diff --git a/empress/support_files/js/empress.js b/empress/support_files/js/empress.js
index fc803003..4d249a91 100644
--- a/empress/support_files/js/empress.js
+++ b/empress/support_files/js/empress.js
@@ -2712,7 +2712,7 @@ define([
     };
 
     /**
-     * Returns a list of sample categories.
+     * Returns a sorted list of sample categories.
      *
      * If this.isCommunityPlot is false (no table / sample metadata were
      * provided), this just returns [].
@@ -2721,7 +2721,7 @@ define([
      */
     Empress.prototype.getSampleCategories = function () {
         if (this.isCommunityPlot) {
-            return this._biom.getSampleCategories();
+            return util.naturalSort(this._biom.getSampleCategories());
         } else {
             return [];
         }
@@ -2849,12 +2849,12 @@ define([
     };
 
     /**
-     * Returns an array of feature metadata column names.
+     * Returns a sorted list of feature metadata column names.
      *
      * @return {Array}
      */
     Empress.prototype.getFeatureMetadataCategories = function () {
-        return this._featureMetadataColumns;
+        return util.naturalSort(this._featureMetadataColumns);
     };
 
     /**
@@ -3792,5 +3792,36 @@ define([
         this.redrawBarPlotsToMatchLayout();
     };
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the feature metadata value at a f. m. column for a node.
+     *
+     * @param {Number} node Postorder position of a node in the tree.
+     * @param {String} col Name of a feature metadata column.
+     *
+     * @return {String} The col variable value for the node or undefined if
+     *                  no value exists.
+     */
+    Empress.prototype.getNodeFeatureMetadataValue = function (node, col) {
+        var colIndx = _.indexOf(this._featureMetadataColumns, col);
+        if (_.has(this._tipMetadata, node)) {
+            return this._tipMetadata[node][colIndx];
+        }
+        if (_.has(this._intMetadata, node)) {
+            return this._intMetadata[node][colIndx];
+        }
+        return undefined;
+    };
+
+    /**
+     * Checks to see if a node has feature metadata.
+     *
+     * @param {Number} node Postorder position of a node in the tree.
+     *
+     * @return true if node has feature metadata, false otherwise.
+     */
+    Empress.prototype.hasFeatureMetadata = function (node) {
+        return _.has(this._tipMetadata, node) || _.has(this._intMetadata, node);
+    };
+
     return Empress;
 });
diff --git a/empress/support_files/js/select-node-menu.js b/empress/support_files/js/select-node-menu.js
index c9487bce..fc55826a 100644
--- a/empress/support_files/js/select-node-menu.js
+++ b/empress/support_files/js/select-node-menu.js
@@ -288,23 +288,17 @@ define(["underscore", "util"], function (_, util) {
     ) {
         if (this.hasFeatureMetadata) {
             this.fmTable.innerHTML = "";
-            var mdObj;
-            if (tipOrInt === "tip") {
-                mdObj = this.empress._tipMetadata;
-            } else if (tipOrInt === "int") {
-                mdObj = this.empress._intMetadata;
-            } else {
-                throw new Error("Invalid tipOrInt value: " + tipOrInt);
-            }
-            if (_.has(mdObj, nodeName)) {
+            if (this.empress.hasFeatureMetadata(nodeName)) {
                 var headerRow = this.fmTable.insertRow(-1);
                 var featureRow = this.fmTable.insertRow(-1);
-                for (var x = 0; x < this.fmCols.length; x++) {
-                    var colName = this.fmCols[x];
+                for (var col of this.fmCols) {
                     var colCell = headerRow.insertCell(-1);
-                    colCell.innerHTML = "<strong>" + colName + "</strong>";
+                    colCell.innerHTML = "<strong>" + col + "</strong>";
                     var dataCell = featureRow.insertCell(-1);
-                    dataCell.innerHTML = mdObj[nodeName][x];
+                    dataCell.innerHTML = this.empress.getNodeFeatureMetadataValue(
+                        nodeName,
+                        col
+                    );
                 }
                 show(this.fmTable);
                 hide(this.fmNoDataNote);
diff --git a/tests/test-barplots.js b/tests/test-barplots.js
index bcfbbc80..c36c9052 100644
--- a/tests/test-barplots.js
+++ b/tests/test-barplots.js
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ require([
         _.each(empress._barplotPanel.layers, function (layer, i) {
             // Basic information about the visualization -- should be the same
             // across every layer
-            equal(layer.fmCols, scope.testData.fmCols);
-            equal(layer.smCols, empress._barplotPanel.smCols);
+            deepEqual(layer.fmCols, scope.testData.fmCols);
+            deepEqual(layer.smCols, empress._barplotPanel.smCols);
             equal(layer.barplotPanel, empress._barplotPanel);
             equal(layer.layerContainer, empress._barplotPanel.layerContainer);
             // Check that the "num" and "unique num" of each barplot layer were