diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/core/rpc.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/core/rpc.js
index ef47e1883ea..6ad91c0e4f9 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/core/rpc.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/core/rpc.js
@@ -46,38 +46,44 @@ return {
             params.args = options.args || [];
             params.model = options.model;
             params.method = options.method;
-            params.kwargs = options.kwargs || {};
-            params.kwargs.context = options.context || params.kwargs.context;
+            params.kwargs = _.extend(params.kwargs || {}, options.kwargs);
+            params.kwargs.context = options.context || params.context || params.kwargs.context;
         }
 
         if (options.method === 'read_group') {
-            params.kwargs.groupby = options.groupBy || params.kwargs.groupby || [];
-            params.kwargs.domain = options.domain || params.kwargs.domain || [];
-            params.kwargs.fields = options.fields || params.kwargs.fields || [];
-            params.kwargs.lazy = 'lazy' in options ? options.lazy : params.kwargs.lazy;
-            var orderBy = options.orderBy || params.orderBy;
-            params.kwargs.orderby = orderBy ? this._serializeSort(orderBy) : false;
+            params.kwargs.domain = options.domain || params.domain || params.kwargs.domain || [];
+            params.kwargs.fields = options.fields || params.fields || params.kwargs.fields || [];
+            params.kwargs.groupby = options.groupBy || params.groupBy || params.kwargs.groupby || [];
+            params.kwargs.offset = options.offset || params.offset || params.kwargs.offset;
+            params.kwargs.limit = options.limit || params.limit || params.kwargs.limit;
+            // In kwargs, we look for "orderby" rather than "orderBy" (note the absence of capital B),
+            // since the Python argument to the actual function is "orderby".
+            var orderBy = options.orderBy || params.orderBy || params.kwargs.orderby;
+            params.kwargs.orderby = orderBy ? this._serializeSort(orderBy) : orderBy;
+            params.kwargs.lazy = 'lazy' in options ? options.lazy : params.lazy;
         }
 
         if (options.method === 'search_read') {
             // call the model method
-            params.args = [
-                options.domain || [],
-                options.fields || false,
-                options.offset || 0,
-                options.limit || false,
-                this._serializeSort(options.orderBy || params.orderBy || []),
-            ];
+            params.kwargs.domain = options.domain || params.domain || params.kwargs.domain;
+            params.kwargs.fields = options.fields || params.fields || params.kwargs.fields;
+            params.kwargs.offset = options.offset || params.offset || params.kwargs.offset;
+            params.kwargs.limit = options.limit || params.limit || params.kwargs.limit;
+            // In kwargs, we look for "order" rather than "orderBy" since the Python
+            // argument to the actual function is "order".
+            var orderBy = options.orderBy || params.orderBy || params.kwargs.order;
+            params.kwargs.order = orderBy ? this._serializeSort(orderBy) : orderBy;
         }
 
         if (options.route === '/web/dataset/search_read') {
             // specifically call the controller
             params.model = options.model || params.model;
-            params.domain = options.domain || params.domain || [];
-            params.fields = options.fields || params.fields  || false;
+            params.domain = options.domain || params.domain;
+            params.fields = options.fields || params.fields;
             params.limit = options.limit || params.limit;
-            params.offset = options.offset || params.offset ;
-            params.sort = this._serializeSort(options.orderBy || params.orderBy || []);
+            params.offset = options.offset || params.offset;
+            var orderBy = options.orderBy || params.orderBy;
+            params.sort = orderBy ? this._serializeSort(orderBy) : orderBy;
             params.context = options.context || params.context || {};
         }
 
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/core/rpc_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/core/rpc_tests.js
index c19f1007417..3b7fc006b02 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/core/rpc_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/core/rpc_tests.js
@@ -136,6 +136,33 @@ QUnit.module('core', {}, function () {
             offset: 2,
             orderBy: [{name: 'yop', asc: true}, {name: 'aa', asc: false}],
         });
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params, {
+            args: [],
+            kwargs: {
+                domain: ['a', '=', 1],
+                fields: ['name'],
+                offset: 2,
+                limit: 32,
+                order: 'yop ASC, aa DESC'
+            },
+            method: 'search_read',
+            model: 'partner'
+        }, "should have correct kwargs");
+    });
+
+    QUnit.test('search_read with args', function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(1);
+        var query = rpc.buildQuery({
+            model: 'partner',
+            method: 'search_read',
+            args: [
+                ['a', '=', 1],
+                ['name'],
+                2,
+                32,
+                'yop ASC, aa DESC',
+            ]
+        });
         assert.deepEqual(query.params, {
             args: [['a', '=', 1], ['name'], 2, 32, 'yop ASC, aa DESC'],
             kwargs: {},
@@ -165,7 +192,6 @@ QUnit.module('core', {}, function () {
                 fields: ['name'],
                 groupby: ['product_id'],
                 lazy: true,
-                orderby: false,
             },
             method: 'read_group',
             model: 'partner',
@@ -195,23 +221,55 @@ QUnit.module('core', {}, function () {
                 fields: ['name'],
                 groupby: ['product_id'],
                 lazy: false,
-                orderby: false,
             },
             method: 'read_group',
             model: 'partner',
         }, "should have correct args");
     });
 
+    QUnit.test('read_group with no domain, nor fields', function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(7);
+        var query = rpc.buildQuery({
+            model: 'partner',
+            method: 'read_group',
+        });
+
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.domain, [], "should have [] as default domain");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.fields, [], "should have false as default fields");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.groupby, [], "should have false as default groupby");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.offset, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for offst");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.limit, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for limit");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.orderby, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for orderby");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.lazy, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for lazy");
+    });
+
     QUnit.test('search_read with no domain, nor fields', function (assert) {
-        assert.expect(2);
+        assert.expect(5);
+        var query = rpc.buildQuery({
+            model: 'partner',
+            method: 'search_read',
+        });
+
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.domain, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for domain");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.fields, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for fields");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.offset, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for offset");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.limit, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for limit");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.kwargs.order, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for orderby");
+    });
+
+    QUnit.test('search_read controller with no domain, nor fields', function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(5);
         var query = rpc.buildQuery({
             model: 'partner',
             route: '/web/dataset/search_read',
         });
 
-        assert.deepEqual(query.params.domain, [], "should have [] as default domain");
-        assert.strictEqual(query.params.fields, false, "should have false as default fields");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.domain, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for domain");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.fields, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for fields");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.offset, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for groupby");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.limit, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for limit");
+        assert.deepEqual(query.params.sort, undefined, "should not enforce a default value for order");
     });
 });
 
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js
index 37c1f7aeac6..4a1d7b5bdbb 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/fields/relational_fields_tests.js
@@ -3361,7 +3361,7 @@ QUnit.module('relational_fields', {
             mockRPC: function (route, args) {
                 if (args.method === 'search_read') {
                     count++;
-                    nb_fields_fetched = args.args[1].length;
+                    nb_fields_fetched = args.kwargs.fields.length;
                 }
                 return this._super.apply(this, arguments);
             },
@@ -3394,7 +3394,7 @@ QUnit.module('relational_fields', {
                 '</form>',
             mockRPC: function (route, args) {
                 if (args.method === 'search_read') {
-                    assert.deepEqual(args.args[0], ['|', ['id', '=', 4], ['user_id', '=', 17]],
+                    assert.deepEqual(args.kwargs.domain, ['|', ['id', '=', 4], ['user_id', '=', 17]],
                         "search_read should sent the correct domain");
                 }
                 return this._super.apply(this, arguments);
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/helpers/mock_server.js b/addons/web/static/tests/helpers/mock_server.js
index 72a75c3320d..f7faf2efb8f 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/helpers/mock_server.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/helpers/mock_server.js
@@ -718,11 +718,11 @@ var MockServer = Class.extend({
     _mockSearchRead: function (model, args, kwargs) {
         var result = this._mockSearchReadController({
             model: model,
-            domain: args[0],
-            fields: args[1],
-            offset: args[2],
-            limit: args[3],
-            sort: args[4],
+            domain: kwargs.domain || args[0],
+            fields: kwargs.fields || args[1],
+            offset: kwargs.offset || args[2],
+            limit: kwargs.limit || args[3],
+            order: kwargs.order || args[4],
             context: kwargs.context,
         });
         return result.records;
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ var MockServer = Class.extend({
      */
     _mockSearchReadController: function (args) {
         var self = this;
-        var records = this._getRecords(args.model, args.domain);
+        var records = this._getRecords(args.model, args.domain || []);
         var fields = args.fields || _.keys(this.data[args.model].fields);
         var nbRecords = records.length;
         var offset = args.offset || 0;