diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/output_escaping_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/output_escaping_test.rb
index 43a8c05cda..f6913a2138 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/output_escaping_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/output_escaping_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require 'abstract_unit'
 class OutputEscapingTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   test "escape_html shouldn't die when passed nil" do
-    assert ERB::Util.h(nil).blank?
+    assert_blank ERB::Util.h(nil)
   end
 
   test "escapeHTML should escape strings" do
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/render_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/render_test.rb
index 258f511f10..9037a13343 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/render_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/render_test.rb
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ class RenderTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
   def test_head_with_location_header
     get :head_with_location_header
-    assert @response.body.blank?
+    assert_blank @response.body
     assert_equal "/foo", @response.headers["Location"]
     assert_response :ok
   end
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ class RenderTest < ActionController::TestCase
       end
 
       get :head_with_location_object
-      assert @response.body.blank?
+      assert_blank @response.body
       assert_equal "http://www.nextangle.com/customers/1", @response.headers["Location"]
       assert_response :ok
     end
@@ -1134,7 +1134,7 @@ class RenderTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
   def test_head_with_custom_header
     get :head_with_custom_header
-    assert @response.body.blank?
+    assert_blank @response.body
     assert_equal "something", @response.headers["X-Custom-Header"]
     assert_response :ok
   end
@@ -1414,7 +1414,7 @@ class EtagRenderTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_equal 200, @response.status.to_i
     assert_not_nil @response.last_modified
     assert_nil @response.etag
-    assert @response.body.present?
+    assert_present @response.body
   end
 
   def test_render_with_etag
@@ -1499,7 +1499,7 @@ class LastModifiedRenderTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @request.if_modified_since = @last_modified
     get :conditional_hello
     assert_equal 304, @response.status.to_i
-    assert @response.body.blank?, @response.body
+    assert_blank @response.body
     assert_equal @last_modified, @response.headers['Last-Modified']
   end
 
@@ -1514,7 +1514,7 @@ class LastModifiedRenderTest < ActionController::TestCase
     @request.if_modified_since = 'Thu, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT'
     get :conditional_hello
     assert_equal 200, @response.status.to_i
-    assert !@response.body.blank?
+    assert_present @response.body
     assert_equal @last_modified, @response.headers['Last-Modified']
   end
 
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/request_forgery_protection_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/request_forgery_protection_test.rb
index be05ef6167..5ec760d4ea 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/request_forgery_protection_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/request_forgery_protection_test.rb
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ class FreeCookieControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
   test 'should not emit a csrf-token meta tag' do
     get :meta
-    assert @response.body.blank?
+    assert_blank @response.body
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/test_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/test_test.rb
index 7e7e4bd463..de2cab3e79 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/test_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/test_test.rb
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ XML
     assert_equal "bar", @request.params[:foo]
     @request.recycle!
     post :no_op
-    assert @request.params[:foo].blank?
+    assert_blank @request.params[:foo]
   end
 
   def test_should_have_knowledge_of_client_side_cookie_state_even_if_they_are_not_set
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/webservice_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/webservice_test.rb
index 5942950b15..2e6cf48406 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/webservice_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/webservice_test.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class WebServiceTest < ActionController::IntegrationTest
   def test_check_parameters
     with_test_route_set do
       get "/"
-      assert @controller.response.body.blank?
+      assert_blank @controller.response.body
     end
   end
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ class WebServiceTest < ActionController::IntegrationTest
   def test_use_xml_ximple_with_empty_request
     with_test_route_set do
       assert_nothing_raised { post "/", "", {'CONTENT_TYPE' => 'application/xml'} }
-      assert @controller.response.body.blank?
+      assert_blank @controller.response.body
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/actionpack/test/template/atom_feed_helper_test.rb b/actionpack/test/template/atom_feed_helper_test.rb
index 869ea22469..fb43a8f960 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/template/atom_feed_helper_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/template/atom_feed_helper_test.rb
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class AtomFeedTest < ActionController::TestCase
       get :index, :id=>"provide_builder"
       # because we pass in the non-default builder, the content generated by the
       # helper should go 'nowhere'.  Leaving the response body blank.
-      assert @response.body.blank?
+      assert_blank @response.body
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/activemodel/test/cases/mass_assignment_security_test.rb b/activemodel/test/cases/mass_assignment_security_test.rb
index c25b0fdf00..f84e55e8d9 100644
--- a/activemodel/test/cases/mass_assignment_security_test.rb
+++ b/activemodel/test/cases/mass_assignment_security_test.rb
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ class MassAssignmentSecurityTest < ActiveModel::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_mass_assignment_protection_inheritance
-    assert LoosePerson.accessible_attributes.blank?
+    assert_blank LoosePerson.accessible_attributes
     assert_equal Set.new([ 'credit_rating', 'administrator']), LoosePerson.protected_attributes
 
-    assert LooseDescendant.accessible_attributes.blank?
+    assert_blank LooseDescendant.accessible_attributes
     assert_equal Set.new([ 'credit_rating', 'administrator', 'phone_number']), LooseDescendant.protected_attributes
 
-    assert LooseDescendantSecond.accessible_attributes.blank?
+    assert_blank LooseDescendantSecond.accessible_attributes
     assert_equal Set.new([ 'credit_rating', 'administrator', 'phone_number', 'name']), LooseDescendantSecond.protected_attributes,
       'Running attr_protected twice in one class should merge the protections'
 
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/aggregations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/aggregations_test.rb
index 9e285e57dc..3e0e6dce2c 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/aggregations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/aggregations_test.rb
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class AggregationsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     customers(:zaphod).save
     customers(:zaphod).reload
     assert_kind_of Address, customers(:zaphod).address
-    assert customers(:zaphod).address.street.nil?
+    assert_nil customers(:zaphod).address.street
   end
 
   def test_nil_assignment_results_in_nil
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/belongs_to_associations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/belongs_to_associations_test.rb
index a1ce9b1689..28234ebe49 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/belongs_to_associations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/belongs_to_associations_test.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class BelongsToAssociationsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
   def test_belongs_to
     Client.find(3).firm.name
     assert_equal companies(:first_firm).name, Client.find(3).firm.name
-    assert !Client.find(3).firm.nil?, "Microsoft should have a firm"
+    assert_not_nil Client.find(3).firm, "Microsoft should have a firm"
   end
 
   def test_belongs_to_with_primary_key
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_many_associations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_many_associations_test.rb
index ac2021c369..7e10a8ceeb 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_many_associations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_many_associations_test.rb
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ class HasManyAssociationsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
 
     # Should not be destroyed since the association is not dependent.
     assert_nothing_raised do
-      assert Client.find(client_id).firm.nil?
+      assert_nil Client.find(client_id).firm
     end
   end
 
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ class HasManyAssociationsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     assert_equal [client_id], Client.destroyed_client_ids[firm.id]
 
     # Should be destroyed since the association is dependent.
-    assert Client.find_by_id(client_id).nil?
+    assert_nil Client.find_by_id(client_id)
   end
 
   def test_clearing_an_exclusively_dependent_association_collection
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_one_associations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_one_associations_test.rb
index 469a21b9bf..e959ed46cc 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_one_associations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/has_one_associations_test.rb
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ class HasOneAssociationsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
   def test_dependence_with_missing_association_and_nullify
     Account.destroy_all
     firm = DependentFirm.find(:first)
-    assert firm.account.nil?
+    assert_nil firm.account
     firm.destroy
   end
 
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/join_model_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/join_model_test.rb
index fcdb81e92e..b83966e91c 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/associations/join_model_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/associations/join_model_test.rb
@@ -427,8 +427,8 @@ class AssociationsJoinModelTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
 
   def test_has_many_through_uses_conditions_specified_on_the_has_many_association
     author = Author.find(:first)
-    assert !author.comments.blank?
-    assert author.nonexistant_comments.blank?
+    assert_present author.comments
+    assert_blank author.nonexistant_comments
   end
 
   def test_has_many_through_uses_correct_attributes
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/method_scoping_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/method_scoping_test.rb
index 5256ab8d11..312628a3e3 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/method_scoping_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/method_scoping_test.rb
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ class NestedScopingTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     Comment.send(:with_scope, :create => { :body => "Hey guys, nested scopes are broken. Please fix!" }) do
       Comment.send(:with_exclusive_scope, :create => { :post_id => 1 }) do
         assert_equal({:post_id => 1}, Comment.scoped.send(:scope_for_create))
-        assert Comment.new.body.blank?
+        assert_blank Comment.new.body
         comment = Comment.create :body => "Hey guys"
       end
     end
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb
index c42dda2ccb..3d6975d0b5 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/named_scope_test.rb
@@ -480,8 +480,8 @@ class DynamicScopeTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_dynamic_scope_should_create_methods_after_hitting_method_missing
-    assert Developer.methods.grep(/scoped_by_created_at/).blank?
+    assert_blank Developer.methods.grep(/scoped_by_created_at/)
     Developer.scoped_by_created_at(nil)
-    assert Developer.methods.grep(/scoped_by_created_at/).present?
+    assert_present Developer.methods.grep(/scoped_by_created_at/)
   end
 end
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/primary_keys_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/primary_keys_test.rb
index 1e44237e0a..63d8c7d1c1 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/primary_keys_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/primary_keys_test.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class PrimaryKeysTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
 
   def test_to_key_with_default_primary_key
     topic = Topic.new
-    assert topic.to_key.nil?
+    assert_nil topic.to_key
     topic = Topic.find(1)
     assert_equal [1], topic.to_key
   end
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/relation_scoping_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/relation_scoping_test.rb
index 9494990b04..d56e5a7999 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/relation_scoping_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/relation_scoping_test.rb
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ class NestedRelationScopingTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
   def test_nested_exclusive_scope_for_create
     comment = Comment.create_with(:body => "Hey guys, nested scopes are broken. Please fix!").scoping do
       Comment.unscoped.create_with(:post_id => 1).scoping do
-        assert Comment.new.body.blank?
+        assert_blank Comment.new.body
         Comment.create :body => "Hey guys"
       end
     end
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb
index bd6e216c62..aa75aa27d4 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/relations_test.rb
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ class RelationTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
 
   def test_find_in_empty_array
     authors = Author.scoped.where(:id => [])
-    assert authors.all.blank?
+    assert_blank authors.all
   end
 
   def test_exists
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ class RelationTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
 
   def test_relation_merging_with_locks
     devs = Developer.lock.where("salary >= 80000").order("id DESC") & Developer.limit(2)
-    assert devs.locked.present?
+    assert_present devs.locked
   end
 
   def test_relation_merging_with_preload
diff --git a/activesupport/lib/active_support/testing/assertions.rb b/activesupport/lib/active_support/testing/assertions.rb
index 8c68f42781..a4e0361a32 100644
--- a/activesupport/lib/active_support/testing/assertions.rb
+++ b/activesupport/lib/active_support/testing/assertions.rb
@@ -67,15 +67,17 @@ module ActiveSupport
       # Test if an expression is blank. Passes if object.blank? is true.
       #
       #   assert_blank [] # => true
-      def assert_blank(object)
-        assert object.blank?, "#{object.inspect} is not blank"
+      def assert_blank(object, message=nil)
+        message ||= "#{object.inspect} is not blank"
+        assert object.blank?, message
       end
 
       # Test if an expression is not blank. Passes if object.present? is true.
       #
       #   assert_present {:data => 'x' } # => true
-      def assert_present(object)
-        assert object.present?, "#{object.inspect} is blank"
+      def assert_present(object, message=nil)
+        message ||= "#{object.inspect} is blank"
+        assert object.present?, message
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/activesupport/test/caching_test.rb b/activesupport/test/caching_test.rb
index b79a7bbaec..28ef695a4b 100644
--- a/activesupport/test/caching_test.rb
+++ b/activesupport/test/caching_test.rb
@@ -649,12 +649,12 @@ class CacheStoreLoggerTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   def test_logging
     @cache.fetch('foo') { 'bar' }
-    assert @buffer.string.present?
+    assert_present @buffer.string
   end
 
   def test_mute_logging
     @cache.mute { @cache.fetch('foo') { 'bar' } }
-    assert @buffer.string.blank?
+    assert_blank @buffer.string
   end
 end