diff --git a/rest_framework/filters.py b/rest_framework/filters.py
index 0473787bb..12ee279fa 100644
--- a/rest_framework/filters.py
+++ b/rest_framework/filters.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class BaseFilterBackend(object):
 class SearchFilter(BaseFilterBackend):
     # The URL query parameter used for the search.
     search_param = api_settings.SEARCH_PARAM
+    search_filter_fields_source = 'search_fields'
     template = 'rest_framework/filters/search.html'
     lookup_prefixes = {
         '^': 'istartswith',
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ class SearchFilter(BaseFilterBackend):
         return False
 
     def filter_queryset(self, request, queryset, view):
-        search_fields = getattr(view, 'search_fields', None)
+        search_fields = getattr(view, self.search_filter_fields_source, None)
         search_terms = self.get_search_terms(request)
 
         if not search_fields or not search_terms:
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ class SearchFilter(BaseFilterBackend):
         return queryset
 
     def to_html(self, request, queryset, view):
-        if not getattr(view, 'search_fields', None):
+        if not getattr(view, self.search_filter_fields_source, None):
             return ''
 
         term = self.get_search_terms(request)
diff --git a/tests/test_filters.py b/tests/test_filters.py
index dc5b18068..a61e45500 100644
--- a/tests/test_filters.py
+++ b/tests/test_filters.py
@@ -156,6 +156,24 @@ class SearchFilterTests(TestCase):
 
         reload_module(filters)
 
+    def test_subclass_defines_own_field_source(self):
+        class CustomSearchFilter(filters.SearchFilter):
+            search_filter_fields_source = 'my_search_fields'
+
+        class SearchListView(generics.ListAPIView):
+            queryset = SearchFilterModel.objects.all()
+            serializer_class = SearchFilterSerializer
+            filter_backends = (CustomSearchFilter,)
+            my_search_fields = ('$title', '$text')
+
+        view = SearchListView.as_view()
+        request = factory.get('/', {'search': 'cd'})
+        response = view(request)
+        assert response.data == [
+            {'id': 2, 'title': 'zz', 'text': 'bcd'},
+            {'id': 3, 'title': 'zzz', 'text': 'cde'}
+        ]
+
 
 class AttributeModel(models.Model):
     label = models.CharField(max_length=32)