diff --git a/app/pods/characteristics/route.js b/app/pods/characteristics/route.js
index 873f8b3..32143d9 100644
--- a/app/pods/characteristics/route.js
+++ b/app/pods/characteristics/route.js
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ export default Ember.Route.extend(AuthenticatedRouteMixin, {
     controller.set('model', model);
     controller.set('tableAttrs', tableAttrs);
     controller.set('row', 'characteristic-index-row');
+    controller.set('sort', ['characteristicName']);
   },
 });
diff --git a/app/pods/characteristics/template.hbs b/app/pods/characteristics/template.hbs
index 3ee1315..d9e559a 100644
--- a/app/pods/characteristics/template.hbs
+++ b/app/pods/characteristics/template.hbs
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
 <h2>{{genus-name}} Characteristics</h2>
 <h3>Total characteristics: {{model.length}}</h3>
 
-{{sortable-table content=model tableAttrs=tableAttrs row=row}}
+{{
+  sortable-table
+  content=model
+  tableAttrs=tableAttrs
+  row=row
+  sortProperties=sort
+}}
diff --git a/app/pods/components/sortable-table/component.js b/app/pods/components/sortable-table/component.js
index 39ab6c0..acef098 100644
--- a/app/pods/components/sortable-table/component.js
+++ b/app/pods/components/sortable-table/component.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import Ember from 'ember';
 export default Ember.Component.extend(Ember.SortableMixin, {
   tagName: 'table',
   classNames: ['flakes-table'],
+  sortProperties: [],
 
   actions: {
     sortBy: function(property, ascending) {
diff --git a/app/pods/species/index/route.js b/app/pods/species/index/route.js
index 9208cec..6ef9dd3 100644
--- a/app/pods/species/index/route.js
+++ b/app/pods/species/index/route.js
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ export default Ember.Route.extend(AuthenticatedRouteMixin, {
     controller.set('model', model);
     controller.set('tableAttrs', tableAttrs);
     controller.set('row', 'species-index-row');
+    controller.set('sort', ['speciesName']);
   },
 });
diff --git a/app/pods/species/index/template.hbs b/app/pods/species/index/template.hbs
index 6401737..b73fee7 100644
--- a/app/pods/species/index/template.hbs
+++ b/app/pods/species/index/template.hbs
@@ -3,4 +3,10 @@
 
 {{add-button label="Add Species" link="species.new"}}
 
-{{sortable-table content=model tableAttrs=tableAttrs row=row}}
+{{
+  sortable-table
+  content=model
+  tableAttrs=tableAttrs
+  row=row
+  sortProperties=sort
+}}
diff --git a/app/pods/strains/index/route.js b/app/pods/strains/index/route.js
index 53d3820..d2515c6 100644
--- a/app/pods/strains/index/route.js
+++ b/app/pods/strains/index/route.js
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ export default Ember.Route.extend(AuthenticatedRouteMixin, {
     controller.set('model', model);
     controller.set('tableAttrs', tableAttrs);
     controller.set('row', 'strain-index-row');
+    controller.set('sort', ['fullName']);
   },
 });
diff --git a/app/pods/strains/index/template.hbs b/app/pods/strains/index/template.hbs
index 68a1c5a..3d91f2a 100644
--- a/app/pods/strains/index/template.hbs
+++ b/app/pods/strains/index/template.hbs
@@ -3,4 +3,10 @@
 
 {{add-button label="Add Strain" link="strains.new"}}
 
-{{sortable-table content=model tableAttrs=tableAttrs row=row}}
+{{
+  sortable-table
+  content=model
+  tableAttrs=tableAttrs
+  row=row
+  sortProperties=sort
+}}