diff --git a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/InstantSearch.js b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/InstantSearch.js
index 127252284c..8997414a05 100644
--- a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/InstantSearch.js
+++ b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/InstantSearch.js
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ function validateNextProps(props, nextProps) {
  * @propType {string} appId - The Algolia application id.
  * @propType {string} apiKey - Your Algolia Search-Only API key.
  * @propType {string} indexName - The index in which to search.
+ * @propType {object} [searchParameters] - Object containing query parameters to be sent to Algolia.
+ * It will be overriden by the search parameters resolved via the widgets. Typical use case:
+ * setting the distinct setting is done by providing an object like: `{distinct: 1}`. For more information
+ * about the kind of object that can be provided on the [official API documentation](https://www.algolia.com/doc/rest-api/search#full-text-search-parameters).
  * @propType {bool=true} urlSync - Enables automatic synchronization of widgets state to the URL. See [URL Synchronization](#url-synchronization).
  * @propType {object} history - A custom [history](https://github.com/ReactTraining/history) to push location to. Useful for quick integration with [React Router](https://github.com/reactjs/react-router). Takes precedence over urlSync. See [Custom History](#custom-history).
  * @propType {number=700} threshold - Threshold in milliseconds above which new locations will be pushed to the history, instead of replacing the previous one. See [Location Debouncing](#location-debouncing).
@@ -118,6 +122,7 @@ class InstantSearch extends Component {
       appId: props.appId,
       apiKey: props.apiKey,
       indexName: props.indexName,
+      searchParameters: props.searchParameters,
 
       initialState,
     });
@@ -208,6 +213,8 @@ InstantSearch.propTypes = {
   apiKey: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
   indexName: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
 
+  searchParameters: PropTypes.object,
+
   history: PropTypes.object,
   urlSync: PropTypes.bool,
   threshold: PropTypes.number,
diff --git a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createConnector.js b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createConnector.js
index 68b05a4aa7..27d3cf415f 100644
--- a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createConnector.js
+++ b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createConnector.js
@@ -3,6 +3,19 @@ import {omit, has} from 'lodash';
 
 import {shallowEqual, getDisplayName} from './utils';
 
+/**
+ * @typedef {object} ConnectorDescription
+ * @property {string} displayName - the displayName used by the wrapper
+ * @property {function} refine - a function to filter the local state
+ * @property {function} getSearchParameters - function transforming the local state to a SearchParameters
+ * @property {function} getMetadata - metadata of the widget
+ * @property {function} transitionState - hook after the state has changed
+ * @property {function} getProps - transform the state into props passed to the wrapped component.
+ * Receives (props, widgetStates, searchState, metadata) and returns the local state.
+ * @property {object} propTypes - PropTypes forwarded to the wrapped component.
+ * @property {object} defaultProps - default values for the props
+ */
+
 /**
  * Connectors are the HOC used to transform React components
  * into InstantSearch widgets.
diff --git a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.js b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.js
index 1ab9b7a1af..f2e68de07f 100644
--- a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.js
+++ b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.js
@@ -4,11 +4,22 @@ import algoliasearchHelper, {SearchParameters} from 'algoliasearch-helper';
 import createWidgetsManager from './createWidgetsManager';
 import createStore from './createStore';
 
+/**
+ * Creates a new instance of the InstantSearchManager which controls the widgets and
+ * trigger the search when the widgets are updated.
+ * @param {string} appId - the application ID
+ * @param {string} apiKey - the api key
+ * @param {string} indexName - the main index name
+ * @param {object} initialState - initial widget state
+ * @param {object} SearchParameters - optional additional parameters to send to the algolia API
+ * @return {InstantSearchManager} a new instance of InstantSearchManager
+ */
 export default function createInstantSearchManager({
   appId,
   apiKey,
   indexName,
   initialState,
+  searchParameters = {},
 }) {
   const client = algoliasearch(appId, apiKey);
   const helper = algoliasearchHelper(client);
@@ -29,23 +40,24 @@ export default function createInstantSearchManager({
       .map(widget => widget.getMetadata(state));
   }
 
-  function getSearchParameters(searchParameters) {
+  function getSearchParameters(initialSearchParameters) {
     return widgetsManager.getWidgets()
       .filter(widget => Boolean(widget.getSearchParameters))
       .reduce(
         (res, widget) => widget.getSearchParameters(res),
-        searchParameters
+        initialSearchParameters
       );
   }
 
   function search() {
-    const baseSP = new SearchParameters({index: indexName});
-    // @TODO: Provide a way to configure base SearchParameters.
-    // We previously had a `configureSearchParameters : SP -> SP` option.
-    // We could also just have a `baseSearchParameters : SP` option.
-    const searchParameters = getSearchParameters(baseSP);
+    const baseSP = new SearchParameters({
+      ...searchParameters,
+      index: indexName,
+    });
+    const widgetSearchParameters = getSearchParameters(baseSP);
 
-    helper.searchOnce(searchParameters)
+    helper
+      .searchOnce(widgetSearchParameters)
       .then(({content}) => {
         store.setState({
           ...store.getState(),
diff --git a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.test.js b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.test.js
index 19be17be97..891397b24f 100644
--- a/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.test.js
+++ b/packages/react-instantsearch/src/core/createInstantSearchManager.test.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('createInstantSearchManager', () => {
   let initialState;
   let ism;
 
-  function init() {
+  function init(otherISMParameters = {}) {
     createHrefForState = jest.fn(a => a);
     onInternalStateUpdate = jest.fn();
     initialState = {
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ describe('createInstantSearchManager', () => {
       initialState,
       createHrefForState,
       onInternalStateUpdate,
+      ...otherISMParameters,
     });
   }
 
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ describe('createInstantSearchManager', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  function testSearch(promise) {
+  function testSearch(promise, searchParameters = undefined) {
     const helper = {
       searchOnce: jest.fn(() => promise),
     };
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ describe('createInstantSearchManager', () => {
         },
       ],
     }));
-    init();
+    init({searchParameters});
     return helper.searchOnce;
   }
 
@@ -182,6 +183,16 @@ describe('createInstantSearchManager', () => {
       expect(params.query).toBe('hello');
       expect(params.page).toBe(20);
     });
+
+    it('when searching it adds the searchParameters if any', () => {
+      const searchOnce = testSearch(new Promise(() => null), {distinct: 1});
+      const onUpdate = createWidgetsManager.mock.calls[0][0];
+      onUpdate();
+      const params = searchOnce.mock.calls[0][0];
+      expect(params.query).toBe('hello');
+      expect(params.page).toBe(20);
+      expect(params.distinct).toBe(1);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('onExternalStateUpdate', () => {