diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb
index 9aa45fb294..40ccdd4696 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb
@@ -98,8 +98,13 @@ module ActiveRecord
       create_new_relation(join)
     end
 
-    def where(conditions)
-      conditions = @klass.send(:merge_conditions, conditions) if [String, Hash, Array].include?(conditions.class)
+    def where(*args)
+      if [String, Hash, Array].include?(args.first.class)
+        conditions = @klass.send(:merge_conditions, args.size > 1 ? Array.wrap(args) : args.first)
+      else
+        conditions = args.first
+      end
+
       create_new_relation(@relation.where(conditions))
     end
 
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb
index 529de4a6cf..50bd221bb3 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class RelationTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
   def test_finding_with_conditions
     assert_equal ["David"], Author.where(:name => 'David').map(&:name)
     assert_equal ['Mary'],  Author.where(["name = ?", 'Mary']).map(&:name)
+    assert_equal ['Mary'],  Author.where("name = ?", 'Mary').map(&:name)
   end
 
   def test_finding_with_order