diff --git a/cake/basics.php b/cake/basics.php
index 2403b75bc..0e63fda86 100644
--- a/cake/basics.php
+++ b/cake/basics.php
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
  * @link http://book.cakephp.org/view/1128/debug
  */
 	function debug($var = false, $showHtml = false, $showFrom = true) {
-		if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 			if ($showFrom) {
 				$calledFrom = debug_backtrace();
 				echo '<strong>' . substr(str_replace(ROOT, '', $calledFrom[0]['file']), 1) . '</strong>';
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ if (!function_exists('sortByKey')) {
  * @link http://book.cakephp.org/view/1136/pr
  */
 	function pr($var) {
-		if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 			echo '<pre>';
 			print_r($var);
 			echo '</pre>';
diff --git a/cake/libs/configure.php b/cake/libs/configure.php
index de12d7bc0..d1c19982c 100644
--- a/cake/libs/configure.php
+++ b/cake/libs/configure.php
@@ -25,23 +25,16 @@
  * @subpackage    cake.cake.libs
  * @link          http://book.cakephp.org/view/924/The-Configuration-Class
  */
-class Configure extends Object {
-
-/**
- * Current debug level.
- *
- * @link          http://book.cakephp.org/view/931/CakePHP-Core-Configuration-Variables
- * @var integer
- * @access public
- */
-	public $debug = 0;
+class Configure {
 
 /**
  * Array of values currently stored in Configure.
  *
  * @var array
  */
-	protected static $_values = array();
+	protected static $_values = array(
+		'debug' => 0
+	);
 
 /**
  * Initializes configure and runs the bootstrap process.
@@ -147,11 +140,13 @@ class Configure extends Object {
  * @param string $var Variable to obtain.  Use '.' to access array elements.
  * @return string value of Configure::$var
  */
-	public static function read($var = 'debug') {
-		if ($var === 'debug') {
-			return self::$_values['debug'];
+	public static function read($var = null) {
+		if ($var === null) {
+			return self::$_values;
+		}
+		if (isset(self::$_values[$var])) {
+			return self::$_values[$var];
 		}
-
 		if (strpos($var, '.') !== false) {
 			$names = explode('.', $var, 3);
 			$var = $names[0];
@@ -159,9 +154,6 @@ class Configure extends Object {
 		if (!isset(self::$_values[$var])) {
 			return null;
 		}
-		if (!isset($names[1])) {
-			return self::$_values[$var];
-		}
 		switch (count($names)) {
 			case 2:
 				if (isset(self::$_values[$var][$names[1]])) {
@@ -315,7 +307,7 @@ class Configure extends Object {
 	private static function __writeConfig($content, $name, $write = true) {
 		$file = CACHE . 'persistent' . DS . $name . '.php';
 
-		if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 			$expires = "+10 seconds";
 		} else {
 			$expires = "+999 days";
@@ -369,7 +361,7 @@ class Configure extends Object {
 					$prefix = $cache['settings']['prefix'];
 				}
 
-				if (Configure::read() >= 1) {
+				if (Configure::read('debug') >= 1) {
 					$duration = '+10 seconds';
 				} else {
 					$duration = '+999 days';
diff --git a/cake/libs/controller/components/auth.php b/cake/libs/controller/components/auth.php
index 01c9d88cc..d70d4797e 100644
--- a/cake/libs/controller/components/auth.php
+++ b/cake/libs/controller/components/auth.php
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ class AuthComponent extends Object {
 			}
 		}
 		$this->_set($settings);
-		if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 			App::import('Debugger');
 			Debugger::checkSecurityKeys();
 		}
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ class AuthComponent extends Object {
 	public function startup(&$controller) {
 		$isErrorOrTests = (
 			strtolower($controller->name) == 'cakeerror' ||
-			(strtolower($controller->name) == 'tests' && Configure::read() > 0)
+			(strtolower($controller->name) == 'tests' && Configure::read('debug') > 0)
 		);
 		if ($isErrorOrTests) {
 			return true;
diff --git a/cake/libs/controller/components/request_handler.php b/cake/libs/controller/components/request_handler.php
index eedfc80cf..2a9e42ac5 100644
--- a/cake/libs/controller/components/request_handler.php
+++ b/cake/libs/controller/components/request_handler.php
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ class RequestHandlerComponent extends Object {
 			if (!empty($options['attachment'])) {
 				$this->_header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=\"{$options['attachment']}\"");
 			}
-			if (Configure::read() < 2 && !defined('CAKEPHP_SHELL')) {
+			if (Configure::read('debug') < 2 && !defined('CAKEPHP_SHELL')) {
 				$this->_header($header);
 			}
 			$this->__responseTypeSet = $cType;
diff --git a/cake/libs/controller/controller.php b/cake/libs/controller/controller.php
index 87cb2c440..0f8bfe189 100644
--- a/cake/libs/controller/controller.php
+++ b/cake/libs/controller/controller.php
@@ -826,7 +826,7 @@ class Controller extends Object {
 
 		$this->params['models'] = $this->modelNames;
 
-		if (Configure::read() > 2) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 2) {
 			$this->set('cakeDebug', $this);
 		}
 
diff --git a/cake/libs/debugger.php b/cake/libs/debugger.php
index d6b042727..dc9aa2c90 100644
--- a/cake/libs/debugger.php
+++ b/cake/libs/debugger.php
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ class Debugger {
 		if (!empty($class)) {
 			if (!$instance || strtolower($class) != strtolower(get_class($instance[0]))) {
 				$instance[0] = & new $class();
-				if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+				if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 					Configure::version(); // Make sure the core config is loaded
 					$instance[0]->helpPath = Configure::read('Cake.Debugger.HelpPath');
 				}
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class Debugger {
 
 		if (!$instance) {
 			$instance[0] =& new Debugger();
-			if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+			if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 				Configure::version(); // Make sure the core config is loaded
 				$instance[0]->helpPath = Configure::read('Cake.Debugger.HelpPath');
 			}
diff --git a/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_oracle.php b/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_oracle.php
index 708c74250..063a445be 100644
--- a/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_oracle.php
+++ b/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo/dbo_oracle.php
@@ -977,7 +977,7 @@ class DboOracle extends DboSource {
 	function queryAssociation(&$model, &$linkModel, $type, $association, $assocData, &$queryData, $external = false, &$resultSet, $recursive, $stack) {
 		if ($query = $this->generateAssociationQuery($model, $linkModel, $type, $association, $assocData, $queryData, $external, $resultSet)) {
 			if (!isset($resultSet) || !is_array($resultSet)) {
-				if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+				if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 					echo '<div style = "font: Verdana bold 12px; color: #FF0000">' . sprintf(__('SQL Error in model %s:'), $model->alias) . ' ';
 					if (isset($this->error) && $this->error != null) {
 						echo $this->error;
diff --git a/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo_source.php b/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo_source.php
index 0067435e5..f3ef86eed 100755
--- a/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo_source.php
+++ b/cake/libs/model/datasources/dbo_source.php
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class DboSource extends DataSource {
 			$config['prefix'] = '';
 		}
 		parent::__construct($config);
-		$this->fullDebug = Configure::read() > 1;
+		$this->fullDebug = Configure::read('debug') > 1;
 		if (!$this->enabled()) {
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -651,10 +651,10 @@ class DboSource extends DataSource {
  */
 	public function showQuery($sql) {
 		$error = $this->error;
-		if (strlen($sql) > 200 && !$this->fullDebug && Configure::read() > 1) {
+		if (strlen($sql) > 200 && !$this->fullDebug && Configure::read('debug') > 1) {
 			$sql = substr($sql, 0, 200) . '[...]';
 		}
-		if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 			$out = null;
 			if ($error) {
 				trigger_error('<span style="color:Red;text-align:left"><b>' . __('SQL Error:') . "</b> {$this->error}</span>", E_USER_WARNING);
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ class DboSource extends DataSource {
 	public function queryAssociation(&$model, &$linkModel, $type, $association, $assocData, &$queryData, $external = false, &$resultSet, $recursive, $stack) {
 		if ($query = $this->generateAssociationQuery($model, $linkModel, $type, $association, $assocData, $queryData, $external, $resultSet)) {
 			if (!isset($resultSet) || !is_array($resultSet)) {
-				if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+				if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 					echo '<div style = "font: Verdana bold 12px; color: #FF0000">' . sprintf(__('SQL Error in model %s:'), $model->alias) . ' ';
 					if (isset($this->error) && $this->error != null) {
 						echo $this->error;
diff --git a/cake/libs/object.php b/cake/libs/object.php
index dc7b0a1d6..b4da0bd68 100644
--- a/cake/libs/object.php
+++ b/cake/libs/object.php
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ class Object {
 		$data = str_replace('\\', '\\\\', serialize($objectArray));
 		$data = '<?php $' . $name . ' = \'' . str_replace('\'', '\\\'', $data) . '\' ?>';
 		$duration = '+999 days';
-		if (Configure::read() >= 1) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') >= 1) {
 			$duration = '+10 seconds';
 		}
 		cache($file, $data, $duration);
diff --git a/cake/libs/view/helper.php b/cake/libs/view/helper.php
index 43005a220..0721c7466 100644
--- a/cake/libs/view/helper.php
+++ b/cake/libs/view/helper.php
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ class Helper extends Object {
  */
 	public function assetTimestamp($path) {
 		$timestampEnabled = (
-			(Configure::read('Asset.timestamp') === true && Configure::read() > 0) ||
+			(Configure::read('Asset.timestamp') === true && Configure::read('debug') > 0) ||
 			Configure::read('Asset.timestamp') === 'force'
 		);
 		if (strpos($path, '?') === false && $timestampEnabled) {
diff --git a/cake/libs/view/view.php b/cake/libs/view/view.php
index 98bdc46c8..c040f2d93 100644
--- a/cake/libs/view/view.php
+++ b/cake/libs/view/view.php
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ class View extends Object {
 		}
 		$file = $paths[0] . 'elements' . DS . $name . $this->ext;
 
-		if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 			return "Not Found: " . $file;
 		}
 	}
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ class View extends Object {
 		ob_start();
 		include ($filename);
 
-		if (Configure::read() > 0 && $this->layout != 'xml') {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0 && $this->layout != 'xml') {
 			echo "<!-- Cached Render Time: " . round(microtime(true) - $timeStart, 4) . "s -->";
 		}
 		$out = ob_get_clean();
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ class View extends Object {
 		extract($___dataForView, EXTR_SKIP);
 		ob_start();
 
-		if (Configure::read() > 0) {
+		if (Configure::read('debug') > 0) {
 			include ($___viewFn);
 		} else {
 			@include ($___viewFn);
diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/libs/configure.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/libs/configure.test.php
index aacd0729b..c7bf6ff71 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/libs/configure.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/libs/configure.test.php
@@ -99,6 +99,14 @@ class ConfigureTest extends CakeTestCase {
 
 		$result = Configure::read('debug');
 		$this->assertTrue($result >= 0);
+		
+		$result = Configure::read();
+		$this->assertTrue(is_array($result));
+		$this->assertTrue(isset($result['debug']));
+		$this->assertTrue(isset($result['level1']));
+
+		$result = Configure::read('something_I_just_made_up_now');
+		$this->assertEquals(null, $result, 'Missing key should return null.');
 	}
 
 /**