diff --git a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php
index 8bd4dd4d5d2..deef4bc7172 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Controller/Component/AuthComponent.php
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ public function constructAuthorize() {
  * @return void
  * @link http://book.cakephp.org/view/1257/allow
  */
-	public function allow($action) {
+	public function allow($action = null) {
 		$args = func_get_args();
 		if (empty($args) || $args == array('*')) {
 			$this->allowedActions = $this->_methods;
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ public function allow($action) {
  * @see AuthComponent::allow()
  * @link http://book.cakephp.org/view/1258/deny
  */
-	public function deny($action) {
+	public function deny($action = null) {
 		$args = func_get_args();
 		if (isset($args[0]) && is_array($args[0])) {
 			$args = $args[0];
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php
index 80a4fe1e53e..d31db84dc1b 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/Component/AuthComponentTest.php
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ public function testAllConfigWithAuthenticate() {
 	public function testAllowDenyAll() {
 		$this->Controller->Auth->initialize($this->Controller);
 
-		$this->Controller->Auth->allow('*');
+		$this->Controller->Auth->allow();
 		$this->Controller->Auth->deny('add', 'camelCase');
 
 		$this->Controller->request['action'] = 'delete';
@@ -621,6 +621,9 @@ public function testAllowDenyAll() {
 		$this->Controller->Auth->allow('*');
 		$this->Controller->Auth->deny(array('add', 'camelCase'));
 
+		$this->Controller->request['action'] = 'delete';
+		$this->assertTrue($this->Controller->Auth->startup($this->Controller));
+
 		$this->Controller->request['action'] = 'camelCase';
 		$this->assertFalse($this->Controller->Auth->startup($this->Controller));
 	}