diff --git a/lib/connectors/memory.js b/lib/connectors/memory.js
index b568a0f3..7441ddd6 100644
--- a/lib/connectors/memory.js
+++ b/lib/connectors/memory.js
@@ -270,6 +270,12 @@ Memory.prototype.all = function all(model, filter, callback) {
   }.bind(this));
 
   if (filter) {
+    if (!filter.order) {
+      var idNames = this.idNames(model);
+      if (idNames && idNames.length) {
+        filter.order = idNames;
+      }
+    }
     // do we need some sorting?
     if (filter.order) {
       var orders = filter.order;
diff --git a/lib/dao.js b/lib/dao.js
index 745b6996..131be88c 100644
--- a/lib/dao.js
+++ b/lib/dao.js
@@ -434,6 +434,48 @@ DataAccessObject._normalize = function (filter) {
     filter.skip = offset;
   }
 
+  if (filter.order) {
+    var order = filter.order;
+    if (!Array.isArray(order)) {
+      order = [order];
+    }
+    var fields = [];
+    for (var i = 0, m = order.length; i < m; i++) {
+      if (typeof order[i] === 'string') {
+        // Normalize 'f1 ASC, f2 DESC, f3' to ['f1 ASC', 'f2 DESC', 'f3']
+        var tokens = order[i].split(/(?:\s*,\s*)+/);
+        for (var t = 0, n = tokens.length; t < n; t++) {
+          var token = tokens[t];
+          if (token.length === 0) {
+            // Skip empty token
+            continue;
+          }
+          var parts = token.split(/\s+/);
+          if (parts.length >= 2) {
+            var dir = parts[1].toUpperCase();
+            if (dir === 'ASC' || dir === 'DESC') {
+              token = parts[0] + ' ' + dir;
+            } else {
+              err = new Error(util.format('The order %j has invalid direction', token));
+              err.statusCode = 400;
+              throw err;
+            }
+          }
+          fields.push(token);
+        }
+      } else {
+        err = new Error(util.format('The order %j is not valid', order[i]));
+        err.statusCode = 400;
+        throw err;
+      }
+    }
+    if (fields.length === 1 && typeof filter.order === 'string') {
+      filter.order = fields[0];
+    } else {
+      filter.order = fields;
+    }
+  }
+
   // normalize fields as array of included property names
   if (filter.fields) {
     filter.fields = fieldsToArray(filter.fields,
@@ -445,6 +487,25 @@ DataAccessObject._normalize = function (filter) {
   return filter;
 };
 
+function DateType(arg) {
+  return new Date(arg);
+}
+
+function BooleanType(val) {
+  if (val === 'true') {
+    return true;
+  } else if (val === 'false') {
+    return false;
+  } else {
+    return Boolean(val);
+  }
+}
+
+function NumberType(val) {
+  var num = Number(val);
+  return !isNaN(num) ? num : val;
+}
+
 /*
  * Coerce values based the property types
  * @param {Object} where The where clause
@@ -470,11 +531,11 @@ DataAccessObject._coerce = function (where) {
     if (p === 'and' || p === 'or' || p === 'nor') {
       var clauses = where[p];
       if (Array.isArray(clauses)) {
-        for (var i = 0; i < clauses.length; i++) {
-          self._coerce(clauses[i]);
+        for (var k = 0; k < clauses.length; k++) {
+          self._coerce(clauses[k]);
         }
       } else {
-        err = new Error(util.format('The %p operator has invalid clauses %j', p, clauses));
+        err = new Error(util.format('The %s operator has invalid clauses %j', p, clauses));
         err.statusCode = 400;
         throw err;
       }
@@ -488,30 +549,16 @@ DataAccessObject._coerce = function (where) {
       DataType = DataType[0];
     }
     if (DataType === Date) {
-      var OrigDate = Date;
-      DataType = function Date(arg) {
-        return new OrigDate(arg);
-      };
+      DataType = DateType;
     } else if (DataType === Boolean) {
-      DataType = function (val) {
-        if (val === 'true') {
-          return true;
-        } else if (val === 'false') {
-          return false;
-        } else {
-          return Boolean(val);
-        }
-      };
+      DataType = BooleanType;
     } else if (DataType === Number) {
       // This fixes a regression in mongodb connector
       // For numbers, only convert it produces a valid number
       // LoopBack by default injects a number id. We should fix it based
       // on the connector's input, for example, MongoDB should use string
       // while RDBs typically use number
-      DataType = function (val) {
-        var num = Number(val);
-        return !isNaN(num) ? num : val;
-      };
+      DataType = NumberType;
     }
 
     if (!DataType) {
@@ -543,6 +590,31 @@ DataAccessObject._coerce = function (where) {
         if (op in val) {
           val = val[op];
           operator = op;
+          switch(operator) {
+            case 'inq':
+            case 'nin':
+              if (!Array.isArray(val)) {
+                err = new Error(util.format('The %s property has invalid clause %j', p, where[p]));
+                err.statusCode = 400;
+                throw err;
+              }
+              break;
+            case 'between':
+              if (!Array.isArray(val) || val.length !== 2) {
+                err = new Error(util.format('The %s property has invalid clause %j', p, where[p]));
+                err.statusCode = 400;
+                throw err;
+              }
+              break;
+            case 'like':
+            case 'nlike':
+              if (!(typeof val === 'string' || val instanceof RegExp)) {
+                err = new Error(util.format('The %s property has invalid clause %j', p, where[p]));
+                err.statusCode = 400;
+                throw err;
+              }
+              break;
+          }
           break;
         }
       }
diff --git a/test/memory.test.js b/test/memory.test.js
index 4016209e..40283b82 100644
--- a/test/memory.test.js
+++ b/test/memory.test.js
@@ -141,6 +141,64 @@ describe('Memory connector', function () {
       });
     });
 
+    it('should throw if the like value is not string or regexp', function (done) {
+      User.find({where: {name: {like: 123}}}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.exist(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if the nlike value is not string or regexp', function (done) {
+      User.find({where: {name: {nlike: 123}}}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.exist(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if the inq value is not an array', function (done) {
+      User.find({where: {name: {inq: '12'}}}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.exist(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if the nin value is not an array', function (done) {
+      User.find({where: {name: {nin: '12'}}}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.exist(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if the between value is not an array', function (done) {
+      User.find({where: {name: {between: '12'}}}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.exist(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if the between value is not an array of length 2', function (done) {
+      User.find({where: {name: {between: ['12']}}}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.exist(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('support order with multiple fields', function (done) {
+      User.find({order: 'vip ASC, seq DESC'}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        posts[0].seq.should.be.eql(4);
+        posts[1].seq.should.be.eql(3);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if order has wrong direction', function (done) {
+      User.find({order: 'seq ABC'}, function (err, posts) {
+        should.exist(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
     function seed(done) {
       var beatles = [
         {