diff --git a/railties/CHANGELOG b/railties/CHANGELOG
index 9c5e5b59c6..5ff1867568 100644
--- a/railties/CHANGELOG
+++ b/railties/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *Edge*
 
+* Added configurable eager load paths. Defaults to app/models, app/controllers, and app/helpers [Josh Peek]
+
 * Introduce simple internationalization support.  [Ruby i18n team]
 
 * Make script/plugin install <plugin> -r <revision> option work with git based plugins. #257. [Tim Pope Jakub Kuźma]. Example:
diff --git a/railties/lib/initializer.rb b/railties/lib/initializer.rb
index 3be95de8d3..828d688475 100644
--- a/railties/lib/initializer.rb
+++ b/railties/lib/initializer.rb
@@ -333,11 +333,14 @@ Run `rake gems:install` to install the missing gems.
       end
     end
 
+    # Eager load application classes
     def load_application_classes
-      require_dependency 'application'
-
-      Dir.glob('app/{models,controllers,helpers}/*.rb').each do |file|
-        require_dependency file
+      if configuration.cache_classes
+        configuration.eager_load_paths.each do |load_path|
+          Dir.glob("#{load_path}/*.rb").each do |file|
+            require_dependency file
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -578,6 +581,11 @@ Run `rake gems:install` to install the missing gems.
     # All elements of this array must also be in +load_paths+.
     attr_accessor :load_once_paths
 
+    # An array of paths from which Rails will eager load on boot if cache
+    # classes is enabled. All elements of this array must also be in
+    # +load_paths+.
+    attr_accessor :eager_load_paths
+
     # The log level to use for the default Rails logger. In production mode,
     # this defaults to <tt>:info</tt>. In development mode, it defaults to
     # <tt>:debug</tt>.
@@ -686,6 +694,7 @@ Run `rake gems:install` to install the missing gems.
       self.frameworks                   = default_frameworks
       self.load_paths                   = default_load_paths
       self.load_once_paths              = default_load_once_paths
+      self.eager_load_paths             = default_eager_load_paths
       self.log_path                     = default_log_path
       self.log_level                    = default_log_level
       self.view_path                    = default_view_path
@@ -826,6 +835,14 @@ Run `rake gems:install` to install the missing gems.
         []
       end
 
+      def default_eager_load_paths
+        %w(
+          app/models
+          app/controllers
+          app/helpers
+        ).map { |dir| "#{root_path}/#{dir}" }.select { |dir| File.directory?(dir) }
+      end
+
       def default_log_path
         File.join(root_path, 'log', "#{environment}.log")
       end