diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee
index a805ab67ef..4e2bd45d70 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/bulk_product_update.js.coffee
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", ($scope, $timeout
     sorting: ""
   }
 
+  $scope.sorting = "name asc"
   $scope.producers = producers
   $scope.taxons = Taxons.all
   $scope.tax_categories = tax_categories
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", ($scope, $timeout
       'q[name_cont]': $scope.q.query,
       'q[supplier_id_eq]': $scope.q.producerFilter,
       'q[primary_taxon_id_eq]': $scope.q.categoryFilter,
-      'q[s]': $scope.q.sorting,
+      'q[s]': $scope.sorting,
       import_date: $scope.q.importDateFilter,
       page: $scope.page,
       per_page: $scope.per_page
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", ($scope, $timeout
   $scope.$watch 'sortOptions', (sort) ->
     return unless sort && sort.predicate != ""
 
-    $scope.q.sorting = sort.getSortingExpr()
+    $scope.sorting = sort.getSortingExpr(defaultDirection: "asc")
     $scope.fetchProducts()
   , true
 
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ angular.module("ofn.admin").controller "AdminProductEditCtrl", ($scope, $timeout
           'q[name_cont]': $scope.q.query
           'q[supplier_id_eq]': $scope.q.producerFilter
           'q[primary_taxon_id_eq]': $scope.q.categoryFilter
+          'q[s]': $scope.sorting
           import_date: $scope.q.importDateFilter
         page: $scope.page
         per_page: $scope.per_page
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options.js.coffee
index f926dfa373..b020bda768 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options.js.coffee
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ angular.module("admin.indexUtils").factory 'SortOptions', ->
     predicate: ""
     reverse: true
 
-    getSortingExpr: () ->
-      sortingExpr = this.predicate + ' desc' if this.reverse
-      sortingExpr = this.predicate + ' asc' if !this.reverse
+    getSortingExpr: (options) ->
+      defaultDirection = if (options && options.defaultDirection) then options.defaultDirection else "desc"
+      reverseDirection = if defaultDirection == "desc" then "asc" else "desc"
+      sortingExpr = this.predicate + ' ' + defaultDirection if this.reverse
+      sortingExpr = this.predicate + ' ' + reverseDirection if !this.reverse
       sortingExpr
 
     toggle: (predicate) ->
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee b/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee
index 5b842bfb0a..81ea716f98 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee
+++ b/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/bulk_product_update_spec.js.coffee
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ describe "AdminProductEditCtrl", ->
       $scope.sortOptions.toggle('name')
       $scope.$apply()
 
-      expect($scope.q.sorting).toEqual 'name asc'
+      expect($scope.sorting).toEqual 'name desc'
       expect($scope.fetchProducts).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
   describe "updating the product on hand count", ->
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options_spec.js.coffee b/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options_spec.js.coffee
index 6c4b068bc4..6beeade9d1 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options_spec.js.coffee
+++ b/spec/javascripts/unit/admin/index_utils/services/sort_options_spec.js.coffee
@@ -42,3 +42,19 @@ describe "SortOptions service", ->
         SortOptions.toggle("column.b")
         expect(SortOptions.predicate).toEqual "column.b"
         expect(SortOptions.reverse).toBe false
+
+    describe "getting the sorting expression", ->
+      describe "when not specifying the default sort direction", ->
+        it "sets the direction to 'asc' after the first toggle because the default direction is 'desc'", ->
+          SortOptions.toggle("column.a")
+          expect(SortOptions.getSortingExpr()).toEqual "column.a asc"
+
+      describe "when specifying the default sorting direction as 'desc'", ->
+        it "sets the direction to 'asc' after the first toggle", ->
+          SortOptions.toggle("column.a")
+          expect(SortOptions.getSortingExpr(defaultDirection: "desc")).toEqual "column.a asc"
+
+      describe "when specifying the default sorting direction as 'asc'", ->
+        it "sets the direction to 'desc' after the first toggle", ->
+          SortOptions.toggle("column.a")
+          expect(SortOptions.getSortingExpr(defaultDirection: "asc")).toEqual "column.a desc"