diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/base.css b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/base.css
index 89f2225c7c..5db94a7d25 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/base.css
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/base.css
@@ -309,77 +309,84 @@ tr.alt {
 
 /* SORTABLE TABLES */
 
+thead th {
+    padding: 0;
+    line-height: normal;
+}
+
 thead th a:link, thead th a:visited {
     color: #666;
-    display: block;
 }
 
 thead th.sorted {
     background: #c5c5c5 url(../img/nav-bg-selected.gif) top left repeat-x;
 }
 
-table thead th.sorted a {
-    padding-right: 13px;
+table thead th .text span {
+    padding: 2px 5px;
+    display:block;
 }
 
-table thead th.ascending a {
-    background: url(../img/arrow-up.gif) right .4em no-repeat;
-}
-
-table thead th.descending a {
-    background: url(../img/arrow-down.gif) right .4em no-repeat;
-}
-
-table thead th.sorted a span.text {
-   display: block;
-   float: left;
-   cursor: pointer; /* IE needs this */
-}
-
-table thead th.sorted a span.sortpos {
-   display: block;
-   float: right;
-   font-size: .6em;
-   text-align: right;
-   cursor: pointer; /* IE needs this */
-}
-
-table thead th.sorted a img {
-   vertical-align: top;
-}
-
-table thead th.sorted a span.clear {
-   display: block;
-   clear: both;
-}
-
-#sorting-popup-div {
-    display: none;
-    position: absolute;
-    background-color: white;
-    border: 1px solid #ddd;
-    z-index: 2000; /* more than filters on right */
-}
-
-#sorting-popup-div table {
-    border-right: 0px;
-    border-left: 0px;
-}
-
-#sorting-popup-div .reset {
-    text-align: center;
-}
-
-#sorting-popup-div .cancel {
-    font-size: 10px;
-    background: #e1e1e1 url(../img/nav-bg.gif) 0 50% repeat-x;
-    border-top: 1px solid #ddd;
-    text-align: center;
-}
-
-#sorting-popup-div .cancel a {
-    width: 100%;
+table thead th .text a {
     display: block;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    padding: 2px 5px;
+}
+
+table thead th.sortable:hover {
+    background: white url(../img/nav-bg-reverse.gif) 0 -5px repeat-x;
+}
+
+thead th.sorted a.sortremove {
+    visibility: hidden;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted:hover a.sortremove {
+    visibility: visible;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions {
+    display: block;
+    padding: 4px 5px 0 5px;
+    float: right;
+    text-align: right;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortpriority {
+    font-size: .8em;
+    min-width: 12px;
+    text-align: center;
+    vertical-align: top;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions a {
+    width: 14px;
+    height: 12px;
+    display: inline-block;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions a.sortremove {
+    background: url(../img/sorting-icons.gif) -4px -5px no-repeat;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions a.sortremove:hover {
+    background: url(../img/sorting-icons.gif) -4px -27px no-repeat;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions a.ascending {
+    background: url(../img/sorting-icons.gif) -5px -50px no-repeat;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions a.ascending:hover {
+    background: url(../img/sorting-icons.gif) -5px -72px no-repeat;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions a.descending {
+    background: url(../img/sorting-icons.gif) -5px -94px no-repeat;
+}
+
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions a.descending:hover {
+    background: url(../img/sorting-icons.gif) -5px -115px no-repeat;
 }
 
 /* ORDERABLE TABLES */
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/rtl.css b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/rtl.css
index fce6b1ab0e..029bf36f82 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/rtl.css
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/rtl.css
@@ -80,22 +80,7 @@ div.breadcrumbs {
 
 /* SORTABLE TABLES */
 
-
-table thead th.sorted a {
-    padding-left: 13px;
-    padding-right: 0px;
-}
-
-table thead th.ascending a,
-table thead th.descending a {
-    background-position: left;
-}
-
-table thead th.sorted a span.text {
-   float: right;
-}
-
-table thead th.sorted a span.sortpos {
+table thead th.sorted .sortoptions {
    float: left;
 }
 
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/arrow-down.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/arrow-down.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index a967b9fd55..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/arrow-down.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/arrow-up.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/arrow-up.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 3fe4851399..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/arrow-up.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/icon_cog.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/icon_cog.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index e390ef2ef5..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/icon_cog.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/sorting-icons.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/sorting-icons.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..451aae5987
Binary files /dev/null and b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/sorting-icons.gif differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/change_list_results.html b/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/change_list_results.html
index b1db6470c9..e3d4b2549a 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/change_list_results.html
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/templates/admin/change_list_results.html
@@ -11,15 +11,17 @@
 <tr>
 {% for header in result_headers %}
 <th scope="col" {{ header.class_attrib }}>
-  {% if header.sortable %}<a href="{{ header.url_primary }}">{% endif %}
-  <span class="text">{{ header.text|capfirst }}</span>
-  {% if header.sortable %}
-    {% if header.sort_pos > 0 %}<span class="sortpos">
-      {% if header.sort_pos == 1 %}<img id="primary-sort-icon" src="{% static "admin/img/icon_cog.gif" %}" alt="" />&nbsp;{% endif %}
-      {{ header.sort_pos }}</span>
-    {% endif %}
-    <span class="clear"></span></a>
-  {% endif %}
+   {% if header.sortable %}
+     {% if header.sort_priority > 0 %}
+       <div class="sortoptions">
+         <a class="sortremove" href="{{ header.url_remove }}" title="{% trans "Remove from sorting" %}"></a>
+         {% if num_sorted_fields > 1 %}<span class="sortpriority" title="{% blocktrans with priority_number=header.sort_priority %}Sorting priority: {{ priority_number }}{% endblocktrans %}">{{ header.sort_priority }}</span>{% endif %}
+         <a href="{{ header.url_toggle }}" class="toggle {% if header.ascending %}ascending{% else %}descending{% endif %}" title="{% trans "Toggle sorting" %}"></a>
+       </div>
+     {% endif %}
+   {% endif %}
+   <div class="text">{% if header.sortable %}<a href="{{ header.url_primary }}">{{ header.text|capfirst }}</a>{% else %}<span>{{ header.text|capfirst }}</span>{% endif %}</div>
+   <div class="clear"></div>
 </th>{% endfor %}
 </tr>
 </thead>
@@ -33,90 +35,4 @@
 </tbody>
 </table>
 </div>
-
-{# Sorting popup: #}
-<div id="sorting-popup-div">
-<table>
-  <caption>
-   {% trans "Sorting by:" %}
-  </caption>
-  <tbody>
-  {% for header in result_headers|dictsort:"sort_pos" %}
-    {% if header.sort_pos > 0 %}
-    <tr>
-      <td>{{ header.sort_pos }}</td>
-      <td>{{ header.text|capfirst }}</td>
-      <td>{% if header.ascending %}{% trans "ascending" %}{% else %}{% trans "descending" %}{% endif %}</td>
-      <td><a href="{{ header.url_toggle }}">{% trans "toggle" %}</a></td>
-      <td><a href="{{ header.url_remove }}">{% trans "remove" %}</a></td>
-    </tr>
-    {% endif %}
-  {% endfor %}
-  </tbody>
-</table>
-<div class="reset"><a href="{{ reset_sorting_url }}">{% trans "Reset sorting" %}</a></div>
-<div class="cancel"><a href="javascript:void" id="sorting-popup-dismiss">{% trans "Cancel" %}</a></div>
-</div>
-<script type="text/javascript">
-<!--
-(function($) {
-    $(document).ready(function() {
-        var popup = $('#sorting-popup-div');
-        var img = $('#primary-sort-icon');
-        /* These next lines seems necessary to prime the popup: */
-        popup.offset({left:0, top:-1000});
-        popup.show();
-        if ($.browser.msie) {
-            // Can't find a way to make IE autosize the div.
-            popup.width(300);
-        }
-        var popupWidth = popup.width();
-        popup.hide();
-
-        var visible = false;
-
-        var escHandler = function(ev) {
-            if (ev.which == 27) {
-                hidePopup();
-                ev.preventDefault();
-            }
-        };
-
-        var showPopup = function() {
-            var pos = img.offset();
-            pos.top += img.height();
-            if (pos.left + popupWidth >
-                $(window).width()) {
-                pos.left -= popupWidth;
-            }
-            popup.show();
-            popup.offset(pos);
-            visible = true;
-            $(document).bind('keyup', escHandler);
-        };
-
-        var hidePopup = function() {
-            popup.hide();
-            visible = false;
-            $(document).unbind('keyup', escHandler);
-        };
-
-        $('#primary-sort-icon').click(function(ev) {
-            ev.preventDefault();
-            if (visible) {
-                hidePopup();
-            } else {
-                showPopup();
-            }
-        });
-
-        $('#sorting-popup-dismiss').click(function(ev) {
-            hidePopup();
-            ev.preventDefault()
-        });
-    });
-})(django.jQuery);
-//-->
-</script>
-
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py b/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py
index 0f5eafc24d..ba3d1329ad 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/templatetags/admin_list.py
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ def result_headers(cl):
     """
     ordering_field_columns = cl.get_ordering_field_columns()
     for i, field_name in enumerate(cl.list_display):
-        admin_order_field = None
         text, attr = label_for_field(field_name, cl.model,
             model_admin = cl.model_admin,
             return_attr = True
@@ -95,25 +94,31 @@ def result_headers(cl):
             if field_name == 'action_checkbox':
                 yield {
                     "text": text,
-                    "class_attrib": mark_safe(' class="action-checkbox-column"')
+                    "class_attrib": mark_safe(' class="action-checkbox-column"'),
+                    "sortable": False,
                 }
                 continue
 
             admin_order_field = getattr(attr, "admin_order_field", None)
             if not admin_order_field:
                 # Not sortable
-                yield {"text": text}
+                yield {
+                    "text": text,
+                    "sortable": False,
+                }
                 continue
 
         # OK, it is sortable if we got this far
-        th_classes = []
+        th_classes = ['sortable']
         order_type = ''
         new_order_type = 'asc'
-        sort_pos = 0
+        sort_priority = 0
+        sorted = False
         # Is it currently being sorted on?
         if i in ordering_field_columns:
+            sorted = True
             order_type = ordering_field_columns.get(i).lower()
-            sort_pos = ordering_field_columns.keys().index(i) + 1
+            sort_priority = ordering_field_columns.keys().index(i) + 1
             th_classes.append('sorted %sending' % order_type)
             new_order_type = {'asc': 'desc', 'desc': 'asc'}[order_type]
 
@@ -144,8 +149,9 @@ def result_headers(cl):
         yield {
             "text": text,
             "sortable": True,
+            "sorted": sorted,
             "ascending": order_type == "asc",
-            "sort_pos": sort_pos,
+            "sort_priority": sort_priority,
             "url_primary": cl.get_query_string({ORDER_VAR: '.'.join(o_list_primary)}),
             "url_remove": cl.get_query_string({ORDER_VAR: '.'.join(o_list_remove)}),
             "url_toggle": cl.get_query_string({ORDER_VAR: '.'.join(o_list_toggle)}),
@@ -260,13 +266,14 @@ def result_list(cl):
     Displays the headers and data list together
     """
     headers = list(result_headers(cl))
+    num_sorted_fields = 0
     for h in headers:
-        # Sorting in templates depends on sort_pos attribute
-        h.setdefault('sort_pos', 0)
+        if h['sortable'] and h['sorted']:
+            num_sorted_fields += 1
     return {'cl': cl,
             'result_hidden_fields': list(result_hidden_fields(cl)),
             'result_headers': headers,
-            'reset_sorting_url': cl.get_query_string(remove=[ORDER_VAR]),
+            'num_sorted_fields': num_sorted_fields,
             'results': list(results(cl))}
 
 @register.inclusion_tag('admin/date_hierarchy.html')
diff --git a/docs/releases/1.4.txt b/docs/releases/1.4.txt
index 5b92f95f59..9cf268a869 100644
--- a/docs/releases/1.4.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/1.4.txt
@@ -360,13 +360,16 @@ Removed admin icons
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 As part of an effort to improve the performance and usability of the admin's
-vertical and horizontal "filter" widgets, some icon files were removed and
-grouped into a single sprite file (``selector-icons.gif``):
+changelist sorting interface and of the admin's :attr:`horizontal
+<django.contrib.admin.ModelAdmin.filter_horizontal>` and :attr:`vertical
+<django.contrib.admin.ModelAdmin.filter_vertical>` "filter" widgets, some icon
+files were removed and grouped into two sprite files, respectively:
 ``selector-add.gif``, ``selector-addall.gif``, ``selector-remove.gif``,
 ``selector-removeall.gif``, ``selector_stacked-add.gif`` and
-``selector_stacked-remove.gif``. If you used those icons to customize the
-admin then you will want to replace them with your own icons or retrieve them
-from a previous release.
+``selector_stacked-remove.gif`` into ``selector-icons.gif``; and
+``arrow-up.gif`` and ``arrow-down.gif`` into ``sorting-icons.gif``. If you used
+those icons to customize the admin then you will want to replace them with your
+own icons or retrieve them from a previous release.
 
 Compatibility with old signed data
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~