diff --git a/resources/i18n/en.json b/resources/i18n/en.json
index 5c750b2397..53ae9015f6 100644
--- a/resources/i18n/en.json
+++ b/resources/i18n/en.json
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@
       "detail": "{{ range }} of {{ total }}"
     }
   },
+  "sorting": {
+    "ASC": "Ascending",
+    "DESC": "Descending"
+  },
   "title": "DSpace",
   "404": {
     "help": "We can't find the page you're looking for. The page may have been moved or deleted. You can use the button below to get back to the home page. ",
diff --git a/src/app/+search-page/search-filters/search-filter/search-filter.service.ts b/src/app/+search-page/search-filters/search-filter/search-filter.service.ts
index 1ba8182d33..62f906c004 100644
--- a/src/app/+search-page/search-filters/search-filter/search-filter.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/+search-page/search-filters/search-filter/search-filter.service.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import {
   SearchFilterInitialExpandAction, SearchFilterResetPageAction,
   SearchFilterToggleAction
 } from './search-filter.actions';
-import { hasValue, } from '../../../shared/empty.util';
+import { hasValue, isEmpty, isNotEmpty, } from '../../../shared/empty.util';
 import { SearchFilterConfig } from '../../search-service/search-filter-config.model';
 import { SearchService } from '../../search-service/search.service';
 import { RouteService } from '../../../shared/route.service';
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ export class SearchFilterService {
   getCurrentSort(): Observable<SortOptions> {
     const sortDirection$ = this.routeService.getQueryParameterValue('sortDirection');
     const sortField$ = this.routeService.getQueryParameterValue('sortField');
-    return Observable.combineLatest(sortDirection$, sortField$, (sortDirection, sortField) => new SortOptions(sortField || undefined, SortDirection[sortDirection]));
+    return Observable.combineLatest(sortDirection$, sortField$, (sortDirection, sortField) =>
+      new SortOptions(isNotEmpty(sortField) ? sortField : undefined, SortDirection[sortDirection])
+    );
   }
 
   getCurrentFilters() {
diff --git a/src/app/+search-page/search-settings/search-settings.component.html b/src/app/+search-page/search-settings/search-settings.component.html
index b0d3294e30..18fd45caed 100644
--- a/src/app/+search-page/search-settings/search-settings.component.html
+++ b/src/app/+search-page/search-settings/search-settings.component.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
         <option *ngFor="let sortDirection of (sortDirections | dsKeys)"
                 [value]="sortDirection.value"
                 [selected]="sortDirection.value === direction? 'selected': null">
-            {{sortDirection.key}}
+            {{'sorting.' + sortDirection.key | translate}}
         </option>
     </select>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/app/core/cache/models/sort-options.model.ts b/src/app/core/cache/models/sort-options.model.ts
index 751b72b399..b2380cbaf3 100644
--- a/src/app/core/cache/models/sort-options.model.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/cache/models/sort-options.model.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 export enum SortDirection {
-  Ascending = 'ASC',
-  Descending = 'DESC'
+  ASC = 'ASC',
+  DESC = 'DESC'
 }
 
 export class SortOptions {
-  constructor(public field: string = 'dc.title', public direction: SortDirection = SortDirection.Ascending) {
+  constructor(public field: string = 'dc.title', public direction: SortDirection = SortDirection.ASC) {
 
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.html b/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.html
index 0ad812a6b6..e974bb6eb0 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.html
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
             <h6 class="dropdown-header">{{ 'pagination.results-per-page' | translate}}</h6>
             <button class="dropdown-item" *ngFor="let item of pageSizeOptions" (click)="doPageSizeChange(item)"><i [ngClass]="{'invisible': item != pageSize}" class="fa fa-check" aria-hidden="true"></i> {{item}} </button>
             <h6 class="dropdown-header">{{ 'pagination.sort-direction' | translate}}</h6>
-            <button class="dropdown-item" *ngFor="let direction of (sortDirections | dsKeys)" (click)="doSortDirectionChange(direction.value)"><i [ngClass]="{'invisible': direction.value !== sortDirection}" class="fa fa-check" aria-hidden="true"></i> {{direction.key}} </button>
+            <button class="dropdown-item" *ngFor="let direction of (sortDirections | dsKeys)" (click)="doSortDirectionChange(direction.value)"><i [ngClass]="{'invisible': direction.value !== sortDirection}" class="fa fa-check" aria-hidden="true"></i> {{'sorting.' + direction.key | translate}} </button>
           </div>
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.ts b/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.ts
index 6ab0e2a567..faaf20ec79 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/pagination/pagination.component.ts
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ export class PaginationComponent implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
   /**
    * Direction in which to sort: ascending or descending
    */
-  public sortDirection: SortDirection = SortDirection.Ascending;
+  public sortDirection: SortDirection = SortDirection.ASC;
 
   /**
    * Name of the field that's used to sort by
diff --git a/src/app/shared/route.service.ts b/src/app/shared/route.service.ts
index 10a7eaecb9..9c2b64ede1 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/route.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/route.service.ts
@@ -13,19 +13,19 @@ export class RouteService {
   }
 
   getQueryParameterValues(paramName: string): Observable<string[]> {
-    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => [...map.getAll(paramName)]);
+    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => [...map.getAll(paramName)]).distinctUntilChanged();
   }
 
   getQueryParameterValue(paramName: string): Observable<string> {
-    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => map.get(paramName));
+    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => map.get(paramName)).distinctUntilChanged();
   }
 
   hasQueryParam(paramName: string): Observable<boolean> {
-    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => map.has(paramName));
+    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => map.has(paramName)).distinctUntilChanged();
   }
 
   hasQueryParamWithValue(paramName: string, paramValue: string): Observable<boolean> {
-    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => map.getAll(paramName).indexOf(paramValue) > -1);
+    return this.route.queryParamMap.map((map) => map.getAll(paramName).indexOf(paramValue) > -1).distinctUntilChanged();
   }
 
   getQueryParamsWithPrefix(prefix: string): Observable<Params> {
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ export class RouteService {
               params[key] = [...map.getAll(key)];
             });
           return params;
-        });
+        }).distinctUntilChanged();
   }
 }