diff --git a/lib/ransack/context.rb b/lib/ransack/context.rb
index 2e703e9..a651c6b 100644
--- a/lib/ransack/context.rb
+++ b/lib/ransack/context.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require 'ransack/visitor'
 module Ransack
   class Context
     attr_reader :search, :object, :klass, :base, :engine, :arel_visitor
-    attr_accessor :auth_object
+    attr_accessor :auth_object, :search_key
 
     class << self
 
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ module Ransack
       @klass = @object.klass
       @join_dependency = join_dependency(@object)
       @join_type = options[:join_type] || Arel::OuterJoin
+      @search_key = options[:search_key] || :q
       @base = @join_dependency.join_base
       @engine = @base.arel_engine
       @default_table = Arel::Table.new(@base.table_name, :as => @base.aliased_table_name, :engine => @engine)
diff --git a/lib/ransack/helpers/form_helper.rb b/lib/ransack/helpers/form_helper.rb
index 2a0414f..7919a02 100644
--- a/lib/ransack/helpers/form_helper.rb
+++ b/lib/ransack/helpers/form_helper.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ module Ransack
 
         raise TypeError, "First argument must be a Ransack::Search!" unless Search === search
 
-        search_params = params[:q] || {}.with_indifferent_access
+        search_params = params[search.context.search_key] || {}.with_indifferent_access
 
         attr_name = attribute.to_s
 
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ module Ransack
         html_options = args.first.is_a?(Hash) ? args.shift.dup : {}
         css = ['sort_link', current_dir].compact.join(' ')
         html_options[:class] = [css, html_options[:class]].compact.join(' ')
-        options.merge!(
-          :q => search_params.merge(:s => "#{attr_name} #{new_dir}")
-        )
+        query_hash = {}
+        query_hash[search.context.search_key] = search_params.merge(:s => "#{attr_name} #{new_dir}")
+        options.merge!(query_hash)
         url = if routing_proxy
           send(routing_proxy).url_for(options)
         else
@@ -84,4 +84,4 @@ module Ransack
 
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/spec/ransack/helpers/form_helper_spec.rb b/spec/ransack/helpers/form_helper_spec.rb
index 1ab203a..54d504a 100644
--- a/spec/ransack/helpers/form_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ransack/helpers/form_helper_spec.rb
@@ -25,14 +25,26 @@ module Ransack
         end
       end
 
-      describe '#sort_link' do
+      describe '#sort_link with default search_key' do
         subject { @controller.view_context.sort_link([:main_app, Person.search(:sorts => ['name desc'])], :name, :controller => 'people') }
-
-        it { should match /people\?q%5Bs%5D=name\+asc/}
-        it { should match /sort_link desc/}
-        it { should match /Full Name &#9660;/}
+        it { should match /people\?q%5Bs%5D=name\+asc/ }
+        it { should match /sort_link desc/ }
+        it { should match /Full Name &#9660;/ }
       end
 
+      describe '#sort_link with default search_key defined as symbol' do
+        subject { @controller.view_context.sort_link(Person.search({:sorts => ['name desc']}, :search_key => :people_search),
+                                                     :name, :controller => 'people') }
+
+        it { should match /people\?people_search%5Bs%5D=name\+asc/ }
+      end
+
+      describe '#sort_link with default search_key defined as string' do
+        subject { @controller.view_context.sort_link(Person.search({:sorts => ['name desc']}, :search_key => 'people_search'),
+                                                       :name, :controller => 'people') }
+
+        it { should match /people\?people_search%5Bs%5D=name\+asc/ }
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index b27a91e..6cf14bd 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -44,4 +44,4 @@ RSpec::Matchers.define :have_attribute_method do |expected|
   match do |actual|
     actual.attribute_method?(expected)
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end