diff --git a/actionpack/CHANGELOG b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
index 1be2ac66ef553b83c2f2c10da4e3ef0da118e970..d06a89af907b09485cedd86cc5ca63358760b7bd 100644
--- a/actionpack/CHANGELOG
+++ b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Correct distance_of_time_in_words for integer arguments and make the second ar
+g optional, treating the first arg as a duration in seconds.  #1458 [madrobby <t
+homas@fesch.at>]
+
 * Fixed query parser to deal gracefully with equal signs inside keys and values #1345 [gorou]. 
   Example: /?sig=abcdef=:foobar=&x=y will pass now. 
 
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb
index 6b1fbf72686dc9b94164ff711f8450d159ac39e3..214f9b29d92e3ebc887feaa7182e75235f32f04c 100755
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb
@@ -13,14 +13,19 @@ module Helpers
     module DateHelper
       DEFAULT_PREFIX = "date" unless const_defined?("DEFAULT_PREFIX")
 
-      # Reports the approximate distance in time between to Time objects. For example, if the distance is 47 minutes, it'll return
+      # Reports the approximate distance in time between to Time objects or integers. 
+      # For example, if the distance is 47 minutes, it'll return
       # "about 1 hour". See the source for the complete wording list.
-      #Set <tt>include_seconds</tt> to true if you want more detailed approximations if distance < 1 minute
-      def distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, to_time, include_seconds = false)
-        from_time = from_time.to_time
-        to_time = to_time.to_time
-        distance_in_minutes = ((to_time - from_time) / 60).round.abs
-        distance_in_seconds = ((to_time - from_time)).round.abs
+      #
+      # Integers are interpreted as seconds. So,
+      # <tt>distance_of_time_in_words(50)</tt> returns "less than a minute".
+      #
+      # Set <tt>include_seconds</tt> to true if you want more detailed approximations if distance < 1 minute
+      def distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, to_time = 0, include_seconds = false)
+        from_time = from_time.to_time if from_time.respond_to?(:to_time)
+        to_time = to_time.to_time if to_time.respond_to?(:to_time)
+        distance_in_minutes = (((to_time - from_time).abs)/60).round
+        distance_in_seconds = ((to_time - from_time).abs).round
 
         case distance_in_minutes
           when 0..1
diff --git a/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb b/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb
index 7ef45d2b1c279a71f3ce125a68d19d84f36f6d12..2bd3dccf8c3d7db1271982fc05d8ab4c7cc3eec5 100755
--- a/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,15 @@ def test_distance_in_words
     # test to < from
     assert_equal "about 4 hours", distance_of_time_in_words(Time.mktime(2004, 3, 7, 1, 20), from)
     assert_equal "less than 20 seconds", distance_of_time_in_words(Time.mktime(2004, 3, 6, 21, 41, 38), from, true)
+    
+    # test with integers
+    assert_equal "less than a minute", distance_of_time_in_words(50)
+    assert_equal "about 1 hour", distance_of_time_in_words(60*60)
+    
+    # more cumbersome test with integers
+    assert_equal "less than a minute", distance_of_time_in_words(0, 50)
+    assert_equal "about 1 hour", distance_of_time_in_words(60*60, 0)
+    
   end
 
   def test_distance_in_words_date