diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dc6589b..ef72585 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,9 +34,19 @@ Include awesome_sort in your javascript and css application files
 In config/initializers, create an awesome_sort with similar syntax:
 ```ruby
 AwesomeSort.configure do |config|
-  config.add_sorter  :contacts, :name, ->(scope, direction){ scope.order(surname: direction, forename: direction) }
-  config.add_sorter  :contacts, :organisations, ->(direction){ scope.eager_load(:clients).order("institute.name #{direction}") }
-  config.add_default :contacts, ->(scope){ scope.eager_load(:clients).order('institute.name') }
+  config.add_sorter(
+    :contacts,
+    :name,
+    ->(scope, direction){ scope.order(surname: direction, forename: direction) }
+  )
+
+  config.add_sorter(
+    :contacts,
+    :organisations,
+    ->(direction){ scope.eager_load(:clients).order("institute.name #{direction}") }
+  )
+
+  config.defaults[sort_by: 'name'] or config.defaults = { sort_order: 'desc', sort_by: 'dob' }
 end
 ```
 
diff --git a/app/helpers/awesome_sort/awesome_sort_helper.rb b/app/helpers/awesome_sort/awesome_sort_helper.rb
index bff7404..f6698d7 100644
--- a/app/helpers/awesome_sort/awesome_sort_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/awesome_sort/awesome_sort_helper.rb
@@ -2,23 +2,19 @@ module AwesomeSort
   module AwesomeSortHelper
     def column_sort(args = {})
       args[:extra] ||= {}
+      defaults = AwesomeSort.defaults
+
       # Should pass it column_name, link_name, controller_name and
       # optionally width, html_options and header_classes
-      args.reverse_merge!(
-        header_classes: [],
-        html_options:   {}
-      )
+      args.reverse_merge!(header_classes: [], html_options: {})
+      sort_order = args[:sort_order] || defaults[:sort_order]
+
       c_method = args[:controller_name] + "_path"
       klass = ["orderable"]
-      klass << "order-#{params[:sort_order]}" if params[:sort_by] == args[:column_name]
+      klass << "order-#{sort_order}" if args[:sort_by] == args[:column_name]
       klass << args[:header_classes]
       klass.flatten
-      sort_order =
-        if params[:sort_by] == args[:column_name] && params[:sort_order] == "asc"
-          "desc"
-        else
-          "asc"
-        end
+
       content_tag(:th, width: args[:width], class: klass, data: { order_term: args[:column_name] }) do
         link_to(
           args[:link_name],
@@ -30,6 +26,7 @@ def column_sort(args = {})
 
     def sort(scope, sort_by, sort_order)
       klass = scope.model.name.tableize.to_sym
+      defaults = AwesomeSort.defaults
 
       if sort_by
         if sorter = AwesomeSort.sorters[klass][sort_by.to_sym]
@@ -38,11 +35,13 @@ def sort(scope, sort_by, sort_order)
           scope.order(sort_by => sort_order)
         end
       else
-        if default_sorter = AwesomeSort.defaults[klass]
+        own_defaults = defaults[klass]
+
+        if (default_sorter = own_defaults ? own_defaults[:sort_by] : defaults[:sort_by])
           if default_sorter.respond_to?(:call)
             default_sorter.call(scope)
           else
-            scope.order(default_sorter => 'asc')
+            scope.order(default_sorter => (own_defaults ? defaults[klass][:sort_order] : defaults[:sort_order]))
           end
         else
           scope
diff --git a/lib/awesome_sort.rb b/lib/awesome_sort.rb
index 05d9755..9711079 100644
--- a/lib/awesome_sort.rb
+++ b/lib/awesome_sort.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ module AwesomeSort
   mattr_accessor :sorters, :defaults
 
   def self.configure
+    self.sorters = {}
+    self.defaults = { sort_order: 'asc', sort_by: 'name' }
     yield self
   end
 
@@ -13,11 +15,4 @@ def self.add_sorter(model, attribute, sorter)
     self.sorters[model] ||= {}
     self.sorters[model][attribute] = sorter
   end
-
-  def self.set_default(model, attribute_or_sorter)
-    self.defaults[model] = attribute_or_sorter
-  end
 end
-
-AwesomeSort.defaults = {}
-AwesomeSort.sorters = {}