diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8578c97866b..cf108558e9c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ var q = ds.createQuery('Child')
 You can sort the results by a property name ascendingly or descendingly.
 
 ~~~~ js
-// sorts by size ascendingly.
-var q = ds.createQuery('Company').order('+size');
+// sorts by size ascendingly. (default)
+var q = ds.createQuery('Company').order('size');
 
 // sorts by size descendingly.
 var q = ds.createQuery('Company').order('-size');
diff --git a/lib/datastore/query.js b/lib/datastore/query.js
index 5cbe7d055ec..35f0168c0c0 100644
--- a/lib/datastore/query.js
+++ b/lib/datastore/query.js
@@ -119,32 +119,32 @@ Query.prototype.hasAncestor = function(key) {
 };
 
 /**
- * Sort the results by a property name ascendingly or descendingly.
+ * Sort the results by a property name ascendingly or descendingly. By default,
+ * an ascending sort order will be used.
  *
  * *Reference: {@link http://goo.gl/mfegFR}*
  *
- * @param {string} order - Operator (+, -) + property to order by.
+ * @param {string} property - Optional operator (+, -) and property to order by.
  * @return {module:datastore/query}
  *
  * @example
  * ```js
  * // Sort by size ascendingly.
- * var companiesAscending = companyQuery.order('+size');
+ * var companiesAscending = companyQuery.order('size');
  *
  * // Sort by size descendingly.
  * var companiesDescending = companyQuery.order('-size');
  * ```
  */
-Query.prototype.order = function(order) {
+Query.prototype.order = function(property) {
   var q = util.extend(this, new Query());
-  var sign = order[0];
-  var fieldName = order.substr(1);
-  if (sign !== '-' && sign !== '+' ) {
-    throw new Error(
-        'Invalid order pattern. Expected "+fieldName" or "-fieldName".');
+  var sign = '+';
+  if (property[0] === '-' || property[0] === '+') {
+    sign = property[0];
+    property = property.substr(1);
   }
   q.orders = q.orders || [];
-  q.orders.push({ name: fieldName, sign: sign });
+  q.orders.push({ name: property, sign: sign });
   return q;
 };
 
diff --git a/regression/datastore.js b/regression/datastore.js
index 9e36c65f8ad..2d1c6076b9e 100644
--- a/regression/datastore.js
+++ b/regression/datastore.js
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ describe('datastore', function() {
     });
 
     it('should order queries', function(done) {
-      var q = ds.createQuery('Character').order('+appearances');
+      var q = ds.createQuery('Character').order('appearances');
       ds.runQuery(q, function(err, entities) {
         assert.ifError(err);
         assert.equal(entities[0].data.name, characters[0].name);
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ describe('datastore', function() {
       var q = ds.createQuery('Character')
           .offset(2)
           .limit(3)
-          .order('+appearances');
+          .order('appearances');
       ds.runQuery(q, function(err, entities, secondQuery) {
         assert.ifError(err);
         assert.equal(entities.length, 3);
@@ -332,13 +332,13 @@ describe('datastore', function() {
       var q = ds.createQuery('Character')
           .offset(2)
           .limit(2)
-          .order('+appearances');
+          .order('appearances');
       ds.runQuery(q, function(err, entities, nextQuery) {
         assert.ifError(err);
         var startCursor = nextQuery.startVal;
         var cursorQuery =
             ds.createQuery('Character')
-              .order('+appearances')
+              .order('appearances')
               .start(startCursor);
         ds.runQuery(cursorQuery, function(err, secondEntities) {
           assert.ifError(err);
diff --git a/test/datastore/query.js b/test/datastore/query.js
index 67d48d1df01..ab8883978d3 100644
--- a/test/datastore/query.js
+++ b/test/datastore/query.js
@@ -101,10 +101,10 @@ describe('Query', function() {
     assert.equal(query.orders[1].sign, '-');
   });
 
-  it('should throw error is invalid sort sign is provided', function() {
-    assert.throws(function() {
-      new Query(['kind1']).order('*name');
-    }, /Invalid order pattern/);
+  it('should default ordering to ascending', function() {
+    var query = new Query(['kind1']).order('name');
+    assert.equal(query.orders[0].name, 'name');
+    assert.equal(query.orders[0].sign, '+');
   });
 
   it('should provide pagination with offset and limit', function() {