--- a/rspec/CHANGES
+++ b/rspec/CHANGES
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Note: we've removed the metaclass method from Object. There were some generated
 used it, and they will now break. Just replace the metaclass call with (class << self; self; end)
 and all will be well.
 
+* Improved stub_model such that new_record? does "the right thing"
 * Patch from Pat Maddox to get integrate_views to work in nested example groups.
 * Patch from Pat Maddox to get controller_name to work in nested example groups.
 * Patch from Corey Haines to add include_text matcher (rspec_on_rails)

--- a/rspec_on_rails/lib/spec/rails/example/rails_example_group.rb
+++ b/rspec_on_rails/lib/spec/rails/example/rails_example_group.rb
@@ -52,16 +52,28 @@ module Spec
           m
         end
         
-        # Creates an instance of a +model_class+ that is prohibited
-        # from accessing the database. It comes with an id, although
-        # you can stub the id explicitly.
+        # :call-seq:
+        #   stub_model(Model)
+        #   stub_model(Model, hash_of_stubs)
+        #
+        # Creates an instance of +Model+ that is prohibited from accessing the
+        # database. For each key in +hash_of_stubs+, if the model has a
+        # matching attribute (determined by asking it, which it answers based
+        # on schema.rb) are simply assigned the submitted values. If the model
+        # does not have a matching attribute, the key/value pair is assigned as
+        # a stub return value using RSpec's mocking/stubbing framework.
+        #
+        # new_record? is overridden to return the result of id.nil? This means
+        # that by default new_record? will return false. If you explicitly set
+        # :id => nil, the object will behave as you would expect, and return
+        # true for new_record?
         #
         # == Examples
         #
         #   stub_model(Person)
         #   stub_model(Person, :id => 37)
         #   stub_model(Person) do |person|
-        #     person.first_name = "David"
+        #     model.first_name = "David"
         #   end
         def stub_model(model_class, stubs = {})
           id = @@model_id
@@ -70,16 +82,24 @@ module Spec
             :id => id
           }.merge(stubs)
           returning model_class.new do |model|
-            add_stubs(model, stubs)
+            model.id = stubs.delete(:id)
             (class << model; self; end).class_eval do
               def connection
                 raise IllegalDataAccessException.new("stubbed models are not allowed to access the database")
               end
+              def new_record?
+                id.nil?
+              end
             end
+            stubs.each do |k,v|
+              if model.has_attribute?(k)
+                model[k] = stubs.delete(k)
+              end
+            end
+            add_stubs(model, stubs)
             yield model if block_given?
           end
         end
-
         #--
         # TODO - Shouldn't this just be an extension of stub! ??
         # - object.stub!(:method => return_value, :method2 => return_value2, :etc => etc)

--- a/rspec_on_rails/spec/rails/mocks/stub_model_spec.rb
+++ b/rspec_on_rails/spec/rails/mocks/stub_model_spec.rb
@@ -6,14 +6,26 @@ describe "stub_model" do
     stub_model(MockableModel).id.should be >= 1000
   end
   
+  it "should say it is not a new record by default" do
+    stub_model(MockableModel).should_not be_new_record
+  end
+  
   it "should accept a stub id" do
-    stub_model(MockableModel, :id => 3).id.should == 3
+    stub_model(MockableModel, :id => 37).id.should == 37
+  end
+  
+  it "should say it is a new record when id is set to nil" do
+    stub_model(MockableModel, :id => nil).should be_new_record
   end
   
   it "should accept a stub anything" do
     stub_model(MockableModel, :foo => "bar").foo.should == "bar"
   end
   
+  it "should accept a stub for save" do
+    stub_model(MockableModel, :save => false).save.should be(false)
+  end
+  
   it "should raise when hitting the db" do
     lambda do
       stub_model(MockableModel).save