Index: test/finder_test.rb
===================================================================
--- test/finder_test.rb	(revision 432)
+++ test/finder_test.rb	(working copy)
@@ -196,10 +196,20 @@
   def test_paginate_by_sql
     assert_respond_to Developer, :paginate_by_sql
     entries = Developer.paginate_by_sql ['select * from users where salary > ?', 80000],
-      :page => 2, :per_page => 3, :total_entries => 9
+      :page => 2, :per_page => 3
 
     assert_equal (5..7).to_a, entries.map(&:id)
+    # omitting :total_entries in options returns actual count (which is 9)
     assert_equal 9, entries.total_entries
+
+    # the :total_entries value should override reality (9 becomes 999)
+    entries = Developer.paginate_by_sql ['select * from users where salary > ?', 80000],
+      :page => 2, :per_page => 3, :total_entries => 999
+    
+    # we should get the same entries back
+    assert_equal (5..7).to_a, entries.map(&:id)
+    # but the pager thinks we have a much higher total number
+    assert_equal 999, entries.total_entries
   end
 
   def test_count_by_sql
Index: lib/will_paginate/finder.rb
===================================================================
--- lib/will_paginate/finder.rb	(revision 432)
+++ lib/will_paginate/finder.rb	(working copy)
@@ -53,17 +53,17 @@
       #                           :page => params[:page], :per_page => 3
       # 
       def paginate_by_sql(sql, options)
-        options, page, per_page = wp_parse_options!(options)
+        options, page, per_page, total_entries = wp_parse_options!(options)
 
         WillPaginate::Collection.create(page, per_page) do |pager|
           query = sanitize_sql(sql)
-          count_query = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM (#{query}) AS count_table" unless options[:total_entries]
+          count_query = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM (#{query}) AS count_table" unless total_entries
           options.update :offset => pager.offset, :limit => pager.per_page
           
           add_limit! query, options
           pager.replace find_by_sql(query)
           
-          pager.total_entries = options[:total_entries] || count_by_sql(count_query) unless pager.total_entries
+          pager.total_entries = total_entries || count_by_sql(count_query) unless pager.total_entries
         end
       end