diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
index f4505e90ad..e8facbc360 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
     @@debug_rjs = false
     cattr_accessor :debug_rjs
 
-    @@template_handlers = {}
+    @@template_handlers = HashWithIndifferentAccess.new
  
     module CompiledTemplates #:nodoc:
       # holds compiled template code
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/custom_handler_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/custom_handler_test.rb
index 8b9cdb0c26..2747a0f3ca 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/custom_handler_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/custom_handler_test.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ end
 class CustomHandlerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   def setup
     ActionView::Base.register_template_handler "foo", CustomHandler
+    ActionView::Base.register_template_handler :foo2, CustomHandler
     @view = ActionView::Base.new
   end
 
@@ -25,6 +26,13 @@ class CustomHandlerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       result )
   end
 
+  def test_custom_render2
+    result = @view.render_template( "foo2", "hello <%= one %>", nil, :one => "two" )
+    assert_equal(
+      [ "hello <%= one %>", { :one => "two" }, @view ],
+      result )
+  end
+
   def test_unhandled_extension
     # uses the ERb handler by default if the extension isn't recognized
     result = @view.render_template( "bar", "hello <%= one %>", nil, :one => "two" )