diff --git a/activerecord/CHANGELOG b/activerecord/CHANGELOG
index 92852375ec58791f9da3bcddd455e96ac74d3489..1e2907c50b4d91027fb6c987044e59629665e484 100644
--- a/activerecord/CHANGELOG
+++ b/activerecord/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Alias association #build to #new so it behaves predictably.  #8787 [lifofifo]
+
 * Add notes to documentation regarding attr_readonly behavior with counter caches and polymorphic associations.  Closes #9835 [saimonmoore, rick]
 
 * Observers can observe model names as symbols properly now.  Closes #9869  [queso]
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_many_through_association.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_many_through_association.rb
index 62839c46378f3076d0b1bc5f8b71b1d5eb8d94bb..5bb306c060b159363f608ef44b7a089d5ea43afe 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_many_through_association.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_many_through_association.rb
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ def delete(*records)
       def build(attrs = nil)
         raise ActiveRecord::HasManyThroughCantAssociateNewRecords.new(@owner, @reflection.through_reflection)
       end
+      alias_method :new, :build
 
       def create!(attrs = nil)
         @reflection.klass.transaction do
diff --git a/activerecord/test/associations/join_model_test.rb b/activerecord/test/associations/join_model_test.rb
index a10c1b156cc0a78927949e69952fc8e6f3cbfb4c..6b67b156642769f07edf8fcbff428ac78e587058 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/associations/join_model_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/associations/join_model_test.rb
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ def test_raise_error_when_adding_new_record_to_has_many_through
     assert_raise(ActiveRecord::HasManyThroughCantAssociateNewRecords) { posts(:thinking).tags << tags(:general).clone }
     assert_raise(ActiveRecord::HasManyThroughCantAssociateNewRecords) { posts(:thinking).clone.tags << tags(:general) }
     assert_raise(ActiveRecord::HasManyThroughCantAssociateNewRecords) { posts(:thinking).tags.build }
+    assert_raise(ActiveRecord::HasManyThroughCantAssociateNewRecords) { posts(:thinking).tags.new }
   end
 
   def test_create_associate_when_adding_to_has_many_through