diff --git a/actionpack/examples/very_simple.rb b/actionpack/examples/very_simple.rb
index e0f2d2bde8..995e40adb9 100644
--- a/actionpack/examples/very_simple.rb
+++ b/actionpack/examples/very_simple.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class Kaigi < ActionController::Http
   before_filter :set_name
   append_view_path "views"
   
-  def _action_view
+  def view_context
     self
   end
   
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/abstract/renderer.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/abstract/renderer.rb
index f3e3903a3b..fe556281ab 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/abstract/renderer.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/abstract/renderer.rb
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ module AbstractController
     #   partial<Boolean>:: Whether or not the template to render is a partial
     #
     # Override this method in a to change the default behavior.
-    def _action_view
-      @_action_view ||= ActionView::Base.for_controller(self)
+    def view_context
+      @_view_context ||= ActionView::Base.for_controller(self)
     end
 
     # Mostly abstracts the fact that calling render twice is a DoubleRenderError.
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ module AbstractController
     def render_to_body(options = {})
       # TODO: Refactor so we can just use the normal template logic for this
       if options[:_partial_object]
-        _action_view.render_partial(options)
+        view_context.render_partial(options)
       else
         _determine_template(options)
         _render_template(options)
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ module AbstractController
     # _layout<ActionView::Template>:: The layout to wrap the template in (optional)
     # _partial<TrueClass, FalseClass>:: Whether or not the template to be rendered is a partial
     def _render_template(options)
-      _action_view.render_template(options[:_template], options[:_layout], options, options[:_partial])
+      view_context.render_template(options[:_template], options[:_layout], options, options[:_partial])
     end
 
     # The list of view paths for this controller. See ActionView::ViewPathSet for
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/compatibility.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/compatibility.rb
index 13813ffd17..23e7b1b3af 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/compatibility.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/compatibility.rb
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ module ActionController
 
     # TODO: Remove this after we flip
     def template
-      @template ||= _action_view
+      @template ||= view_context
     end
 
     def process_action(*)
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ module ActionController
     end
 
     def view_paths
-      _action_view.view_paths
+      view_context.view_paths
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/render_options.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/render_options.rb
index fc9a02626f..65ee09883e 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/render_options.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base/render_options.rb
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ module ActionController
       register_renderer :update
 
       def _render_update(proc, options)
-        generator = ActionView::Helpers::PrototypeHelper::JavaScriptGenerator.new(_action_view, &proc)
+        generator = ActionView::Helpers::PrototypeHelper::JavaScriptGenerator.new(view_context, &proc)
         self.content_type = Mime::JS
         self.response_body = generator.to_s
       end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching/actions.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching/actions.rb
index d8a1662acc..cb0c3a1384 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching/actions.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/caching/actions.rb
@@ -129,8 +129,7 @@ module ActionController #:nodoc:
           end
 
           def content_for_layout(controller)
-            # TODO: Remove this when new base is merged in
-            template = controller.respond_to?(:template) ? controller.template : controller._action_view
+            template = controller.view_context
             template.layout && template.instance_variable_get('@cached_content_for_layout')
           end
       end
diff --git a/actionpack/test/abstract_unit.rb b/actionpack/test/abstract_unit.rb
index 6e71b85645..7f373ea7c5 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/abstract_unit.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/abstract_unit.rb
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ module ActionController
     def assert_template(options = {}, message = nil)
       validate_request!
 
-      hax = @controller._action_view.instance_variable_get(:@_rendered)
+      hax = @controller.view_context.instance_variable_get(:@_rendered)
 
       case options
       when NilClass, String