diff --git a/lib/geocoder/lookups/base.rb b/lib/geocoder/lookups/base.rb
index 74281f1cf80f4885045b1e357451624e87cef6f2..3b449c454f5cb2d5c8cc033a9cc7bc5e36b22a99 100644
--- a/lib/geocoder/lookups/base.rb
+++ b/lib/geocoder/lookups/base.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ module Geocoder
       # for reverse geocoding.
       #
       def search(*args)
-        if res = result(args.join(","), args.size == 2)
+        reverse = (args.size == 2) || coordinates?(args.first)
+        if res = result(args.join(","), reverse)
           result_class.new(res)
         end
       end
@@ -116,6 +117,13 @@ module Geocoder
         !!(ip == "0.0.0.0" or ip.match(/^127/))
       end
 
+      ##
+      # Does the given string look like latitude/longitude coordinates?
+      #
+      def coordinates?(value)
+        !!value.to_s.match(/^[0-9\.\-]+, ?[0-9\.\-]+$/)
+      end
+
       ##
       # Simulate ActiveSupport's Object#to_query.
       # Removes any keys with nil value.
diff --git a/test/geocoder_test.rb b/test/geocoder_test.rb
index 782806ef84b4d341658ca6fe153d4c5a09699706..925efb90c5e6747285a480a090ffc1d4fbe2c9fc 100644
--- a/test/geocoder_test.rb
+++ b/test/geocoder_test.rb
@@ -256,6 +256,13 @@ class GeocoderTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert_match "appid=MY_KEY", g.send(:query_url, "Madison Square Garden, New York, NY  10001, United States")
   end
 
+  def test_detection_of_coordinates_in_search_string
+    Geocoder::Configuration.lookup = :geocoder_ca
+    result = Geocoder.search("51.178844, -1.826189")
+    assert_not_nil result.city
+    # city only present if reverse geocoding search performed
+  end
+
 
   private # ------------------------------------------------------------------