diff --git a/cake/libs/controller/component_collection.php b/cake/libs/controller/component_collection.php
index 3d9e23c47..1925355ed 100644
--- a/cake/libs/controller/component_collection.php
+++ b/cake/libs/controller/component_collection.php
@@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ class ComponentCollection extends ObjectCollection {
  * Loads/constructs a component.  Will return the instance in the registry if it already exists.
  * You can use `$settings['enabled'] = false` to disable callbacks on a component when loading it.
  * Callbacks default to on.  Disabled component methods work as normal, only callbacks are disabled.
+ *
+ * You can alias your component as an existing component by setting the 'alias' key, i.e.,
+ * {{{
+ * public $components = array(
+ *   'AliasedEmail' => array(
+ *     'alias' => 'Email'
+ *   );
+ * );
+ * }}}
+ * All calls to the `Email` component would use `AliasedEmail` instead.
  * 
  * @param string $component Component name to load
  * @param array $settings Settings for the component.
@@ -65,8 +75,12 @@ class ComponentCollection extends ObjectCollection {
  */
 	public function load($component, $settings = array()) {
 		list($plugin, $name) = pluginSplit($component);
-		if (isset($this->_loaded[$name])) {
-			return $this->_loaded[$name];
+		$alias = $name;
+		if (isset($settings['alias'])) {
+			$alias = $settings['alias'];
+		}
+		if (isset($this->_loaded[$alias])) {
+			return $this->_loaded[$alias];
 		}
 		$componentClass = $name . 'Component';
 		if (!class_exists($componentClass)) {
@@ -83,12 +97,12 @@ class ComponentCollection extends ObjectCollection {
 				));
 			}
 		}
-		$this->_loaded[$name] = new $componentClass($this, $settings);
+		$this->_loaded[$alias] = new $componentClass($this, $settings);
 		$enable = isset($settings['enabled']) ? $settings['enabled'] : true;
 		if ($enable === true) {
-			$this->_enabled[] = $name;
+			$this->_enabled[] = $alias;
 		}
-		return $this->_loaded[$name];
+		return $this->_loaded[$alias];
 	}
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/libs/controller/component_collection.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/libs/controller/component_collection.test.php
index 3d84142d2..cad0a77a9 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/libs/controller/component_collection.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/libs/controller/component_collection.test.php
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@
 App::import('Component', array('Cookie', 'Security'));
 App::import('Core', 'ComponentCollection');
 
+/**
+ * Extended CookieComponent
+ */
+class CookieAliasComponent extends CookieComponent {
+}
+
 class ComponentCollectionTest extends CakeTestCase {
 /**
  * setup
@@ -58,6 +64,26 @@ class ComponentCollectionTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$this->assertSame($result, $this->Components->Cookie);
 	}
 
+/**
+ * Tests loading as an alias
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	function testLoadWithAlias() {
+		$result = $this->Components->load('CookieAlias', array('alias' => 'Cookie', 'somesetting' => true));
+		$this->assertInstanceOf('CookieAliasComponent', $result);
+		$this->assertInstanceOf('CookieAliasComponent', $this->Components->Cookie);
+		$this->assertTrue($this->Components->Cookie->settings['somesetting']);
+
+		$result = $this->Components->attached();
+		$this->assertEquals(array('Cookie'), $result, 'attached() results are wrong.');
+
+		$this->assertTrue($this->Components->enabled('Cookie'));
+
+		$result = $this->Components->load('Cookie');
+		$this->assertInstanceOf('CookieAliasComponent', $result);
+	}
+
 /**
  * test load and enable = false
  *