diff --git a/actionpack/CHANGELOG b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
index 33e5fa417bd587dcf1bfd255bba9b8aa83f72f28..d0cc7b35bf0a4fa1da74fdeb08e28c892e7de7f8 100644
--- a/actionpack/CHANGELOG
+++ b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Added assert_no_cookie and fixed assert_cookie_equal to deal with non-existing cookies #979 [bitsweat]
+
 * Fixed :overwrite_param so it doesn't delete but reject elements from @request.parameters #982 [raphinou@yahoo.com]
 
 * Added :method option to verify for ensuring that either GET, POST, etc is allowed #984 [Jamis Buck]
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/action_pack_assertions.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/action_pack_assertions.rb
index d1d5cafc0804ddf10a168e8145188eac9ebe4815..9bbcc5b83fbade8229cb5667ca3c3f17ef410e22 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/action_pack_assertions.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/action_pack_assertions.rb
@@ -63,10 +63,19 @@ def assert_session_equal(expected = nil, key = nil, message = nil)
 
       # -- cookie assertions ---------------------------------------------------
 
+      def assert_no_cookie(key = nil, message = nil)
+        response = acquire_assertion_target
+        actual = response.cookies[key]
+        msg = build_message(message, "<?> not expected in cookies['?']", actual, key)
+        assert_block(msg) { actual.nil? or actual.empty? }
+      end
+      
       def assert_cookie_equal(expected = nil, key = nil, message = nil)
         response = acquire_assertion_target
-        msg = build_message(message, "<?> expected in cookies['?'] but was <?>", expected, key, response.cookies[key.to_s].first)
-        assert_block(msg) { expected == response.cookies[key.to_s].first }
+        actual = response.cookies[key]
+        actual = actual.first if actual
+        msg = build_message(message, "<?> expected in cookies['?'] but was <?>", expected, key, actual)
+        assert_block(msg) { expected == actual }
       end
       
       # -- flash assertions ---------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/cookie_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/cookie_test.rb
index 2b5b1cae9fa6d56c4c5b8efd6d757eeea5dfede1..f0189ebb115d60dd44ea0472dc8914cbea84b4ee 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/cookie_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/cookie_test.rb
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ def set_multiple_cookies
       render_text "hello world"
     end
 
+    def access_frozen_cookies
+      @cookies["will"] = "work"
+      render_text "hello world"
+    end
+
     def rescue_action(e) raise end
   end
 
@@ -63,8 +68,13 @@ def test_multiple_cookies
     assert_equal 2, process_request.headers["cookie"].size
   end
 
+  def test_setting_test_cookie
+    @request.action = "access_frozen_cookies"
+    assert_nothing_raised { process_request }
+  end
+
   private
     def process_request
       TestController.process(@request, @response)
     end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end