             "action": "query" as AnyObject,
             "prop": "revisions" as AnyObject,
             "rvprop": "ids|timestamp|user|size|parsedcomment|flags" as AnyObject,
-            "rvlimit": requestParams.numberOfItems as AnyObject? ?? 51 as AnyObject,
-            "rvdir": requestParams.direction?.rawValue as AnyObject? ?? PageHistoryRequestDirection.older.rawValue as AnyObject,
+            "rvlimit": 51 as AnyObject,
+            "rvdir": "older" as AnyObject,
             "titles": requestParams.title as AnyObject,
             "continue": requestParams.pagingInfo.continueKey as AnyObject? ?? "" as AnyObject,
             "format": "json" as AnyObject

    }
}

public enum PageHistoryRequestDirection: String {
    case older
    case newer
}

open class PageHistoryRequestParameters: NSObject {
    fileprivate let pagingInfo: PagingInfo
    fileprivate let lastRevisionFromPreviousCall: WMFPageHistoryRevision?
    fileprivate let title: String
    private(set) var direction: PageHistoryRequestDirection? = nil
    private(set) var numberOfItems: Int? = nil
    private(set) var revisionStartId: Int? = nil
    
    fileprivate init(title: String, pagingInfo: PagingInfo, lastRevisionFromPreviousCall: WMFPageHistoryRevision?) {
        self.title = title
        self.pagingInfo = pagingInfo
        self.lastRevisionFromPreviousCall = lastRevisionFromPreviousCall
    }
    
    public init(title: String, direction: PageHistoryRequestDirection?, numberOfItems: Int?, revisionStartId: Int?) {
        self.title = title
        pagingInfo = (nil, nil, false)
        self.direction = direction
        self.numberOfItems = numberOfItems
        self.lastRevisionFromPreviousCall = nil
        self.revisionStartId = revisionStartId
    }
    
    //TODO: get rid of this when the VC is swift and we can use default values in the other init

        
        if let rvContinueKey = requestParams.pagingInfo.rvContinueKey {
            params["rvcontinue"] = rvContinueKey as AnyObject?
        }
        
        performMediaWikiAPIGET(for: siteURL, withQueryParameters: params) { (result, response, error) in
