diff --git a/flask_potion/contrib/alchemy/manager.py b/flask_potion/contrib/alchemy/manager.py
index 0c09eb8..867e90d 100644
--- a/flask_potion/contrib/alchemy/manager.py
+++ b/flask_potion/contrib/alchemy/manager.py
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ def _init_model(self, resource, model, meta):
             self.id_attribute = mapper.primary_key[0].name
 
         self.id_field = self._get_field_from_column_type(self.id_column, self.id_attribute, io="r")
-        self.default_sort_expression = self._get_sort_expression(
-            model, meta, self.id_column)
+        self.default_sort_expression = self.id_column.asc()
 
         fs = resource.schema
         if meta.include_id:
@@ -87,14 +86,6 @@ def _init_model(self, resource, model, meta):
                     fs.required.add(name)
                 fs.set(name, self._get_field_from_column_type(column, name, io=io))
 
-    def _get_sort_expression(self, model, meta, id_column):
-        if meta.sort_attribute is None:
-            return id_column.asc()
-
-        attr_name, reverse = meta.sort_attribute
-        attr = getattr(model, attr_name)
-        return attr.desc() if reverse else attr.asc()
-
     def _get_field_from_column_type(self, column, attribute, io="rw"):
         args = ()
         kwargs = {}
@@ -204,12 +195,7 @@ def _query_order_by(self, query, sort=None):
             if isinstance(field, fields.ToOne):
                 target_alias = aliased(field.target.meta.model)
                 query = query.outerjoin(target_alias, column).reset_joinpoint()
-                sort_attribute = None
-                if field.target.meta.sort_attribute:
-                    sort_attribute, _ = field.target.meta.sort_attribute
-                column = getattr(
-                    target_alias,
-                    sort_attribute or field.target.manager.id_attribute)
+                column = getattr(target_alias, field.target.meta.sort_attribute or field.target.manager.id_attribute)
 
             order_clauses.append(column.desc() if reverse else column.asc())
 
diff --git a/flask_potion/contrib/memory/manager.py b/flask_potion/contrib/memory/manager.py
index 9219b16..3e97fe1 100644
--- a/flask_potion/contrib/memory/manager.py
+++ b/flask_potion/contrib/memory/manager.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def _filter_items(items, conditions):
 
     @staticmethod
     def _sort_items(items, sort):
-        for field, key, reverse in reversed(sort):
+        for field, key, reverse in sort:
             items = sorted(items, key=lambda item: get_value(key, item, None), reverse=reverse)
         return items
 
diff --git a/flask_potion/resource.py b/flask_potion/resource.py
index 5ce8f95..51eda15 100644
--- a/flask_potion/resource.py
+++ b/flask_potion/resource.py
@@ -215,7 +215,14 @@ def __new__(mcs, name, bases, members):
 
         sort_attribute = meta.get('sort_attribute')
         if sort_attribute is not None and isinstance(sort_attribute, str):
-            meta.sort_attribute = sort_attribute, False
+            sort_attribute = sort_attribute, False
+        if sort_attribute and sort_attribute[0] in class_.schema.fields:
+            field, reverse = sort_attribute
+            meta.sort_attribute = (
+                (class_.schema.fields[field], field, reverse),
+            )
+        else:
+            meta.sort_attribute = None
 
         return class_
 
@@ -278,8 +285,9 @@ class ModelResource(six.with_metaclass(ModelResourceMeta, Resource)):
     manager = None
 
     @Route.GET('', rel="instances")
-    def instances(self, **kwargs):
-        return self.manager.paginated_instances(**kwargs)
+    def instances(self, sort=None, **kwargs):
+        sort = sort or self.meta.sort_attribute
+        return self.manager.paginated_instances(sort=sort, **kwargs)
 
     # TODO custom schema (Instances/Instances) that contains the necessary schema.
     instances.request_schema = instances.response_schema = Instances()  # TODO NOTE Instances('self') for filter, etc. schema
diff --git a/tests/contrib/alchemy/test_manager_sqlalchemy.py b/tests/contrib/alchemy/test_manager_sqlalchemy.py
index df55fb0..57c4287 100644
--- a/tests/contrib/alchemy/test_manager_sqlalchemy.py
+++ b/tests/contrib/alchemy/test_manager_sqlalchemy.py
@@ -448,78 +448,3 @@ class Meta:
             "$id": 1,
             "username": "foo"
         }, response.json)
-
-
-class SQLAlchemySortTestCase(BaseTestCase):
-
-    def setUp(self):
-        super(SQLAlchemySortTestCase, self).setUp()
-        self.app.config['SQLALCHEMY_ENGINE'] = 'sqlite://'
-        self.api = Api(self.app)
-        self.sa = sa = SQLAlchemy(
-            self.app, session_options={"autoflush": False})
-
-        class Type(sa.Model):
-            id = sa.Column(sa.Integer, primary_key=True)
-            name = sa.Column(sa.String(60), nullable=False)
-
-        class Machine(sa.Model):
-            id = sa.Column(sa.Integer, primary_key=True)
-            name = sa.Column(sa.String(60), nullable=False)
-
-            type_id = sa.Column(sa.Integer, sa.ForeignKey(Type.id))
-            type = sa.relationship(Type, foreign_keys=[type_id])
-
-        sa.create_all()
-
-        class MachineResource(ModelResource):
-            class Meta:
-                model = Machine
-
-            class Schema:
-                type = fields.ToOne('type')
-
-        class TypeResource(ModelResource):
-            class Meta:
-                model = Type
-                sort_attribute = ('name', True)
-
-        self.MachineResource = MachineResource
-        self.TypeResource = TypeResource
-
-        self.api.add_resource(MachineResource)
-        self.api.add_resource(TypeResource)
-
-    def test_default_sorting_with_desc(self):
-        self.client.post('/type', data={"name": "aaa"})
-        self.client.post('/type', data={"name": "ccc"})
-        self.client.post('/type', data={"name": "bbb"})
-        response = self.client.get('/type')
-        self.assert200(response)
-        self.assertJSONEqual(
-            [{'$uri': '/type/2', 'name': 'ccc'},
-             {'$uri': '/type/3', 'name': 'bbb'},
-             {'$uri': '/type/1', 'name': 'aaa'}],
-            response.json)
-
-    def test_sort_by_related_field(self):
-        response = self.client.post('/type', data={"name": "aaa"})
-        self.assert200(response)
-        aaa_uri = response.json["$uri"]
-        response = self.client.post('/type', data={"name": "bbb"})
-        self.assert200(response)
-        bbb_uri = response.json["$uri"]
-        self.client.post(
-            '/machine', data={"name": "foo", "type": {"$ref": aaa_uri}})
-        self.assert200(response)
-        self.client.post(
-            '/machine', data={"name": "bar", "type": {"$ref": bbb_uri}})
-        self.assert200(response)
-        response = self.client.get('/machine?sort={"type": true}')
-        self.assert200(response)
-        type_uris = [entry['type']['$ref'] for entry in response.json]
-        self.assertTrue(type_uris, [bbb_uri, aaa_uri])
-        response = self.client.get('/machine?sort={"type": false}')
-        self.assert200(response)
-        type_uris = [entry['type']['$ref'] for entry in response.json]
-        self.assertTrue(type_uris, [bbb_uri, aaa_uri])
diff --git a/tests/test_model_resource.py b/tests/test_model_resource.py
index 4e920fd..4e265e0 100644
--- a/tests/test_model_resource.py
+++ b/tests/test_model_resource.py
@@ -3,6 +3,19 @@
 from tests import BaseTestCase
 
 
+def DummyResource(res_name, sort=None):
+    class NewResource(ModelResource):
+        class Schema:
+            name = fields.String()
+            secret = fields.String(io="c")
+            slug = fields.String(io="cr")
+        class Meta:
+            name = res_name
+            sort_attribute = sort
+
+    return NewResource
+
+
 class ModelResourceTestCase(BaseTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
@@ -10,16 +23,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.api = Api(self.app, default_manager=MemoryManager)
 
     def test_schema_io(self):
-
-        class FooResource(ModelResource):
-            class Schema:
-                name = fields.String()
-                secret = fields.String(io="c")
-                slug = fields.String(io="cr")
-
-            class Meta:
-                name = "foo"
-
+        FooResource = DummyResource("foo")
         self.api.add_resource(FooResource)
 
         response = self.client.post("/foo", data={
@@ -68,6 +72,47 @@ class Meta:
             "secret": "mystery"
         }, FooResource.manager.items[1])
 
+    def test_sort_attribute(self):
+        DescResource = DummyResource("desc", sort=("name", True))
+        AscResource = DummyResource("asc", sort="name")
+        UnsortedResource = DummyResource("unsorted")
+
+        self.api.add_resource(DescResource)
+        self.api.add_resource(AscResource)
+        self.api.add_resource(UnsortedResource)
+
+        first_data = {
+            "name": "Foo",
+            "secret": "mystery",
+            "slug": "foo"
+        }
+        second_data = {
+            "name": "Bar",
+            "secret": "mystery",
+            "slug": "bar"
+        }
+
+        self.client.post("/asc", data=first_data)
+        self.client.post("/asc", data=second_data)
+        self.client.post("/desc", data=first_data)
+        self.client.post("/desc", data=second_data)
+        self.client.post("/unsorted", data=first_data)
+        self.client.post("/unsorted", data=second_data)
+
+        response = self.client.get("/desc").json
+
+        self.assertEqual(response[0]['name'], "Foo")
+        self.assertEqual(response[1]['name'], "Bar")
+
+        response = self.client.get("/asc").json
+        self.assertEqual(response[0]['name'], "Bar")
+        self.assertEqual(response[1]['name'], "Foo")
+
+        response = self.client.get("/unsorted").json
+
+        self.assertEqual(response[0]['name'], "Foo")
+        self.assertEqual(response[1]['name'], "Bar")
+
     def test_inline_schema(self):
         class FooResource(ModelResource):
             class Meta: