diff --git a/lib/kaminari/helpers/action_view_extension.rb b/lib/kaminari/helpers/action_view_extension.rb
index c19dc8b..fbf5de0 100644
--- a/lib/kaminari/helpers/action_view_extension.rb
+++ b/lib/kaminari/helpers/action_view_extension.rb
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ module Kaminari
       def link_to_next_page(scope, name, options = {}, &block)
         params = options.delete(:params) || {}
         param_name = options.delete(:param_name) || Kaminari.config.param_name
-        link_to_unless scope.last_page?, name, params.merge(param_name => (scope.current_page + 1)), options.merge(:rel => 'next') do
+        link_to_unless scope.last_page?, name, params.merge(param_name => (scope.current_page + 1)), options.reverse_merge(:rel => 'next') do
           block.call if block
         end
       end
diff --git a/spec/helpers/action_view_extension_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/action_view_extension_spec.rb
index 3de3731..82def61 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/action_view_extension_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/action_view_extension_spec.rb
@@ -24,8 +24,15 @@ describe 'Kaminari::ActionViewExtension' do
       before do
         @users = User.page(1)
       end
-      subject { helper.link_to_next_page @users, 'More', :params => {:controller => 'users', :action => 'index'} }
-      it { should be_a String }
+      context 'the default behaviour' do
+        subject { helper.link_to_next_page @users, 'More', :params => {:controller => 'users', :action => 'index'} }
+        it { should be_a String }
+        it { should match /rel="next"/ }
+      end
+      context 'overriding rel=' do
+        subject { helper.link_to_next_page @users, 'More', :rel => 'external', :params => {:controller => 'users', :action => 'index'} }
+        it { should match /rel="external"/ }
+      end
     end
     context 'the last page' do
       before do