diff --git a/cake/dispatcher.php b/cake/dispatcher.php
index 6730499389b..abfd56d5da1 100644
--- a/cake/dispatcher.php
+++ b/cake/dispatcher.php
@@ -420,14 +420,13 @@ function &__getController() {
 				$this->params = $original;
 				return $controller;
 			}
-		} else {
-			if (!isset($params['plugin'])) {
-				$params = $this->_restructureParams($params);
-			}
 		}
 		$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();
 		}
diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
index ddd2c306206..47aa91d3fc7 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
@@ -1321,6 +1321,8 @@ function testDispatch() {
 
 		$url = 'pages/home/';
 		$controller = $Dispatcher->dispatch($url, array('return' => 1));
+		$this->assertNull($controller->plugin);
+		$this->assertNull($Dispatcher->params['plugin']);
 
 		$expected = 'Pages';
 		$this->assertEqual($expected, $controller->name);