol::{Ident, Symbol};
 use std::iter;
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ fn mirrored_exprs(a_expr: &Expr<'_>, a_ident: Ident, b_expr: &Expr<'_>, b_ident:
             mirrored_exprs(left_block, a_ident, right_block, b_ident)
         },
         (ExprKind::Field(left_expr, left_ident), ExprKind::Field(right_expr, right_ident)) => {
-            left_ident.name == right_ident.name && mirrored_exprs(left_expr, a_ident, right_expr, right_ident)
+            left_ident.name == right_ident.name && mirrored_exprs(left_expr, a_ident, right_expr, b_ident)
         },
         // Two paths: either one is a and the other is b, or they're identical to each other
         (
@@ -159,7 +158,11 @@ fn detect_lint<'tcx>(cx: &LateContext<'tcx>, expr: &Expr<'_>, arg: &Expr<'_>) ->
             return Some(LintTrigger::Sort);
         }
 
-        if !expr_borrows(cx, left_expr) {
+        let left_expr_ty = cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(left_expr);
+        if !expr_borrows(left_expr_ty)
+            // Don't lint if the closure is accessing non-Copy fields
+            && (!expr_is_field_access(left_expr) || is_copy(cx, left_expr_ty))
+        {
             return Some(LintTrigger::SortByKey(SortByKeyDetection {
                 closure_arg,
                 closure_body,
@@ -171,11 +174,18 @@ fn detect_lint<'tcx>(cx: &LateContext<'tcx>, expr: &Expr<'_>, arg: &Expr<'_>) ->
     None
 }
 
-fn expr_borrows(cx: &LateContext<'_>, expr: &Expr<'_>) -> bool {
-    let ty = cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(expr);
+fn expr_borrows(ty: Ty<'_>) -> bool {
     matches!(ty.kind(), ty::Ref(..)) || ty.walk().any(|arg| matches!(arg.kind(), GenericArgKind::Lifetime(_)))
 }
 
+fn expr_is_field_access(expr: &Expr<'_>) -> bool {
+    match expr.kind {
+        ExprKind::Field(_, _) => true,
+        ExprKind::AddrOf(_, Mutability::Not, inner) => expr_is_field_access(inner),
+        _ => false,
+    }
+}
+
 pub(super) fn check<'tcx>(
     cx: &LateContext<'tcx>,
     expr: &'tcx Expr<'_>,
diff --git a/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.fixed b/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.fixed
index 5255ab173efb..372cf683f223 100644
--- a/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.fixed
+++ b/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.fixed
@@ -111,3 +111,33 @@ fn main() {
     issue_5754::test();
     issue_6001::test();
 }
+
+fn issue16405() {
+    let mut v: Vec<(i32, &str)> = vec![(1, "foo"), (2, "bar")];
+
+    v.sort_by_key(|a| a.0);
+    //~^ unnecessary_sort_by
+
+    struct Item {
+        key: i32,
+        value: String,
+    }
+
+    let mut items = vec![
+        Item {
+            key: 2,
+            value: "b".to_string(),
+        },
+        Item {
+            key: 1,
+            value: "a".to_string(),
+        },
+    ];
+    items.sort_by_key(|item1| item1.key);
+    //~^ unnecessary_sort_by
+
+    items.sort_by(|item1, item2| item1.value.cmp(&item2.value));
+
+    items.sort_by_key(|item1| item1.value.clone());
+    //~^ unnecessary_sort_by
+}
diff --git a/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.rs b/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.rs
index 65db7ca3f137..7dd274623b35 100644
--- a/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.rs
@@ -111,3 +111,33 @@ fn main() {
     issue_5754::test();
     issue_6001::test();
 }
+
+fn issue16405() {
+    let mut v: Vec<(i32, &str)> = vec![(1, "foo"), (2, "bar")];
+
+    v.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0));
+    //~^ unnecessary_sort_by
+
+    struct Item {
+        key: i32,
+        value: String,
+    }
+
+    let mut items = vec![
+        Item {
+            key: 2,
+            value: "b".to_string(),
+        },
+        Item {
+            key: 1,
+            value: "a".to_string(),
+        },
+    ];
+    items.sort_by(|item1, item2| item1.key.cmp(&item2.key));
+    //~^ unnecessary_sort_by
+
+    items.sort_by(|item1, item2| item1.value.cmp(&item2.value));
+
+    items.sort_by(|item1, item2| item1.value.clone().cmp(&item2.value.clone()));
+    //~^ unnecessary_sort_by
+}
diff --git a/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.stderr b/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.stderr
index a066554037fe..b555245b0d01 100644
--- a/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.stderr
+++ b/tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.stderr
@@ -73,5 +73,23 @@ error: consider using `sort_unstable_by_key`
 LL |         args.sort_unstable_by(|a, b| b.name().cmp(&a.name()));
    |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ help: try: `args.sort_unstable_by_key(|b| std::cmp::Reverse(b.name()))`
 
-error: aborting due to 12 previous errors
+error: consider using `sort_by_key`
+  --> tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.rs:118:5
+   |
+LL |     v.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0));
+   |     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ help: try: `v.sort_by_key(|a| a.0)`
+
+error: consider using `sort_by_key`
+  --> tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.rs:136:5
+   |
+LL |     items.sort_by(|item1, item2| item1.key.cmp(&item2.key));
+   |     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ help: try: `items.sort_by_key(|item1| item1.key)`
+
+error: consider using `sort_by_key`
+  --> tests/ui/unnecessary_sort_by.rs:141:5
+   |
+LL |     items.sort_by(|item1, item2| item1.value.clone().cmp(&item2.value.clone()));
+   |     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ help: try: `items.sort_by_key(|item1| item1.value.clone())`
+
+error: aborting due to 15 previous errors