diff --git a/railties/CHANGELOG b/railties/CHANGELOG
index 4a2cc3cff9..8aecfe1cbf 100644
--- a/railties/CHANGELOG
+++ b/railties/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Generated scaffold functional tests use assert_difference.  #8421 [norbert]
+
 * Update to Prototype 1.5.1.  [Sam Stephenson]
 
 * Update to script.aculo.us 1.7.1_beta3.  [Thomas Fuchs]
diff --git a/railties/lib/rails_generator/generators/components/scaffold/templates/functional_test.rb b/railties/lib/rails_generator/generators/components/scaffold/templates/functional_test.rb
index 0c68fd3122..7619b04dc3 100644
--- a/railties/lib/rails_generator/generators/components/scaffold/templates/functional_test.rb
+++ b/railties/lib/rails_generator/generators/components/scaffold/templates/functional_test.rb
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ class <%= controller_class_name %>ControllerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
   
   def test_should_create_<%= file_name %>
-    old_count = <%= class_name %>.count
-    post :create, :<%= file_name %> => { }
-    assert_equal old_count+1, <%= class_name %>.count
+    assert_difference('<%= class_name %>.count') do
+      post :create, :<%= file_name %> => { }
+    end
     
     assert_redirected_to <%= file_name %>_path(assigns(:<%= file_name %>))
   end
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ class <%= controller_class_name %>ControllerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
   
   def test_should_destroy_<%= file_name %>
-    old_count = <%= class_name %>.count
-    delete :destroy, :id => 1
-    assert_equal old_count-1, <%= class_name %>.count
+    assert_difference('<%= class_name %>.count', -1) do
+      delete :destroy, :id => 1
+    end
     
     assert_redirected_to <%= table_name %>_path
   end