diff --git a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php
index 697d31815..0b5aea1d6 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ class AuthComponent extends Component {
  */
 	public function allow($action = null) {
 		$args = func_get_args();
-		if (empty($args)) {
+		if (empty($args) || $action === null) {
 			$this->allowedActions = $this->_methods;
 		} else {
 			if (isset($args[0]) && is_array($args[0])) {
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ class AuthComponent extends Component {
  */
 	public function deny($action = null) {
 		$args = func_get_args();
-		if (empty($args)) {
+		if (empty($args) || $action === null) {
 			$this->allowedActions = array();
 		} else {
 			if (isset($args[0]) && is_array($args[0])) {
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php
index 486bf88a9..f80e8ff81 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php
@@ -654,6 +654,18 @@ class AuthComponentTest extends CakeTestCase {
 
 		$this->Controller->request['action'] = 'login';
 		$this->assertFalse($this->Controller->Auth->startup($this->Controller));
+	
+		$this->Controller->Auth->deny();
+		$this->Controller->Auth->allow(null);
+
+		$this->Controller->request['action'] = 'camelCase';
+		$this->assertTrue($this->Controller->Auth->startup($this->Controller));
+
+		$this->Controller->Auth->allow();
+		$this->Controller->Auth->deny(null);
+
+		$this->Controller->request['action'] = 'camelCase';
+		$this->assertFalse($this->Controller->Auth->startup($this->Controller));
 	}
 
 /**