diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/blacklight/search_fields.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/blacklight/search_fields.rb
index 45097ca781..f3d4946247 100644
--- a/app/controllers/concerns/blacklight/search_fields.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/blacklight/search_fields.rb
@@ -32,27 +32,9 @@ def search_field_list
     blacklight_config.search_fields.values
   end
 
-  # Looks up a search field blacklight_config hash from search_field_list having
-  # a certain supplied :key. 
-  def search_field_def_for_key(key)
-    blacklight_config.search_fields[key]
-  end
-
   # Returns default search field, used for simpler display in history, etc.
   # if not set in blacklight_config, defaults to first field listed in #search_field_list
   def default_search_field
     blacklight_config.default_search_field || search_field_list.first
   end
-
-  # Shortcut for commonly needed operation, look up display
-  # label for the key specified. Returns "Keyword" if a label
-  # can't be found. 
-  def label_for_search_field(key)
-    field_def = search_field_def_for_key(key)
-    if field_def && field_def.label
-       field_def.label
-    else
-       I18n.t('blacklight.search.fields.default')
-    end            
-  end
 end
diff --git a/app/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior.rb b/app/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior.rb
index 90b13c88fe..fcaa182fb6 100644
--- a/app/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def index_fields _document=nil
 
   # Used in the document_list partial (search view) for building a select element
   def sort_fields
-    active_sort_fields.map { |_key, x| [x.label, x.key] }
+    active_sort_fields.map { |_sort_key, field_config| [sort_field_label(field_config.key), field_config.key] }
   end
   
   def active_sort_fields
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def search_fields
   # marked :include_in_simple_select => false
   def search_field_options_for_select
     blacklight_config.search_fields.collect do |_key, field_def|
-      [field_def.label,  field_def.key] if should_render_field?(field_def)
+      [label_for_search_field(field_def.key), field_def.key] if should_render_field?(field_def)
     end.compact
   end
 
@@ -59,37 +59,27 @@ def default_search_field?(selected_search_field)
   # Look up the label for the index field
   def index_field_label document, field
     field_config = index_fields(document)[field]
+    field_config ||= Blacklight::Configuration::NullField.new(key: field)
 
-    field_label(
-      :"blacklight.search.fields.index.#{field}",
-      :"blacklight.search.fields.#{field}",
-      (field_config.label if field_config),
-      field.to_s.humanize
-    )
+    field_config.display_label('index')
   end
 
   ##
   # Look up the label for the show field
   def document_show_field_label document, field
     field_config = document_show_fields(document)[field]
+    field_config ||= Blacklight::Configuration::NullField.new(key: field)
 
-    field_label(
-      :"blacklight.search.fields.show.#{field}",
-      :"blacklight.search.fields.#{field}",
-      (field_config.label if field_config),
-      field.to_s.humanize
-    )
+    field_config.display_label('show')
   end
 
   ##
   # Look up the label for the facet field
   def facet_field_label field
     field_config = blacklight_config.facet_fields[field]
-    defaults = [:"blacklight.search.fields.facet.#{field}", :"blacklight.search.fields.#{field}"]
-    defaults << field_config.label if field_config
-    defaults << field.to_s.humanize
+    field_config ||= Blacklight::Configuration::NullField.new(key: field)
 
-    field_label(*defaults)
+    field_config.display_label('facet')
   end
 
   def view_label view
@@ -103,6 +93,23 @@ def view_label view
     )
   end
 
+  # Shortcut for commonly needed operation, look up display
+  # label for the key specified. Returns "Keyword" if a label
+  # can't be found.
+  def label_for_search_field(key)
+    field_config = blacklight_config.search_fields[key]
+    field_config ||= Blacklight::Configuration::NullField.new(key: field)
+
+    field_config.display_label('search')
+  end
+
+  def sort_field_label(key)
+    field_config = blacklight_config.sort_fields[key]
+    field_config ||= Blacklight::Configuration::NullField.new(key: field)
+
+    field_config.display_label('sort')
+  end
+
   ##
   # Look up the label for a solr field.
   #
diff --git a/app/views/catalog/_sort_widget.html.erb b/app/views/catalog/_sort_widget.html.erb
index ef509b97d4..7a0c29bc3e 100644
--- a/app/views/catalog/_sort_widget.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/catalog/_sort_widget.html.erb
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 <% if show_sort_and_per_page? and !active_sort_fields.blank? %>
 <div id="sort-dropdown" class="sort-dropdown btn-group">
   <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-toggle="dropdown">
-      <%= t('blacklight.search.sort.label', :field =>current_sort_field.label) %> <span class="caret"></span>
+      <%= t('blacklight.search.sort.label', :field =>sort_field_label(current_sort_field.key)) %> <span class="caret"></span>
   </button>
 
   <ul class="dropdown-menu" role="menu">
       <%- active_sort_fields.each do |sort_key, field_config| %>
-        <li class="dropdown-item"><%= link_to(field_config.label, url_for(search_state.params_for_search(sort: sort_key))) %></li>
+        <li class="dropdown-item"><%= link_to(sort_field_label(sort_key), url_for(search_state.params_for_search(sort: sort_key))) %></li>
       <%- end -%>
   </ul>
 </div>
diff --git a/lib/blacklight/configuration/field.rb b/lib/blacklight/configuration/field.rb
index 6536931b2a..5fd09953e3 100644
--- a/lib/blacklight/configuration/field.rb
+++ b/lib/blacklight/configuration/field.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,15 @@ def validate!
       raise ArgumentError, "Must supply a field name" if self.field.nil?
     end
 
+    def display_label(context = nil)
+      field_label(
+        (:"blacklight.search.fields.#{context}.#{key}" if context),
+        :"blacklight.search.fields.#{key}",
+        label,
+        default_label
+      )
+    end
+
     def default_label
       if self.key.respond_to?(:titleize)
         self.key.try(:titleize)
@@ -26,5 +35,25 @@ def default_label
         self.key.to_s.titleize
       end
     end
+
+    private
+
+    ##
+    # Look up the label for a solr field.
+    #
+    # @overload label
+    #   @param [Symbol] an i18n key
+    #
+    # @overload label, i18n_key, another_i18n_key, and_another_i18n_key
+    #   @param [String] default label to display if the i18n look up fails
+    #   @param [Symbol] i18n keys to attempt to look up
+    #     before falling  back to the label
+    #   @param [Symbol] any number of additional keys
+    #   @param [Symbol] ...
+    def field_label *i18n_keys
+      first, *rest = i18n_keys.compact
+
+      I18n.t(first, default: rest)
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/blacklight/search_fields_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/blacklight/search_fields_spec.rb
index 089eaa1a80..dc1c7cbb8c 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/blacklight/search_fields_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/blacklight/search_fields_spec.rb
@@ -29,22 +29,6 @@ class MockConfig
      end
   end
 
-  it "fills in default qt where needed" do
-    expect(@search_field_obj.search_field_def_for_key("all_fields").qt).to eq @config.default_solr_params[:qt]
-  end
-
-  it "lookups field definitions by key" do
-    expect(@search_field_obj.search_field_def_for_key("title").key).to eq "title"
-  end
-
-  it "finds label by key" do
-    expect(@search_field_obj.label_for_search_field("title")).to eq "Title"
-  end
-
-  it "supplies default label for key not found" do
-    expect(@search_field_obj.label_for_search_field("non_existent_key")).to eq "Keyword"
-  end
-
   describe "for unspecified :key" do
     before do
       @bad_config = MockConfig.new
diff --git a/spec/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior_spec.rb
index 5bce79e6b4..e7189e33a2 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/blacklight/configuration_helper_behavior_spec.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
   describe "#sort_fields" do
     it "converts the sort fields to select-ready values" do
-      allow(blacklight_config).to receive_messages(sort_fields: { 'a' => double(key: 'a', label: 'a'), 'b' => double(key: 'b', label: 'b'), c: double(key: 'c', if: false)  })
+      allow(blacklight_config).to receive_messages(sort_fields: { 'a' => double(key: 'a', display_label: 'a'), 'b' => double(key: 'b', display_label: 'b'), c: double(key: 'c', if: false, display_label: nil)  })
       expect(helper.sort_fields).to eq [['a', 'a'], ['b', 'b']]
     end
   end
@@ -115,33 +115,6 @@
     end
   end
 
-  describe "#index_field_label" do
-    let(:document) { instance_double(SolrDocument) }
-    it "looks up the label to display for the given document and field" do
-      allow(helper).to receive(:index_fields).and_return({ "my_field" => double(label: "some label") })
-      allow(helper).to receive(:field_label).with(:"blacklight.search.fields.index.my_field", :"blacklight.search.fields.my_field", "some label", "My field")
-      helper.index_field_label document, "my_field"
-    end
-  end
-
-  describe "#document_show_field_label" do
-    let(:document) { instance_double(SolrDocument) }
-    it "looks up the label to display for the given document and field" do
-      allow(helper).to receive(:document_show_fields).and_return({ "my_field" => double(label: "some label") })
-      allow(helper).to receive(:field_label).with(:"blacklight.search.fields.show.my_field", :"blacklight.search.fields.my_field", "some label", "My field")
-      helper.document_show_field_label document, "my_field"
-    end
-  end
-
-  describe "#facet_field_label" do
-    let(:document) { instance_double(SolrDocument) }
-    it "looks up the label to display for the given document and field" do
-      allow(blacklight_config).to receive(:facet_fields).and_return({ "my_field" => double(label: "some label") })
-      allow(helper).to receive(:field_label).with(:"blacklight.search.fields.facet.my_field", :"blacklight.search.fields.my_field", "some label", "My field")
-      helper.facet_field_label "my_field"
-    end
-  end
-
   describe "#view_label" do
     it "looks up the label to display for the view" do
       allow(blacklight_config).to receive(:view).and_return({ "my_view" => double(label: "some label", title: nil) })
diff --git a/spec/helpers/blacklight/search_history_constraints_helper_behavior_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/blacklight/search_history_constraints_helper_behavior_spec.rb
index ccba359bc5..d1b896df5c 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/blacklight/search_history_constraints_helper_behavior_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/blacklight/search_history_constraints_helper_behavior_spec.rb
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
 
       it "renders a constraint for a selected facet not in the config" do
         response = helper.render_search_to_s_filters(:f => {"undefined_facet" => ["value1", "value2"]})
-        expect(response).to eq("<span class=\"constraint\"><span class=\"filter-name\">#{'undefined_facet'.humanize}:</span><span class=\"filter-values\"><span class=\"filter-value\">value1</span><span class=\"filter-separator\"> and </span><span class=\"filter-value\">value2</span></span></span>")
+        expect(response).to eq("<span class=\"constraint\"><span class=\"filter-name\">#{'undefined_facet'.titleize}:</span><span class=\"filter-values\"><span class=\"filter-value\">value1</span><span class=\"filter-separator\"> and </span><span class=\"filter-value\">value2</span></span></span>")
       end
 
       context 'with I18n translations for selected facet' do
diff --git a/spec/lib/blacklight/configuration/field_spec.rb b/spec/lib/blacklight/configuration/field_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..23215c0e97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/blacklight/configuration/field_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+describe Blacklight::Configuration::Field do
+  subject { described_class.new(key: key, label: label) }
+  let(:key) { 'some_key' }
+  let(:label) { 'some label' }
+
+  describe '#display_label' do
+    it "looks up the label to display for the given document and field" do
+      allow(I18n).to receive(:t).with(:"blacklight.search.fields.my_context.some_key", default: [:"blacklight.search.fields.some_key", label, subject.default_label]).and_return('x')
+      expect(subject.display_label('my_context')).to eq 'x'
+    end
+  end
+end