diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb
index d9762973d8..80772f7581 100755
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ require 'action_controller/base'
 require 'action_controller/deprecated_redirects'
 require 'action_controller/rescue'
 require 'action_controller/benchmarking'
+require 'action_controller/flash'
 require 'action_controller/filters'
 require 'action_controller/layout'
-require 'action_controller/flash'
 require 'action_controller/dependencies'
 require 'action_controller/pagination'
 require 'action_controller/scaffolding'
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ require 'action_controller/helpers'
 require 'action_controller/cookies'
 require 'action_controller/cgi_process'
 require 'action_controller/caching'
-require 'action_controller/components'
 require 'action_controller/verification'
 require 'action_controller/streaming'
 require 'action_controller/session_management'
+require 'action_controller/components'
 require 'action_controller/macros/auto_complete'
 require 'action_controller/macros/in_place_editing'
 
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ require 'action_view'
 ActionController::Base.template_class = ActionView::Base
 
 ActionController::Base.class_eval do
+  include ActionController::Flash
   include ActionController::Filters
   include ActionController::Layout
-  include ActionController::Flash
   include ActionController::Benchmarking
   include ActionController::Rescue
   include ActionController::Dependencies
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ ActionController::Base.class_eval do
   include ActionController::Helpers
   include ActionController::Cookies
   include ActionController::Caching
-  include ActionController::Components
   include ActionController::Verification
   include ActionController::Streaming
   include ActionController::SessionManagement
+  include ActionController::Components
   include ActionController::Macros::AutoComplete
   include ActionController::Macros::InPlaceEditing
 end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
index 50fded00c5..d8138be3db 100755
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
@@ -305,8 +305,8 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
 
     class << self
       # Factory for the standard create, process loop where the controller is discarded after processing.
-      def process(request, response, parent_controller = nil) #:nodoc:
-        new(parent_controller).process(request, response)
+      def process(request, response) #:nodoc:
+        new.process(request, response)
       end
       
       # Converts the class name from something like "OneModule::TwoModule::NeatController" to "NeatController".
@@ -347,42 +347,20 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
     end
 
     public      
-      # If this controller was instantiated to process a component request,
-      # +parent_controller+ points to the instantiator of this controller.
-      attr_reader :parent_controller
-
-      # Create a new controller instance.
-      def initialize(parent_controller=nil) #:nodoc:
-        @parent_controller = parent_controller
-      end
-
       # Extracts the action_name from the request parameters and performs that action.
       def process(request, response, method = :perform_action, *arguments) #:nodoc:
         initialize_template_class(response)
         assign_shortcuts(request, response)
-
-        my_flash = flash # calling flash creates @flash
-        if my_parent = @parent_controller
-          # only discard flash if this controller isn't a component request controller
-          my_flash.discard
-        end
-
         initialize_current_url
-        @action_name = params['action'] || 'index'
-        @variables_added = nil
-        @before_filter_chain_aborted = false
-
-        log_processing if logger
+        action_name(:refresh)
+        forget_variables_added_to_assigns
+        
+        log_processing
         send(method, *arguments)
-        @response
+        
+        return response
       ensure
-        unless my_parent
-          unless @before_filter_chain_aborted
-            my_flash.sweep
-            clear_persistent_model_associations
-          end
-          close_session
-        end
+        process_cleanup
       end
 
       # Returns a URL that has been rewritten according to the options hash and the defined Routes. 
@@ -472,6 +450,15 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
         self.class.controller_name
       end
 
+      # Returns the name of the current action
+      def action_name(refresh = false)
+        if @action_name.nil? || refresh
+          @action_name = (params['action'] || 'index')
+        end
+        
+        @action_name
+      end
+
       def session_enabled?
         request.session_options[:disabled] != false
       end
@@ -668,9 +655,11 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
       # of sending it as the response body to the browser.
       def render_to_string(options = nil, &block) #:doc:
         result = render(options, &block)
+
         erase_render_results
-        @variables_added = nil
-        @template.instance_variable_set("@assigns_added", nil)
+        forget_variables_added_to_assigns
+        reset_variables_added_to_assigns
+
         result
       end    
 
@@ -886,9 +875,11 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
       end
 
       def log_processing
-        logger.info "\n\nProcessing #{controller_class_name}\##{action_name} (for #{request_origin}) [#{request.method.to_s.upcase}]"
-        logger.info "  Session ID: #{@session.session_id}" if @session and @session.respond_to?(:session_id)
-        logger.info "  Parameters: #{@params.inspect}"
+        if logger
+          logger.info "\n\nProcessing #{controller_class_name}\##{action_name} (for #{request_origin}) [#{request.method.to_s.upcase}]"
+          logger.info "  Session ID: #{@session.session_id}" if @session and @session.respond_to?(:session_id)
+          logger.info "  Parameters: #{@params.inspect}"
+        end
       end
     
       def perform_action
@@ -921,6 +912,14 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
           @variables_added = true
         end
       end
+      
+      def forget_variables_added_to_assigns
+        @variables_added = nil
+      end
+      
+      def reset_variables_added_to_assigns
+        @template.instance_variable_set("@assigns_added", nil)
+      end
 
       def add_instance_variables_to_assigns
         @@protected_variables_cache ||= protected_instance_variables.inject({}) { |h, k| h[k] = true; h }
@@ -993,5 +992,9 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
       def template_path_includes_controller?(path)
         path.to_s['/'] && self.class.controller_path.split('/')[-1] == path.split('/')[0]
       end
+
+      def process_cleanup
+        close_session
+      end
   end
 end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb
index eff4d97fae..a30212c8bd 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
   # The benchmarking module times the performance of actions and reports to the logger. If the Active Record
   # package has been included, a separate timing section for database calls will be added as well.
   module Benchmarking #:nodoc:
-    def self.append_features(base)
-      super
+    def self.included(base)
       base.extend(ClassMethods)
+
       base.class_eval do
         alias_method :perform_action_without_benchmark, :perform_action
         alias_method :perform_action, :perform_action_with_benchmark
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching.rb
index dda54459ed..e6849596db 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching.rb
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
   #
   # Note: To turn off all caching and sweeping, set Base.perform_caching = false.
   module Caching
-    def self.append_features(base) #:nodoc:
-      super
+    def self.included(base) #:nodoc:
       base.send(:include, Pages, Actions, Fragments, Sweeping)
+
       base.class_eval do
         @@perform_caching = true
         cattr_accessor :perform_caching
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/components.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/components.rb
index 89a2c03aea..28480e47b6 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/components.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/components.rb
@@ -36,17 +36,36 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
   # So to repeat: Components are a special-purpose approach that can often be replaced with better use of partials and filters.
   module Components
     def self.included(base) #:nodoc:
+      base.send :include, InstanceMethods
       base.extend(ClassMethods)
-      base.send(:include, InstanceMethods)
 
       base.helper do
         def render_component(options) 
           @controller.send(:render_component_as_string, options)
         end
       end
+
+      base.class_eval do
+        alias_method :process_cleanup_without_components, :process_cleanup
+        alias_method :process_cleanup, :process_cleanup_with_components
+        
+        alias_method :set_session_options_without_components, :set_session_options
+        alias_method :set_session_options, :set_session_options_with_components
+      end
+      
+      # If this controller was instantiated to process a component request,
+      # +parent_controller+ points to the instantiator of this controller.
+      base.send :attr_accessor, :parent_controller
     end
 
     module ClassMethods
+      # Track parent controller to identify component requests
+      def process_with_components(request, response, parent_controller = nil) #:nodoc:
+        controller = new
+        controller.parent_controller = parent_controller
+        controller.process(request, response)
+      end
+
       # Set the template root to be one directory behind the root dir of the controller. Examples:
       #   /code/weblog/components/admin/users_controller.rb with Admin::UsersController 
       #     will use /code/weblog/components as template root 
@@ -64,6 +83,12 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
     end
 
     module InstanceMethods
+      # Extracts the action_name from the request parameters and performs that action.
+      def process_with_components(request, response, method = :perform_action, *arguments) #:nodoc:
+        flash.discard if component_request?
+        process_without_components(request, response, method, *arguments)
+      end
+      
       protected
         # Renders the component specified as the response for the current method
         def render_component(options) #:doc:
@@ -90,8 +115,8 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
           klass    = component_class(options)
           request  = request_for_component(klass.controller_name, options)
           response = reuse_response ? @response : @response.dup
-        
-          klass.process(request, response, self)
+
+          klass.process_with_components(request, response, self)
         end
         
         # determine the controller class for the component request
@@ -118,18 +143,30 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
           )
           
           request
-         end
+        end
 
-         def component_logging(options)
-           if logger
-             logger.info "Start rendering component (#{options.inspect}): "
-             result = yield
-             logger.info "\n\nEnd of component rendering"
-             result
-           else
-             yield
-           end
-         end
+        def component_logging(options)
+          if logger
+            logger.info "Start rendering component (#{options.inspect}): "
+            result = yield
+            logger.info "\n\nEnd of component rendering"
+            result
+          else
+            yield
+          end
+        end
+        
+        def component_request?
+          !@parent_controller.nil?
+        end
+
+        def set_session_options_with_components(request)
+          set_session_options_without_components(request) unless component_request?
+        end
+
+        def process_cleanup_with_components
+          process_cleanup_without_components unless component_request?
+        end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/filters.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/filters.rb
index 820eca1754..008486751d 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/filters.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/filters.rb
@@ -335,23 +335,35 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
     end
 
     module InstanceMethods # :nodoc:
-      def self.append_features(base)
-        super
-        base.class_eval {
+      def self.included(base)
+        base.class_eval do
           alias_method :perform_action_without_filters, :perform_action
           alias_method :perform_action, :perform_action_with_filters
-        }
+
+          alias_method :process_without_filters, :process
+          alias_method :process, :process_with_filters
+
+          alias_method :process_cleanup_without_filters, :process_cleanup
+          alias_method :process_cleanup, :process_cleanup_with_filters
+        end
       end
 
       def perform_action_with_filters
         before_action_result = before_action
+
         unless before_action_result == false || performed?
           perform_action_without_filters
           after_action
         end
+
         @before_filter_chain_aborted = (before_action_result == false)
       end
 
+      def process_with_filters(request, response, method = :perform_action, *arguments) #:nodoc:
+        @before_filter_chain_aborted = false
+        process_without_filters(request, response, method, *arguments)
+      end
+
       # Calls all the defined before-filter filters, which are added by using "before_filter :method".
       # If any of the filters return false, no more filters will be executed and the action is aborted.
       def before_action #:doc:
@@ -368,6 +380,7 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
         def call_filters(filters)
           filters.each do |filter| 
             next if action_exempted?(filter)
+
             filter_result = case
               when filter.is_a?(Symbol)
                 self.send(filter)
@@ -405,6 +418,10 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
               ea.include?(action_name)
           end
         end
+
+        def process_cleanup_with_filters
+          process_cleanup_without_filters unless @before_filter_chain_aborted
+        end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb
index 6a41aa97a6..383263fe92 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,16 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
   #
   # See docs on the FlashHash class for more details about the flash.
   module Flash
+    def self.included(base)
+      base.send :include, InstanceMethods
 
+      base.class_eval do
+        alias_method :process_cleanup_without_flash, :process_cleanup
+        alias_method :process_cleanup, :process_cleanup_with_flash
+      end
+    end
+    
+    
     class FlashNow #:nodoc:
       def initialize flash
         @flash = flash
@@ -52,14 +61,14 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
         super
       end
       
-      def update h #:nodoc:
-        h.keys.each{|k| discard k }
+      def update(h) #:nodoc:
+        h.keys.each{ |k| discard(k) }
         super
       end
       
-      alias merge! update
+      alias :merge! :update
       
-      def replace h #:nodoc:
+      def replace(h) #:nodoc:
         @used = {}
         super
       end
@@ -124,31 +133,36 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
         end
     end
 
-
-    protected 
-      # Access the contents of the flash. Use <tt>flash["notice"]</tt> to read a notice you put there or 
-      # <tt>flash["notice"] = "hello"</tt> to put a new one.
-      # Note that if sessions are disabled only flash.now will work.
-      def flash #:doc:
-        @flash ||= 
-          if @parent_controller
-            @parent_controller.flash
-          elsif @session.is_a?(Hash)
-            # @session is a Hash, if sessions are disabled
-            # we don't put the flash in the session in this case
-            FlashHash.new
-          else
-            # otherwise, @session is a CGI::Session or a TestSession
-            # so make sure it gets retrieved from/saved to session storage after request processing
-            @session["flash"] ||= FlashHash.new
-          end
-      end
-
-      # deprecated. use <tt>flash.keep</tt> instead
-      def keep_flash #:doc:
-        warn 'keep_flash is deprecated; use flash.keep instead.'
-        flash.keep
+    module InstanceMethods
+      def process_cleanup_with_flash
+        process_cleanup_without_flash
+        flash.sweep
       end
+      
+      protected 
+        # Access the contents of the flash. Use <tt>flash["notice"]</tt> to read a notice you put there or 
+        # <tt>flash["notice"] = "hello"</tt> to put a new one.
+        # Note that if sessions are disabled only flash.now will work.
+        def flash #:doc:
+          @flash ||= 
+            if @parent_controller
+              @parent_controller.flash
+            elsif @session.is_a?(Hash)
+              # @session is a Hash, if sessions are disabled
+              # we don't put the flash in the session in this case
+              FlashHash.new
+            else
+              # otherwise, @session is a CGI::Session or a TestSession
+              # so make sure it gets retrieved from/saved to session storage after request processing
+              @session["flash"] ||= FlashHash.new
+            end
+        end
 
+        # deprecated. use <tt>flash.keep</tt> instead
+        def keep_flash #:doc:
+          warn 'keep_flash is deprecated; use flash.keep instead.'
+          flash.keep
+        end
+    end
   end
-end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb
index 950f48abf4..408ef2790e 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@ end
 
 module ActionController #:nodoc:
   module SessionManagement #:nodoc:
-    def self.append_features(base)
-      super
+    def self.included(base)
       base.extend(ClassMethods)
-      base.send(:alias_method, :process_without_session_management_support, :process)
-      base.send(:alias_method, :process, :process_with_session_management_support)
+
+      base.send :alias_method, :process_without_session_management_support, :process
+      base.send :alias_method, :process, :process_with_session_management_support
+
+      base.send :alias_method, :process_cleanup_without_session_management_support, :process_cleanup
+      base.send :alias_method, :process_cleanup, :process_cleanup_with_session_management_support
     end
 
     module ClassMethods
@@ -110,26 +113,30 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
     end
 
     def process_with_session_management_support(request, response, method = :perform_action, *arguments) #:nodoc:
-      unless @parent_controller
-        # only determine session options if this isn't a controller created for component request processing
-        action = request.parameters["action"] || "index"
-        request.session_options = self.class.session_options_for(request, action)
-      end
+      set_session_options(request)
       process_without_session_management_support(request, response, method, *arguments)
     end
 
     private
+      def set_session_options(request)
+        request.session_options = self.class.session_options_for(request, request.parameters["action"] || "index")
+      end
+      
+      def process_cleanup_with_session_management_support
+        process_cleanup_without_session_management_support
+        clear_persistent_model_associations
+      end
+
       # Clear cached associations in session data so they don't overflow
       # the database field.  Only applies to ActiveRecordStore since there
       # is not a standard way to iterate over session data.
       def clear_persistent_model_associations #:doc:
-        if defined?(@session) and @session.instance_variables.include?('@data')
+        if defined?(@session) && @session.instance_variables.include?('@data')
           session_data = @session.instance_variable_get('@data')
-          if session_data and session_data.respond_to?(:each_value)
+
+          if session_data && session_data.respond_to?(:each_value)
             session_data.each_value do |obj|
-              if obj.respond_to?(:clear_association_cache)
-                obj.clear_association_cache
-              end
+              obj.clear_association_cache if obj.respond_to?(:clear_association_cache)
             end
           end
         end
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/filters_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/filters_test.rb
index 3f4f3b07be..59bff76536 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/filters_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/filters_test.rb
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ class FilterTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   class MixedFilterController < PrependingController
     cattr_accessor :execution_log
-    def initialize(parent_controller=nil)
-      super(parent_controller)
+
+    def initialize
       @@execution_log = ""
     end