diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.rst b/CONTRIBUTING.rst
index 709e19e..0f878ee 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.rst
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.rst
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ To make migrations you can run::
 Testing
 -------
 
+To install the package and its dependencies::
+
+    pip install -e .
+
 Please add tests for your code and ensure existing tests don't break.  To run
 the tests against your code::
 
diff --git a/relatives/model_admin.py b/relatives/model_admin.py
index e500425..74630cd 100644
--- a/relatives/model_admin.py
+++ b/relatives/model_admin.py
@@ -4,27 +4,33 @@
 from .utils import object_link
 
 
-def relation_link(related_field):
+def relation_link(related_field_name):
     def object_relation_link(original_obj):
-        obj = getattr(original_obj, related_field)
+        obj = getattr(original_obj, related_field_name)
         if obj is not None:
             return object_link(obj)
 
-    object_relation_link.__name__ = related_field
+    object_relation_link.__name__ = related_field_name
     object_relation_link.allow_tags = True
-    object_relation_link.admin_order_field = related_field
+    object_relation_link.admin_order_field = related_field_name
+    return object_relation_link
+
+
+def relation_link_from_field(related_field):
+    object_relation_link = relation_link(related_field.name)
+    object_relation_link.__name__ = related_field.verbose_name
     return object_relation_link
 
 
 def related_link_or_attribute(model, attr):
     try:
-        relation = model._meta.get_field(attr).is_relation
+        field = model._meta.get_field(attr)
     except FieldDoesNotExist:
-        relation = False
-    if relation:
-        return relation_link(attr)
+        pass
     else:
-        return attr
+        if field.is_relation:
+            return relation_link_from_field(field)
+    return attr
 
 
 class RelativesMixin:
diff --git a/relatives/tests/models.py b/relatives/tests/models.py
index a1799b9..6a3a066 100644
--- a/relatives/tests/models.py
+++ b/relatives/tests/models.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Sailor(models.Model):
     """Sailors have an admin URL and sometimes link to ships"""
 
     name = models.CharField(max_length=80)
-    ship = models.ForeignKey(Ship, null=True, on_delete=models.SET_NULL)
+    ship = models.ForeignKey(Ship, null=True, on_delete=models.SET_NULL, verbose_name="sea ship")
 
     @property
     def ship_name(self):
diff --git a/relatives/tests/tests.py b/relatives/tests/tests.py
index 81fcc5a..0af1e23 100644
--- a/relatives/tests/tests.py
+++ b/relatives/tests/tests.py
@@ -254,3 +254,10 @@ def test_foreign_key_in_change_list(self):
         self.assertIn(
             b'<a href="/adm/tests/ship/1/change/">Star of India</a>', response.content
         )
+
+    def test_verbose_name_used_in_change_list(self):
+        self.login()
+        ship = Ship.objects.create(id=1, name="Star of India")
+        Sailor.objects.create(name="John Ford", ship=ship)
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("admin:tests_sailor_changelist"))
+        self.assertIn(b'sea ship', response.content)  # verbose_name used