diff --git a/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/layouts.rb b/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/layouts.rb
index 12da273af9..73799e8085 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/layouts.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/layouts.rb
@@ -212,21 +212,23 @@ module AbstractController
     delegate :_layout_conditions, :to => "self.class"
 
     module ClassMethods
-      def inherited(klass)
+      def inherited(klass) # :nodoc:
         super
         klass._write_layout_method
       end
 
       # This module is mixed in if layout conditions are provided. This means
       # that if no layout conditions are used, this method is not used
-      module LayoutConditions
-        # Determines whether the current action has a layout by checking the
-        # action name against the :only and :except conditions set on the
-        # layout.
+      module LayoutConditions # :nodoc:
+      private
+
+        # Determines whether the current action has a layout definition by
+        # checking the action name against the :only and :except conditions
+        # set by the <tt>layout</tt> method.
         #
         # ==== Returns
-        # * <tt> Boolean</tt> - True if the action has a layout, false otherwise.
-        def conditional_layout?
+        # * <tt> Boolean</tt> - True if the action has a layout definition, false otherwise.
+        def _conditional_layout?
           return unless super
 
           conditions = _layout_conditions
@@ -271,7 +273,7 @@ module AbstractController
       #
       # ==== Returns
       # * <tt>String</tt> - A template name
-      def _implied_layout_name
+      def _implied_layout_name # :nodoc:
         controller_path
       end
 
@@ -279,7 +281,7 @@ module AbstractController
       #
       # If a layout is not explicitly mentioned then look for a layout with the controller's name.
       # if nothing is found then try same procedure to find super class's layout.
-      def _write_layout_method
+      def _write_layout_method # :nodoc:
         remove_possible_method(:_layout)
 
         prefixes    = _implied_layout_name =~ /\blayouts/ ? [] : ["layouts"]
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ module AbstractController
 
         self.class_eval <<-RUBY, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1
           def _layout
-            if conditional_layout?
+            if _conditional_layout?
               #{layout_definition}
             else
               #{name_clause}
@@ -329,7 +331,7 @@ module AbstractController
       end
     end
 
-    def _normalize_options(options)
+    def _normalize_options(options) # :nodoc:
       super
 
       if _include_layout?(options)
@@ -340,21 +342,27 @@ module AbstractController
 
     attr_internal_writer :action_has_layout
 
-    def initialize(*)
+    def initialize(*) # :nodoc:
       @_action_has_layout = true
       super
     end
 
+    # Controls whether an action should be rendered using a layout.
+    # If you want to disable any <tt>layout</tt> settings for the
+    # current action so that it is rendered without a layout then
+    # either override this method in your controller to return false
+    # for that action or set the <tt>action_has_layout</tt> attribute
+    # to false before rendering.
     def action_has_layout?
       @_action_has_layout
     end
 
-    def conditional_layout?
+  private
+
+    def _conditional_layout?
       true
     end
 
-  private
-
     # This will be overwritten by _write_layout_method
     def _layout; end