diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb
index 21997c4d79..aee54bf515 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ module ActionController
                     options[:partial], @partials.keys)
             assert_includes @partials, expected_partial, msg
           end
-        else
+        elsif options.key?(:partial)
           assert @partials.empty?,
             "Expected no partials to be rendered"
         end
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb
index f5f397c9c0..01151b336b 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@ class ActionPackAssertionsController < ActionController::Base
     render "test/hello_world", :layout => "layouts/standard"
   end
 
+  def render_with_layout_and_partial
+    @variable_for_layout = nil
+    render "test/hello_world_with_partial", :layout => "layouts/standard"
+  end
+
   def session_stuffing
     session['xmas'] = 'turkey'
     render :text => "ho ho ho"
@@ -478,6 +483,11 @@ class AssertTemplateTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_template :layout => "layouts/standard"
   end
 
+  def test_passes_with_layout_and_partial
+    get :render_with_layout_and_partial
+    assert_template :layout => "layouts/standard"
+  end
+
   def test_assert_template_reset_between_requests
     get :hello_world
     assert_template 'test/hello_world'
diff --git a/actionpack/test/fixtures/test/hello_world_with_partial.html.erb b/actionpack/test/fixtures/test/hello_world_with_partial.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec31545356
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actionpack/test/fixtures/test/hello_world_with_partial.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Hello world!
+<%= render '/test/partial' %>