diff --git a/cake/dispatcher.php b/cake/dispatcher.php
index d04826593..da301e473 100644
--- a/cake/dispatcher.php
+++ b/cake/dispatcher.php
@@ -366,29 +366,6 @@ class Dispatcher extends Object {
 		}
 		return $base . $file;
 	}
-/**
- * Restructure params in case we're serving a plugin.
- *
- * @param array $params Array on where to re-set 'controller', 'action', and 'pass' indexes
- * @param boolean $reverse  If true all the params are shifted one forward, so plugin becomes
- *   controller, controller becomes action etc.  If false, plugin is made equal to controller
- * @return array Restructured array
- * @access protected
- */
-	function _restructureParams($params, $reverse = false) {
-		if ($reverse === true) {
-			extract(Router::getArgs($params['action']));
-			$params = array_merge($params, array(
-				'controller'=> $params['plugin'],
-				'action'=> $params['controller'],
-				'pass' => array_merge($pass, $params['pass']),
-				'named' => array_merge($named, $params['named'])
-			));
-		} else {
-			$params['plugin'] = $params['controller'];
-		}
-		return $params;
-	}
 
 /**
  * Get controller to use, either plugin controller or application controller
@@ -398,32 +375,14 @@ class Dispatcher extends Object {
  * @access private
  */
 	function &__getController() {
-		$original = $params = $this->params;
-
 		$controller = false;
-		$ctrlClass = $this->__loadController($params);
+		$ctrlClass = $this->__loadController($this->params);
 		if (!$ctrlClass) {
-			if (!isset($params['plugin'])) {
-				$params = $this->_restructureParams($params);
-			} else {
-				$params = $this->_restructureParams($params, true);
-			}
-			$ctrlClass = $this->__loadController($params);
-			if (!$ctrlClass) {
-				$this->params = $original;
-				return $controller;
-			}
+			return $controller;
 		}
 		$name = $ctrlClass;
 		$ctrlClass .= 'Controller';
 		if (class_exists($ctrlClass)) {
-			if (
-				empty($params['plugin']) && 
-				strtolower(get_parent_class($ctrlClass)) === strtolower($name . 'AppController')
-			) {
-				$params = $this->_restructureParams($params);
-			}
-			$this->params = $params;
 			$controller =& new $ctrlClass();
 		}
 		return $controller;
diff --git a/cake/libs/router.php b/cake/libs/router.php
index 0c988ac35..2239d59e5 100644
--- a/cake/libs/router.php
+++ b/cake/libs/router.php
@@ -540,17 +540,29 @@ class Router {
  * Connects the default, built-in routes, including prefix and plugin routes. The following routes are created
  * in the order below:
  *
+ * For each of the Routing.prefixes the following routes are created. Routes containing `:plugin` are only
+ * created when your application has one or more plugins.
+ *
+ * - `/:prefix/:plugin` a plugin shortcut route.
+ * - `/:prefix/:plugin/:action/*` a plugin shortcut route.
  * - `/:prefix/:plugin/:controller`
  * - `/:prefix/:plugin/:controller/:action/*`
  * - `/:prefix/:controller`
  * - `/:prefix/:controller/:action/*`
+ *
+ * If plugins are found in your application the following routes are created:
+ *
+ * - `/:plugin` a plugin shortcut route.
+ * - `/:plugin/:action/*` a plugin shortcut route.
  * - `/:plugin/:controller`
  * - `/:plugin/:controller/:action/*`
+ *
+ * And lastly the following catch-all routes are connected.
+ *
  * - `/:controller'
  * - `/:controller/:action/*'
  *
- * A prefix route is generated for each Routing.prefixes declared in core.php. You can disable the
- * connection of default routes with Router::defaults().
+ * You can disable the connection of default routes with Router::defaults().
  *
  * @return void
  * @access private
@@ -560,7 +572,8 @@ class Router {
 			foreach ($plugins as $key => $value) {
 				$plugins[$key] = Inflector::underscore($value);
 			}
-			$match = array('plugin' => implode('|', $plugins));
+			$pluginPattern = implode('|', $plugins);
+			$match = array('plugin' => $pluginPattern);
 
 			foreach ($this->__prefixes as $prefix) {
 				$params = array('prefix' => $prefix, $prefix => true);
@@ -568,6 +581,8 @@ class Router {
 				$this->connect("/{$prefix}/:plugin/:controller", $indexParams, $match);
 				$this->connect("/{$prefix}/:plugin/:controller/:action/*", $params, $match);
 			}
+			$shortParams = array('routeClass' => 'PluginShortRoute', 'plugin' => $pluginPattern);
+			$this->connect('/:plugin', array('action' => 'index'), $shortParams);
 			$this->connect('/:plugin/:controller', array('action' => 'index'), $match);
 			$this->connect('/:plugin/:controller/:action/*', array(), $match);
 		}
@@ -907,7 +922,7 @@ class Router {
 
 		$urlOut = array_filter(array($url['controller'], $url['action']));
 
-		if (isset($url['plugin']) && $url['plugin'] != $url['controller']) {
+		if (isset($url['plugin'])) {
 			array_unshift($urlOut, $url['plugin']);
 		}
 
@@ -1411,6 +1426,7 @@ class CakeRoute {
 			$route['pass'] = $route['named'] = array();
 			$route += $this->defaults;
 
+			//move numerically indexed elements from the defaults into pass.
 			foreach ($route as $key => $value) {
 				if (is_integer($key)) {
 					$route['pass'][] = $value;
@@ -1531,10 +1547,6 @@ class CakeRoute {
  * @access protected
  */
 	function _writeUrl($params) {
-		if (isset($params['plugin'], $params['controller']) && $params['plugin'] === $params['controller']) {
-			unset($params['controller']);
-		}
-
 		if (isset($params['prefix'], $params['action'])) {
 			$params['action'] = str_replace($params['prefix'] . '_', '', $params['action']);
 			unset($params['prefix']);
@@ -1576,4 +1588,46 @@ class CakeRoute {
 		return $out;
 	}
 }
+
+/**
+ * Plugin short route, that copies the plugin param to the controller parameters
+ * It is used for supporting /:plugin routes.
+ *
+ * @package cake.libs
+ */
+class PluginShortRoute extends CakeRoute {
+/**
+ * Parses a string url into an array.  If a plugin key is found, it will be copied to the 
+ * controller parameter
+ *
+ * @param string $url The url to parse
+ * @return mixed false on failure, or an array of request parameters
+ */
+	function parse($url) {
+		$params = parent::parse($url);
+		if (!$params) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		$params['controller'] = $params['plugin'];
+		return $params;
+	}
+
+/**
+ * Reverse route plugin shortcut urls.  If the plugin and controller
+ * are not the same the match is an auto fail.
+ *
+ * @param array $url Array of parameters to convert to a string.
+ * @return mixed either false or a string url.
+ */
+	function match($url) {
+		if (isset($url['controller']) && isset($url['plugin']) && $url['plugin'] != $url['controller']) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		$this->defaults['controller'] = $url['controller'];
+		$result = parent::match($url);
+		unset($this->defaults['controller']);
+		return $result;
+	}
+}
+
 ?>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
index c737d0e53..03128d4c3 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
@@ -340,6 +340,14 @@ class ArticlesTestController extends ArticlesTestAppController {
 	function admin_index() {
 		return true;
 	}
+/**
+ * fake index method.
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	function index() {
+		return true;
+	}
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1397,11 +1405,9 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$Router =& Router::getInstance();
 		$controller = $Dispatcher->dispatch($url, array('return' => 1));
 
-		$expected = 'TestDispatchPages';
-		$this->assertEqual($expected, $controller->name);
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->name, 'TestDispatchPages');
 
-		$expected = array('param' => 'value', 'param2' => 'value2');
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->passedArgs);
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->passedArgs, array('param' => 'value', 'param2' => 'value2'));
 		$this->assertTrue($controller->params['admin']);
 
 		$expected = '/cake/repo/branches/1.2.x.x/index.php/admin/test_dispatch_pages/index/param:value/param2:value2';
@@ -1423,7 +1429,10 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 
 		Router::reload();
 		$Dispatcher =& new TestDispatcher();
-		Router::connect('/my_plugin/:controller/*', array('plugin'=>'my_plugin', 'controller'=>'pages', 'action'=>'display'));
+		Router::connect(
+			'/my_plugin/:controller/*', 
+			array('plugin' => 'my_plugin', 'controller' => 'pages', 'action' => 'display')
+		);
 
 		$Dispatcher->base = false;
 		$url = 'my_plugin/some_pages/home/param:value/param2:value2';
@@ -1441,17 +1450,10 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 
 		$this->assertEqual($expected, $result);
 
-		$expected = 'my_plugin';
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->plugin);
-
-		$expected = 'SomePages';
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->name);
-
-		$expected = 'some_pages';
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->params['controller']);
-
-		$expected = array('0' => 'home', 'param'=>'value', 'param2'=>'value2');
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->passedArgs);
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, 'my_plugin');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, 'SomePages');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->params['controller'], 'some_pages');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->passedArgs, array('0' => 'home', 'param'=>'value', 'param2'=>'value2'));
 
 		$expected = '/cake/repo/branches/1.2.x.x/my_plugin/some_pages/home/param:value/param2:value2';
 		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->here);
@@ -1472,24 +1474,20 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 
 		Router::reload();
 		$Dispatcher =& new TestDispatcher();
-		Router::connect('/my_plugin/:controller/:action/*', array('plugin'=>'my_plugin', 'controller'=>'pages', 'action'=>'display'));
+		Router::connect(
+			'/my_plugin/:controller/:action/*',
+			array('plugin' => 'my_plugin', 'controller' => 'pages', 'action' => 'display')
+		);
 
 		$Dispatcher->base = false;
 
 		$url = 'my_plugin/other_pages/index/param:value/param2:value2';
 		$controller = $Dispatcher->dispatch($url, array('return' => 1));
 
-		$expected = 'my_plugin';
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->plugin);
-
-		$expected = 'OtherPages';
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->name);
-
-		$expected = 'index';
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->action);
-
-		$expected = array('param' => 'value', 'param2' => 'value2');
-		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->passedArgs);
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, 'my_plugin');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, 'OtherPages');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->action, 'index');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->passedArgs, array('param' => 'value', 'param2' => 'value2'));
 
 		$expected = '/cake/repo/branches/1.2.x.x/my_plugin/other_pages/index/param:value/param2:value2';
 		$this->assertIdentical($expected, $controller->here);
@@ -1508,6 +1506,13 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$_POST = array();
 		$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] = '/cake/repo/branches/1.2.x.x/index.php';
 
+		$plugins = App::objects('plugin');
+		$plugins[] = 'MyPlugin';
+		$plugins[] = 'ArticlesTest';
+
+		$app = App::getInstance();
+		$app->__objects['plugin'] = $plugins;
+
 		Router::reload();
 		$Dispatcher =& new TestDispatcher();
 		$Dispatcher->base = false;
@@ -1526,7 +1531,7 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$Dispatcher =& new TestDispatcher();
 		$Dispatcher->base = false;
 
-		/* Simulates the Route for a real plugin, installed in APP/plugins */
+		// Simulates the Route for a real plugin, installed in APP/plugins
 		Router::connect('/my_plugin/:controller/:action/*', array('plugin' => 'my_plugin'));
 
 		$plugin = 'MyPlugin';
@@ -1534,15 +1539,9 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 
 		$url = $pluginUrl;
 		$controller = $Dispatcher->dispatch($url, array('return' => 1));
-
-		$expected = $pluginUrl;
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, $expected);
-
-		$expected = $plugin;
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, $expected);
-
-		$expected = 'index';
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->action, $expected);
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, 'my_plugin');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, 'MyPlugin');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->action, 'index');
 
 		$expected = $pluginUrl;
 		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['controller'], $expected);
@@ -1557,37 +1556,40 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$url = 'admin/my_plugin/add/5/param:value/param2:value2';
 		$controller = $Dispatcher->dispatch($url, array('return' => 1));
 
-		$expected = 'my_plugin';
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, $expected);
-
-		$expected = 'MyPlugin';
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, $expected);
-
-		$expected = 'admin_add';
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->action, $expected);
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['plugin'], 'my_plugin');
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['controller'], 'my_plugin');
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['action'], 'admin_add');
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['pass'], array(5));
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['named'], array('param' => 'value', 'param2' => 'value2'));
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, 'my_plugin');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, 'MyPlugin');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->action, 'admin_add');
 
 		$expected = array(0 => 5, 'param'=>'value', 'param2'=>'value2');
 		$this->assertEqual($controller->passedArgs, $expected);
 
+		Configure::write('Routing.prefixes', array('admin'));
 		Router::reload();
 
 		$Dispatcher =& new TestDispatcher();
 		$Dispatcher->base = false;
 
 		$controller = $Dispatcher->dispatch('admin/articles_test', array('return' => 1));
-
-		$expected = 'articles_test';
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, $expected);
-
-		$expected = 'ArticlesTest';
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, $expected);
-
-		$expected = 'admin_index';
-		$this->assertIdentical($controller->action, $expected);
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->plugin, 'articles_test');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->name, 'ArticlesTest');
+		$this->assertIdentical($controller->action, 'admin_index');
 
 		$expected = array(
-			'pass'=> array(), 'named' => array(), 'controller' => 'articles_test', 'plugin' => 'articles_test', 'action' => 'admin_index',
-			'prefix' => 'admin', 'admin' =>  true, 'form' => array(), 'url' => array('url' => 'admin/articles_test'), 'return' => 1
+			'pass'=> array(),
+			'named' => array(),
+			'controller' => 'articles_test',
+			'plugin' => 'articles_test',
+			'action' => 'admin_index',
+			'prefix' => 'admin',
+			'admin' =>  true,
+			'form' => array(), 
+			'url' => array('url' => 'admin/articles_test'),
+			'return' => 1
 		);
 		$this->assertEqual($controller->params, $expected);
 	}
@@ -1602,9 +1604,13 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 	function testAutomaticPluginDispatchWithShortAccess() {
 		$_POST = array();
 		$_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] = '/cake/repo/branches/1.2.x.x/index.php';
+		$plugins = App::objects('plugin');
+		$plugins[] = 'MyPlugin';
+
+		$app = App::getInstance();
+		$app->__objects['plugin'] = $plugins;
 
 		Router::reload();
-		Router::connect('/my_plugin/:controller/:action/*', array('plugin' => 'my_plugin'));
 
 		$Dispatcher =& new TestDispatcher();
 		$Dispatcher->base = false;
@@ -1633,6 +1639,9 @@ class DispatcherTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$url = 'my_plugin/add';
 		$controller = $Dispatcher->dispatch($url, array('return' => 1));
 		$this->assertFalse(isset($controller->params['pass'][0]));
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['controller'], 'my_plugin');
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['action'], 'add');
+		$this->assertEqual($controller->params['plugin'], 'my_plugin');
 
 		$Dispatcher =& new TestDispatcher();
 		$Dispatcher->base = false;
diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/libs/router.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/libs/router.test.php
index 57b450434..6e0689abe 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/libs/router.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/libs/router.test.php
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
  * @since         CakePHP(tm) v 1.2.0.4206
  * @license       http://www.opensource.org/licenses/opengroup.php The Open Group Test Suite License
  */
-App::import('Core', array('Router', 'Debugger'));
+App::import('Core', array('Router'));
 
 if (!defined('FULL_BASE_URL')) {
 	define('FULL_BASE_URL', 'http://cakephp.org');
@@ -741,31 +741,10 @@ class RouterTest extends CakeTestCase {
 			'lang' => 'en',
 			'controller' => 'shows', 'action' => 'index', 'page' => '1',
 		));
-		$expected = '/en/shows/page:1';
+		$expected = '/en/shows/shows/page:1';
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
 	}
 
-/**
- * test that plugin short cut routes behave properly. Parse and reverse route correctly.
- *
- * @return void
- */
-	function testPluginShortcutRoutes() {
-		$result = Router::url(array('plugin' => 'test_plugin', 'controller' => 'test_plugin', 'action' => 'index'));
-		$this->assertEqual($result, '/test_plugin', 'Plugin shortcut index action failed.');
-	
-		$result = Router::url(array('plugin' => 'test_plugin', 'controller' => 'test_plugin', 'action' => 'view', 1));
-		$this->assertEqual($result, '/test_plugin/view/1', 'Plugin shortcut with passed args failed.');
-
-		$result = Router::url(array(
-			'plugin' => 'test_plugin', 'controller' => 'test_plugin', 'action' => 'view',
-			1, 'sort' => 'title', 'dir' => 'asc'
-		));
-		$this->assertEqual(
-			$result, '/test_plugin/view/1/sort:title/dir:asc', 'Plugin shortcut with passed + named args failed.'
-		);
-	}
-
 /**
  * test that you can leave active plugin routes with plugin = null
  *
@@ -1146,7 +1125,7 @@ class RouterTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		Router::parse('/');
 
 		$result = Router::url(array('plugin' => 'test_plugin', 'controller' => 'test_plugin', 'action' => 'index'));
-		$expected = '/admin/test_plugin';
+		$expected = '/admin/test_plugin/test_plugin';
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
 
 		Router::reload();
@@ -1964,6 +1943,7 @@ class RouterTest extends CakeTestCase {
 			)
 		), true);
 		App::objects('plugin', null, false);
+		Router::reload();
 
 		$plugins = App::objects('plugin');
 		$plugin = Inflector::underscore($plugins[0]);
@@ -1976,6 +1956,17 @@ class RouterTest extends CakeTestCase {
 			'named' => array(), 'pass' => array()
 		);
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
+
+		$result = Router::url(array('plugin' => 'test_plugin', 'controller' => 'test_plugin', 'action' => 'index'));
+		$this->assertEqual($result, '/test_plugin');
+
+		$result = Router::parse('/test_plugin');
+		$expected = array(
+			'plugin' => 'test_plugin', 'controller' => 'test_plugin', 'action' => 'index',
+			'named' => array(), 'pass' => array()
+		);
+
+		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected, 'Plugin shortcut route broken. %s');
 	}
 
 /**
@@ -2437,4 +2428,64 @@ class CakeRouteTestCase extends CakeTestCase {
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * test case for PluginShortRoute
+ *
+ * @package cake.tests.libs
+ */
+class PluginShortRouteTestCase extends  CakeTestCase {
+/**
+ * startTest method
+ *
+ * @access public
+ * @return void
+ */
+	function startTest() {
+		$this->_routing = Configure::read('Routing');
+		Configure::write('Routing', array('admin' => null, 'prefixes' => array()));
+		Router::reload();
+	}
+
+/**
+ * end the test and reset the environment
+ *
+ * @return void
+ **/
+	function endTest() {
+		Configure::write('Routing', $this->_routing);
+	}
+
+/**
+ * test the parsing of routes.
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	function testParsing() {
+		$route =& new PluginShortRoute('/:plugin', array('action' => 'index'), array('plugin' => 'foo|bar'));
+
+		$result = $route->parse('/foo');
+		$this->assertEqual($result['plugin'], 'foo');
+		$this->assertEqual($result['controller'], 'foo');
+		$this->assertEqual($result['action'], 'index');
+
+		$result = $route->parse('/wrong');
+		$this->assertFalse($result, 'Wrong plugin name matched %s');
+	}
+
+/**
+ * test the reverse routing of the plugin shortcut urls.
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	function testMatch() {
+		$route =& new PluginShortRoute('/:plugin', array('action' => 'index'), array('plugin' => 'foo|bar'));
+
+		$result = $route->match(array('plugin' => 'foo', 'controller' => 'posts', 'action' => 'index'));
+		$this->assertFalse($result, 'plugin controller mismatch was converted. %s');
+
+		$result = $route->match(array('plugin' => 'foo', 'controller' => 'foo', 'action' => 'index'));
+		$this->assertEqual($result, '/foo');
+	}
+}
+
 ?>
\ No newline at end of file