diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d07a287..3bae466 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Change Log
 
+* Add support for sorting by scopes
+  PR [973](https://github.com/activerecord-hackery/ransack/pull/973)
+
+  *Diego Borges*
+
 ## Version 1.8.9 - 2018-08-09
 
 * Locked Active Record compatibiity at 5.1.0
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 468debb..b0ff364 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -218,6 +218,23 @@ This example toggles the sort directions of both fields, by default
 initially sorting the `last_name` field by ascending order, and the
 `first_name` field by descending order.
 
+In the case that you wish to sort by some complex value, such as the result
+of a SQL function, you may do so using scopes. In your model, define scopes
+whose names line up with the name of the virtual field you wish to sort by,
+as so:
+
+```ruby
+class Person < ActiveRecord::Base
+  scope :sort_by_reverse_name_asc, lambda { order("REVERSE(name) ASC") }
+  scope :sort_by_reverse_name_desc, lambda { order("REVERSE(name) DESC") }
+...
+```
+
+and you can then sort by this virtual field:
+
+```erb
+<%= sort_link(@q, :reverse_name) %>
+```
 
 The sort link order indicator arrows may be globally customized by setting a
 `custom_arrows` option in an initializer file like
diff --git a/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/context.rb b/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/context.rb
index 76a3008..27afc82 100644
--- a/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/context.rb
+++ b/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/context.rb
@@ -37,9 +37,29 @@ module Ransack
         def evaluate(search, opts = {})
           viz = Visitor.new
           relation = @object.where(viz.accept(search.base))
+
           if search.sorts.any?
-            relation = relation.except(:order).reorder(viz.accept(search.sorts))
+            relation = relation.except(:order)
+            # Rather than applying all of the search's sorts in one fell swoop,
+            # as the original implementation does, we apply one at a time.
+            #
+            # If the sort (returned by the Visitor above) is a symbol, we know
+            # that it represents a scope on the model and we can apply that
+            # scope.
+            #
+            # Otherwise, we fall back to the applying the sort with the "order"
+            # method as the original implementation did. Actually the original
+            # implementation used "reorder," which was overkill since we already
+            # have a clean slate after "relation.except(:order)" above.
+            viz.accept(search.sorts).each do |scope_or_sort|
+              if scope_or_sort.is_a?(Symbol)
+                relation = relation.send(scope_or_sort)
+              else
+                relation = relation.order(scope_or_sort)
+              end
+            end
           end
+
           opts[:distinct] ? relation.distinct : relation
         end
 
diff --git a/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/ransack/visitor.rb b/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/ransack/visitor.rb
index 549ee61..e06bc4b 100644
--- a/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/ransack/visitor.rb
+++ b/lib/ransack/adapters/active_record/ransack/visitor.rb
@@ -21,11 +21,15 @@ module Ransack
     end
 
     def visit_Ransack_Nodes_Sort(object)
-      return unless object.valid?
-      if object.attr.is_a?(Arel::Attributes::Attribute)
-        object.attr.send(object.dir)
+      if object.valid?
+        if object.attr.is_a?(Arel::Attributes::Attribute)
+          object.attr.send(object.dir)
+        else
+          ordered(object)
+        end
       else
-        ordered(object)
+        scope_name = :"sort_by_#{object.name}_#{object.dir}"
+        scope_name if object.context.object.respond_to?(scope_name)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/ransack/adapters/active_record/base_spec.rb b/spec/ransack/adapters/active_record/base_spec.rb
index bfa444e..75cc590 100644
--- a/spec/ransack/adapters/active_record/base_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ransack/adapters/active_record/base_spec.rb
@@ -576,6 +576,13 @@ module Ransack
               expect(search.result.to_sql).to match /ORDER BY .* ASC/
             end
           end
+
+          context 'sorting by a scope' do
+            it 'applies the correct scope' do
+              search = Person.search(sorts: ['reverse_name asc'])
+              expect(search.result.to_sql).to include("ORDER BY REVERSE(name) ASC")
+            end
+          end
         end
 
         describe '#ransackable_attributes' do
diff --git a/spec/support/schema.rb b/spec/support/schema.rb
index 48f22ca..2c47319 100644
--- a/spec/support/schema.rb
+++ b/spec/support/schema.rb
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ class Person < ActiveRecord::Base
     of_age ? where("age >= ?", 18) : where("age < ?", 18)
   }
 
+  scope :sort_by_reverse_name_asc, lambda { order("REVERSE(name) ASC") }
+  scope :sort_by_reverse_name_desc, lambda { order("REVERSE(name) DESC") }
+
   alias_attribute :full_name, :name
 
   ransack_alias :term, :name_or_email