diff --git a/aurweb/routers/packages.py b/aurweb/routers/packages.py
index d4e85d20..34c09d86 100644
--- a/aurweb/routers/packages.py
+++ b/aurweb/routers/packages.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ async def packages_get(request: Request, context: Dict[str, Any],
     search_by = context["SeB"] = request.query_params.get("SeB", "nd")
 
     # Query sort by.
-    sort_by = context["SB"] = request.query_params.get("SB", "p")
+    sort_by = request.query_params.get("SB", None)
 
     # Query sort order.
     sort_order = request.query_params.get("SO", None)
@@ -93,13 +93,6 @@ async def packages_get(request: Request, context: Dict[str, Any],
     # Apply user-specified specified sort column and ordering.
     search.sort_by(sort_by, sort_order)
 
-    # If no SO was given, default the context SO to 'a' (Ascending).
-    # By default, if no SO is given, the search should sort by 'd'
-    # (Descending), but display "Ascending" for the Sort order select.
-    if sort_order is None:
-        sort_order = "a"
-    context["SO"] = sort_order
-
     # Insert search results into the context.
     results = search.results().with_entities(
         models.Package.ID,
diff --git a/templates/partials/packages/search.html b/templates/partials/packages/search.html
index 33bc6132..3db5c7a4 100644
--- a/templates/partials/packages/search.html
+++ b/templates/partials/packages/search.html
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
             </div>
             <div>
                 <label for="id_sort_by">{{ "Sort by" | tr }}</label>
+                {% if not SB %}
+                    {% set SB = 'p' %}
+                {% endif %}
                 <select name='SB'>
                     <option value='n' {% if SB == "n" %}selected{% endif %}>{{ "Name" | tr }}</option>
                     <option value='v' {% if SB == "v" %}selected{% endif %}>{{ "Votes" | tr }}</option>
@@ -46,6 +49,9 @@
             </div>
             <div>
                 <label for="id_order_by">{{ "Sort order" | tr }}</label>
+                {% if not SO %}
+                    {% set SO = 'd' %}
+                {% endif %}
                 <select name='SO'>
                     <option value='a' {% if SO == "a" %}selected{% endif %}>{{ "Ascending" | tr }}</option>
                     <option value='d' {% if SO == "d" %}selected{% endif %}>{{ "Descending" | tr }}</option>
diff --git a/templates/partials/packages/search_results.html b/templates/partials/packages/search_results.html
index c3b4427c..84c39079 100644
--- a/templates/partials/packages/search_results.html
+++ b/templates/partials/packages/search_results.html
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+{% set reverse_order = "d" if SO == "a" else "a" %}
+
 <table {% if table_id %}id="{{ table_id }}"{% endif %} class="results">
     <thead>
         <tr>
@@ -5,9 +7,10 @@
                 <th></th>
             {% endif %}
             <th>
-                {% set order = SO %}
                 {% if SB == "n" %}
-                    {% set order = "d" if order == "a" else "a" %}
+                    {% set order = reverse_order %}
+                {% else %}
+                    {% set order = SO %}
                 {% endif %}
                 <a href="/packages?{{ q | extend_query(('O', 0), ('SB', 'n'), ('SO', order)) | urlencode }}">
                     {{ "Name" | tr }}
@@ -15,35 +18,39 @@
             </th>
             <th>{{ "Version" | tr }}</th>
             <th>
-                {% set order = SO %}
                 {% if SB == "v" %}
-                    {% set order = "d" if order == "a" else "a" %}
+                    {% set order = reverse_order %}
+                {% else %}
+                    {% set order = SO %}
                 {% endif %}
                 <a href="/packages?{{ q | extend_query(('O', 0), ('SB', 'v'), ('SO', order)) | urlencode }}">
                     {{ "Votes" | tr }}
                 </a>
             </th>
             <th>
-                {% set order = SO %}
                 {% if SB == "p" %}
-                    {% set order = "d" if order == "a" else "a" %}
+                    {% set order = reverse_order %}
+                {% else %}
+                    {% set order = SO %}
                 {% endif %}
                 <a href="/packages?{{ q | extend_query(('O', 0), ('SB', 'p'), ('SO', order)) | urlencode }}">{{ "Popularity" | tr }}</a><span title="{{ 'Popularity is calculated as the sum of all votes with each vote being weighted with a factor of %.2f per day since its creation.' | format(0.98) }}" class="hover-help"><sup>?</sup></span>
             </th>
             {% if request.user.is_authenticated() %}
                 <th>
-                    {% set order = SO %}
                     {% if SB == "w" %}
-                        {% set order = "d" if order == "a" else "a" %}
+                        {% set order = reverse_order %}
+                    {% else %}
+                        {% set order = SO %}
                     {% endif %}
                     <a href="/packages?{{ q | extend_query(('O', 0), ('SB', 'w'), ('SO', order)) | urlencode }}">
                         {{ "Voted" | tr }}
                     </a>
                 </th>
                 <th>
-                    {% set order = SO %}
                     {% if SB == "o" %}
-                        {% set order = "d" if order == "a" else "a" %}
+                        {% set order = reverse_order %}
+                    {% else %}
+                        {% set order = SO %}
                     {% endif %}
                     <a href="/packages?{{ q | extend_query(('O', 0), ('SB', 'o'), ('SO', order)) | urlencode }}">
                         {{ "Notify" | tr }}
@@ -52,13 +59,14 @@
             {% endif %}
             <th>{{ "Description" | tr }}</th>
             <th>
+                {% if SB == "m" %}
+                    {% set order = reverse_order %}
+                {% else %}
                     {% set order = SO %}
-                    {% if SB == "m" %}
-                        {% set order = "d" if order == "a" else "a" %}
-                    {% endif %}
-                    <a href="/packages?{{ q | extend_query(('O', 0), ('SB', 'm'), ('SO', order)) | urlencode }}">
-                        {{ "Maintainer" | tr }}
-                    </a>
+                {% endif %}
+                <a href="/packages?{{ q | extend_query(('O', 0), ('SB', 'm'), ('SO', order)) | urlencode }}">
+                    {{ "Maintainer" | tr }}
+                </a>
             </th>
         </tr>
     </thead>