diff --git a/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder.rb b/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder.rb
index b89bfcbbbd..2ee9262ad0 100644
--- a/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder.rb
+++ b/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ def add_query_to_solr(solr_parameters)
           key.to_s + "=" + solr_param_quote(val, :quote => "'")
         end.join(" ")
         solr_parameters[:q] = "{!#{local_params}}#{blacklight_params[:q]}"
+
+        ##
+        # Set Solr spellcheck.q to be original user-entered query, without
+        # our local params, otherwise it'll try and spellcheck the local
+        # params!
+        solr_parameters["spellcheck.q"] ||= blacklight_params[:q]
       elsif blacklight_params[:q].is_a? Hash
         q = blacklight_params[:q]
         solr_parameters[:q] = if q.values.any?(&:blank?)
@@ -61,19 +67,6 @@ def add_query_to_solr(solr_parameters)
       elsif blacklight_params[:q]
         solr_parameters[:q] = blacklight_params[:q]
       end
-            
-
-      ##
-      # Set Solr spellcheck.q to be original user-entered query, without
-      # our local params, otherwise it'll try and spellcheck the local
-      # params! Unless spellcheck.q has already been set by someone,
-      # respect that.
-      #
-      # TODO: Change calling code to expect this as a symbol instead of
-      # a string, for consistency? :'spellcheck.q' is a symbol. Right now
-      # rspec tests for a string, and can't tell if other code may
-      # insist on a string. 
-      solr_parameters["spellcheck.q"] = blacklight_params[:q] unless solr_parameters["spellcheck.q"]
     end
 
     ##
diff --git a/spec/lib/blacklight/search_helper_spec.rb b/spec/lib/blacklight/search_helper_spec.rb
index 3ee1a65bca..2690b73f50 100644
--- a/spec/lib/blacklight/search_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/blacklight/search_helper_spec.rb
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ def params
           expect(path).to eq 'select'
           expect(params[:params]['facet.field']).to eq ["format", "{!ex=pub_date_single}pub_date", "subject_topic_facet", "language_facet", "lc_1letter_facet", "subject_geo_facet", "subject_era_facet"]
           expect(params[:params]["facet.query"]).to eq ["pub_date:[#{5.years.ago.year} TO *]", "pub_date:[#{10.years.ago.year} TO *]", "pub_date:[#{25.years.ago.year} TO *]"]
-          expect(params[:params]).to include('rows' => 10, 'qt'=>"custom_request_handler", 'q'=>"", "spellcheck.q"=>"", "f.subject_topic_facet.facet.limit"=>21, 'sort'=>"score desc, pub_date_sort desc, title_sort asc")
+          expect(params[:params]).to include('rows' => 10, 'qt'=>"custom_request_handler", 'q'=>"", "f.subject_topic_facet.facet.limit"=>21, 'sort'=>"score desc, pub_date_sort desc, title_sort asc")
         end.and_return({'response'=>{'docs'=>[]}})
         subject.search_results({ q: @all_docs_query }, default_method_chain)
       end
diff --git a/spec/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder_spec.rb b/spec/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder_spec.rb
index 42b095f4ee..3499c3955e 100644
--- a/spec/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/blacklight/solr/search_builder_spec.rb
@@ -142,7 +142,6 @@
       let(:user_params) { { q: "" } }
       it "should return empty string q in solr parameters" do
         expect(subject[:q]).to eq ""
-        expect(subject["spellcheck.q"]).to eq ""
       end
     end