diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DataSource.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DataSource.php
index 074ec5d3a..34d7a4929 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DataSource.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DataSource.php
@@ -114,14 +114,18 @@ class DataSource extends Object {
 /**
  * Returns a Model description (metadata) or null if none found.
  *
- * @param Model $model
+ * @param Model|string $model
  * @return array Array of Metadata for the $model
  */
-	public function describe(Model $model) {
+	public function describe($model) {
 		if ($this->cacheSources === false) {
 			return null;
 		}
-		$table = $model->tablePrefix . $model->table;
+		if (is_string($model)) {
+			$table = $model;
+		} else {
+			$table = $model->tablePrefix . $model->table;
+		}
 
 		if (isset($this->_descriptions[$table])) {
 			return $this->_descriptions[$table];
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php
index e25b5b675..513741446 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/Database/Postgres.php
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ class Postgres extends DboSource {
  * @param Model $model Name of database table to inspect
  * @return array Fields in table. Keys are name and type
  */
-	public function describe(Model $model) {
+	public function describe($model) {
 		$fields = parent::describe($model);
 		$table = $this->fullTableName($model, false);
 		$this->_sequenceMap[$table] = array();