diff --git a/dvc/repo/experiments/show.py b/dvc/repo/experiments/show.py
index 155bc75b7..04bb193a5 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/experiments/show.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/experiments/show.py
@@ -177,26 +177,31 @@ def _build_rows(
                 )
 
 
-def _sort_column(
+def _sort_column(  # noqa: C901
     sort_by: str,
     metric_names: Mapping[str, Iterable[str]],
     param_names: Mapping[str, Iterable[str]],
 ) -> Tuple[str, str, str]:
-    path, _, sort_name = sort_by.rpartition(":")
+    sep = ":"
+    parts = sort_by.split(sep)
     matches: Set[Tuple[str, str, str]] = set()
 
-    if path:
+    for split_num in range(len(parts)):
+        path = sep.join(parts[:split_num])
+        sort_name = sep.join(parts[split_num:])
+        if not path:  # handles ':metric_name' case
+            sort_by = sort_name
         if path in metric_names and sort_name in metric_names[path]:
             matches.add((path, sort_name, "metrics"))
         if path in param_names and sort_name in param_names[path]:
             matches.add((path, sort_name, "params"))
-    else:
+    if not matches:
         for path in metric_names:
-            if sort_name in metric_names[path]:
-                matches.add((path, sort_name, "metrics"))
+            if sort_by in metric_names[path]:
+                matches.add((path, sort_by, "metrics"))
         for path in param_names:
-            if sort_name in param_names[path]:
-                matches.add((path, sort_name, "params"))
+            if sort_by in param_names[path]:
+                matches.add((path, sort_by, "params"))
 
     if len(matches) == 1:
         return matches.pop()
diff --git a/tests/func/experiments/test_show.py b/tests/func/experiments/test_show.py
index 4a3ffbf34..6ecb48117 100644
--- a/tests/func/experiments/test_show.py
+++ b/tests/func/experiments/test_show.py
@@ -352,6 +352,20 @@ def test_show_sort(tmp_dir, scm, dvc, exp_stage, caplog):
     assert main(["exp", "show", "--no-pager", "--sort-by=metrics.yaml:foo"]) == 0
 
 
+def test_show_sort_metric_sep(tmp_dir, scm, dvc, caplog):
+    metrics_path = tmp_dir / "metrics:1.json"
+    metrics_path.write_text('{"my::metric": 1, "other_metric": 0.5}')
+    metrics_path = tmp_dir / "metrics:2.json"
+    metrics_path.write_text('{"my::metric": 2}')
+    dvcyaml_path = tmp_dir / "dvc.yaml"
+    dvcyaml_path.write_text("metrics: ['metrics:1.json', 'metrics:2.json']")
+    dvc.experiments.save()
+    assert (
+        main(["exp", "show", "--no-pager", "--sort-by=metrics:1.json:my::metric"]) == 0
+    )
+    assert main(["exp", "show", "--no-pager", "--sort-by=:other_metric"]) == 0
+
+
 @pytest.mark.vscode
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "status, pid_exists",