diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/named_scope.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/named_scope.rb
index 120ec88..9aae49c 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/named_scope.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/named_scope.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
     def self.included(base)
       base.class_eval do
         extend ClassMethods
-        named_scope :all
+        named_scope :all, {}
         named_scope :scoped, lambda { |scope| scope }
       end
     end
@@ -72,9 +72,17 @@ module ActiveRecord
       #     end
       #   end
       #
-      def named_scope(name, options = {}, &block)
+      def named_scope(name, options = nil, &block)
         scopes[name] = lambda do |parent_scope, *args|
           Scope.new(parent_scope, case options
+            when nil
+              scope_name = "scope_#{name}"
+              raise(NoMethodError, "#{parent_scope} must support #{scope_name}") unless parent_scope.respond_to?(scope_name)
+              parent_scope.send(scope_name, *args)
+            when Symbol
+              scope_name = options
+              raise(NoMethodError, 'hello darling') unless parent_scope.respond_to?(scope_name)
+              parent_scope.send(scope_name, *args)
             when Hash
               options
             when Proc
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb
index 3d3cecd..a6c6a3f 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb
@@ -77,6 +77,43 @@ class NamedScopeTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     assert_equal topics_written_before_the_second, Topic.written_before(topics(:second).written_on)
   end
 
+  def test_class_method_scopes_with_optional_args
+    topics_written_before_the_third = Topic.find(:all, :conditions => ['written_on < ?', topics(:third).written_on])
+    first_topics_written_before_the_third = Topic.find(:all,
+      :conditions => ['written_on < ?', topics(:third).written_on],
+      :order => 'written_on DESC',
+      :limit => 1
+    )
+    assert_raise ArgumentError, 'Initial argument should not be optional' do
+      Topic.written_before_with_options
+    end
+    assert_equal topics_written_before_the_third, Topic.written_before_with_options(topics(:third).written_on)
+    assert_equal first_topics_written_before_the_third, Topic.written_before_with_options(topics(:third).written_on, { :limit => 1, :order => 'written_on DESC' })
+  end
+
+  def test_class_method_scopes_with_custom_method_name
+    topics_written_before_the_third = Topic.find(:all, :conditions => ['written_on < ?', topics(:third).written_on])
+    first_topics_written_before_the_third = Topic.find(:all,
+      :conditions => ['written_on < ?', topics(:third).written_on],
+      :order => 'written_on DESC',
+      :limit => 1
+    )
+    assert_raise ArgumentError, 'Initial argument should not be optional' do
+      Topic.custom_scope_name
+    end
+    assert_equal topics_written_before_the_third, Topic.custom_scope_name(topics(:third).written_on)
+    assert_equal first_topics_written_before_the_third, Topic.custom_scope_name(topics(:third).written_on, { :limit => 1, :order => 'written_on DESC' })
+  end
+
+  def test_class_method_not_available
+    assert_raise NoMethodError, 'Should raise NoMethodError when parent scope does not support scope method' do
+      Topic.scope_method_not_implemented
+    end
+    assert_raise NoMethodError, 'Should raise NoMethodError when parent scope does not support scope method' do
+      Topic.custom_scope_method_not_implemented
+    end
+  end
+
   def test_extensions
     assert_equal 1, Topic.anonymous_extension.one
     assert_equal 2, Topic.named_extension.two
diff --git a/activerecord/test/models/topic.rb b/activerecord/test/models/topic.rb
index d2503b7..0192183 100755
--- a/activerecord/test/models/topic.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/models/topic.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ class Topic < ActiveRecord::Base
   }
   named_scope :approved, :conditions => {:approved => true}
   named_scope :replied, :conditions => ['replies_count > 0']
-  named_scope :anonymous_extension do
+  named_scope :anonymous_extension, {} do
     def one
       1
     end
@@ -27,6 +27,16 @@ class Topic < ActiveRecord::Base
   named_scope :named_extension, :extend => NamedExtension
   named_scope :multiple_extensions, :extend => [MultipleExtensionTwo, MultipleExtensionOne]
 
+  named_scope :written_before_with_options
+  def self.scope_written_before_with_options time, *args
+    options = args.extract_options!
+    options.merge(:conditions => [ 'written_on < ?', time ])
+  end
+  named_scope :custom_scope_name, :scope_written_before_with_options
+
+  named_scope :scope_method_not_implemented
+  named_scope :custom_scope_method_not_implemented, :no_such_method
+
   has_many :replies, :dependent => :destroy, :foreign_key => "parent_id"
   serialize :content