diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
index c9b0973561ad334f3ec98a3d27dcc59e96c5491b..15430839e7b28a9a7dd5a5ed6309450608d4b5d8 100755
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
@@ -275,6 +275,9 @@ class Base
     # is generated by taking a snapshot of all the instance variables in the current scope just before a template is rendered.
     attr_accessor :assigns
 
+    # Returns the name of the action this controller is processing.
+    attr_accessor :action_name
+
     class << self
       # Factory for the standard create, process loop where the controller is discarded after processing.
       def process(request, response) #:nodoc:
@@ -339,6 +342,7 @@ def process(request, response, method = :perform_action, *arguments) #:nodoc:
         initialize_template_class(response)
         assign_shortcuts(request, response)
         initialize_current_url
+        @action_name = params[:action] || 'index'
 
         log_processing unless logger.nil?
         send(method, *arguments)
@@ -439,11 +443,6 @@ def controller_name
         self.class.controller_name
       end
 
-      # Returns the name of the action this controller is processing.
-      def action_name
-        @params["action"] || "index"
-      end
-
     protected
       # Renders the template specified by <tt>template_name</tt>, which defaults to the name of the current controller and action.
       # So calling +render+ in WeblogController#show will attempt to render "#{template_root}/weblog/show.rhtml" or