diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
index c28e9005cfde285e72c53ff7dd2182b35f419e49..f6d54911009770b681b7ab300762ba340e89c64e 100755
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
@@ -613,7 +613,8 @@ def process(request, response, method = :perform_action, *arguments) #:nodoc:
       #
       # This takes the current URL as is and only exchanges the action. In contrast, <tt>url_for :action => 'print'</tt>
       # would have slashed-off the path components after the changed action.
-      def url_for(options = {}) #:doc:
+      def url_for(options = {})
+        options ||= {}
         case options
           when String
             options
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb
index d5b72556424fefd6131e3a9e5339c9c44872d9ba..f6a1f271f0520858136ebe08dcfd3d0aa4104b87 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/url_helper.rb
@@ -63,17 +63,15 @@ module UrlHelper
       #   # calls @workshop.to_s
       #   # => /workshops/5
       def url_for(options = {})
+        options ||= {}
         case options
         when Hash
-          show_path =  options[:host].nil? ? true : false
-          options = { :only_path => show_path }.update(options.symbolize_keys)
+          options = { :only_path => options[:host].nil? }.update(options.symbolize_keys)
           escape  = options.key?(:escape) ? options.delete(:escape) : true
           url     = @controller.send(:url_for, options)
         when String
           escape = true
           url    = options
-        when NilClass
-          url = @controller.send(:url_for, nil)
         else
           escape = false
           url    = polymorphic_path(options)
diff --git a/actionpack/test/template/url_helper_test.rb b/actionpack/test/template/url_helper_test.rb
index 3d5f7eae11ae08f90bc8f16281642bd5214ce7af..8e436295229b97451e25eed6883586b665194812 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/template/url_helper_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/template/url_helper_test.rb
@@ -313,6 +313,10 @@ def show_named_route
       render :inline => "<%= show_named_route_#{params[:kind]} %>"
     end
 
+    def nil_url_for
+      render :inline => '<%= url_for(nil) %>'
+    end
+
     def rescue_action(e) raise e end
   end
 
@@ -329,7 +333,7 @@ def test_url_for_shows_only_path
     assert_equal '/url_helper_with_controller/show_url_for', @response.body
   end
 
-  def test_named_route_shows_host_and_path
+  def test_named_route_url_shows_host_and_path
     with_url_helper_routing do
       get :show_named_route, :kind => 'url'
       assert_equal 'http://test.host/url_helper_with_controller/show_named_route', @response.body
@@ -343,6 +347,11 @@ def test_named_route_path_shows_only_path
     end
   end
 
+  def test_url_for_nil_returns_current_path
+    get :nil_url_for
+    assert_equal '/url_helper_with_controller/nil_url_for', @response.body
+  end
+
   protected
     def with_url_helper_routing
       with_routing do |set|