diff --git a/spec/pivotal-ui-react/table/plugins/sorting_spec.js b/spec/pivotal-ui-react/table/plugins/sorting_spec.js
index 45cd5036b..6bb43c2fb 100644
--- a/spec/pivotal-ui-react/table/plugins/sorting_spec.js
+++ b/spec/pivotal-ui-react/table/plugins/sorting_spec.js
@@ -13,19 +13,45 @@ describe('withSorting', () => {
   });
 
   describe('with columns', () => {
+    let subject;
+
     beforeEach(() => {
       const columns = [{
-        attribute: 'attr1'
+        attribute: 'attr1', sortable: true
       }, {
         attribute: 'attr2', displayName: 'Display2'
       }];
 
-      ReactDOM.render(<ComposedTable {...{columns, data, className: 'sorting-table'}}/>, root);
+      subject = ReactDOM.render(<ComposedTable {...{columns, data, className: 'sorting-table'}}/>, root);
     });
 
     it('renders', () => {
       expect('.sorting-table').toExist();
     });
+
+    describe('when sorted in descending order', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        $('.sortable:eq(0)').click();
+      });
+
+      it('sorts in descending order', () => {
+        expect('.sortable:eq(0)').toHaveClass('sorted-desc');
+      });
+
+      describe('when new data is added', () => {
+        beforeEach(() => {
+          data.push({
+            attr1: 'row3-value1', attr2: 'row3-value2'
+          });
+          subject::setProps({data});
+        });
+
+        it('retains the sort order', () => {
+          expect('.sortable:eq(0)').toHaveClass('sorted-desc');
+          expect('tbody tr:eq(0) td:eq(0)').toHaveText('row3-value1');
+        });
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('without columns', () => {
@@ -37,5 +63,4 @@ describe('withSorting', () => {
       expect('.sorting-table').toExist();
     });
   });
-
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/react/table/plugins/sorting.js b/src/react/table/plugins/sorting.js
index f65e96fcf..9e0e361ab 100644
--- a/src/react/table/plugins/sorting.js
+++ b/src/react/table/plugins/sorting.js
@@ -28,14 +28,6 @@ export function withSorting(Table) {
       };
     }
 
-    componentWillReceiveProps({columns, defaultSort}) {
-      if (!columns) return;
-      const sortColumn = find(columns, ({sortable, attribute}) =>
-        defaultSort ? attribute === defaultSort : sortable
-      );
-      this.setState({sortColumn, sortOrder: SORT_ORDER.asc});
-    }
-
     updateSort(column) {
       const {sortColumn} = this.state;
       const isSortColumn = column === sortColumn;