diff --git a/ietf/doc/views_search.py b/ietf/doc/views_search.py
index 343717594..a5acaca2f 100644
--- a/ietf/doc/views_search.py
+++ b/ietf/doc/views_search.py
@@ -349,10 +349,19 @@ def retrieve_search_results(form, all_types=False):
     if hasattr(form.data, "urlencode"): # form was fed a Django QueryDict, not local plain dict
         d = form.data.copy()
         for h in meta['headers']:
-            d["sort"] = h["key"]
-            h["sort_url"] = "?" + d.urlencode()
-            if h['key'] == query.get('sort'):
+            sort = query.get('sort')
+            if sort.endswith(h['key']):
                 h['sorted'] = True
+                if sort.startswith('-'):
+                    h['direction'] = 'desc'
+                    d["sort"] = h["key"]                    
+                else:
+                    h['direction'] = 'asc'
+                    d["sort"] = "-" + h["key"]
+            else:
+                d["sort"] = h["key"]
+            h["sort_url"] = "?" + d.urlencode()
+                
     return (results, meta)
 
 
diff --git a/ietf/templates/doc/search/search_results.html b/ietf/templates/doc/search/search_results.html
index 3d35b4714..81349b260 100644
--- a/ietf/templates/doc/search/search_results.html
+++ b/ietf/templates/doc/search/search_results.html
@@ -26,7 +26,13 @@
             <th data-header="{{ h.key }}">
 	      {% if "sort_url" in h %}
 	        <a href="{{ h.sort_url }}">{{ h.title }}
-	          {% if h.sorted %}<span class="fa fa-caret-down"></span>{% endif %}
+	          {% if h.sorted and meta.max %}
+		     {% if h.direction == "asc" %}
+		        <span class="fa fa-caret-up"></span>
+		     {% else %}
+		        <span class="fa fa-caret-down"></span>
+		     {% endif %}
+		  {% endif %}
 	        </a>
 	      {% else %}
 	        {{ h.title }}