diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py b/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
index df80d48a2a..ad7c3a17ed 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ class ChangeList(object):
         self.model = model
         self.opts = model._meta
         self.lookup_opts = self.opts
-        self.manager = model._default_manager
+        self.manager = self.opts.admin.manager
 
         # Get search parameters from the query string.
         try:
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ class ChangeList(object):
         if isinstance(self.query_set._filters, models.Q) and not self.query_set._filters.kwargs:
             full_result_count = result_count
         else:
-            full_result_count = self.model._default_manager.count()
+            full_result_count = self.manager.count()
 
         can_show_all = result_count <= MAX_SHOW_ALL_ALLOWED
         multi_page = result_count > DEFAULT_RESULTS_PER_PAGE
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ class ChangeList(object):
         return order_field, order_type
 
     def get_query_set(self):
-        qs = self.model._default_manager.get_query_set()
+        qs = self.manager.get_query_set()
         lookup_params = self.params.copy() # a dictionary of the query string
         for i in (ALL_VAR, ORDER_VAR, ORDER_TYPE_VAR, SEARCH_VAR, IS_POPUP_VAR):
             if lookup_params.has_key(i):
diff --git a/django/db/models/options.py b/django/db/models/options.py
index 541b66bc8f..80967aa9e0 100644
--- a/django/db/models/options.py
+++ b/django/db/models/options.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from django.db.models.fields.related import ManyToMany
 from django.db.models.fields import AutoField, FieldDoesNotExist
 from django.db.models.loading import get_models
 from django.db.models.query import orderlist2sql
+from django.db.models import Manager
 from bisect import bisect
 import re
 
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ class Options:
 class AdminOptions:
     def __init__(self, fields=None, js=None, list_display=None, list_filter=None,
         date_hierarchy=None, save_as=False, ordering=None, search_fields=None,
-        save_on_top=False, list_select_related=False):
+        save_on_top=False, list_select_related=False, manager=None):
         self.fields = fields
         self.js = js or []
         self.list_display = list_display or ['__str__']
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ class AdminOptions:
         self.search_fields = search_fields or []
         self.save_on_top = save_on_top
         self.list_select_related = list_select_related
+        self.manager = manager or Manager()
 
     def get_field_sets(self, opts):
         "Returns a list of AdminFieldSet objects for this AdminOptions object."
@@ -220,6 +222,9 @@ class AdminOptions:
 
     def contribute_to_class(self, cls, name):
         cls._meta.admin = self
+        
+        # Register the admin manager with the class as Model._admin_manager
+        self.manager.contribute_to_class(cls, '_admin_manager')
 
 class AdminFieldSet(object):
     def __init__(self, name, classes, field_locator_func, line_specs):