diff --git a/actionpack/CHANGELOG b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
index 721ac3ac9633550bd674dbf854fa060cdd8b5750..79dc1a5580168a5b2a076de508bfefb61c28cce5 100644
--- a/actionpack/CHANGELOG
+++ b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+*SVN*
+
+* Added a reader for flash.now, so it's possible to do stuff like flash.now[:alert] ||= 'New if not set' #2422 [Caio Chassot]
+
+
 *1.10.2* (October 26th, 2005)
 
 * Reset template variables after using render_to_string [skaes@web.de]
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb
index df2863e0b61c7cc32a41c52ec304dc54625185ce..06c8c4b5c6bdfc2bf7c38ff5fc7f2c2a23bd5d3b 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ def []=(k, v)
         @flash.discard(k)
         v
       end
+      
+      def [](k)
+        @flash[k]
+      end
     end
     
     class FlashHash < Hash
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/flash_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/flash_test.rb
index 54a1444f97f39d85eb2c912c435811d270b541b8..2a14d6d625215f4fba2c264bc99be138f3a32bb4 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/flash_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/flash_test.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ def set_flash
 
     def set_flash_now
       flash.now["that"] = "hello"
+      flash.now["foo"] ||= "bar"
+      flash.now["foo"] ||= "err"
+      @flashy = flash.now["that"]
       @flash_copy = {}.update flash
       render :inline => "hello"
     end
@@ -75,10 +78,13 @@ def test_flash_now
     @request.action = "set_flash_now"
     response = process_request
     assert_equal "hello", response.template.assigns["flash_copy"]["that"]
+    assert_equal "bar"  , response.template.assigns["flash_copy"]["foo"]
+    assert_equal "hello", response.template.assigns["flashy"]
 
     @request.action = "attempt_to_use_flash_now"
     first_response = process_request
     assert_nil first_response.template.assigns["flash_copy"]["that"]
+    assert_nil first_response.template.assigns["flash_copy"]["foo"]
     assert_nil first_response.template.assigns["flashy"]
   end