diff --git a/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php b/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php
index 9100dc5441f..38f26ba554d 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Controller/Controller.php
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ public function constructClasses() {
 		$this->_mergeControllerVars();
 		if ($this->uses) {
 			$this->uses = (array)$this->uses;
-			list(, $this->modelClass) = pluginSplit(current($this->uses));
+			list(, $this->modelClass) = pluginSplit(reset($this->uses));
 		}
 		$this->Components->init($this);
 		return true;
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/ControllerMergeVarsTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/ControllerMergeVarsTest.php
index ad59802ab5f..c6207e19c9a 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/ControllerMergeVarsTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Controller/ControllerMergeVarsTest.php
@@ -250,4 +250,17 @@ public function testMergeVarsNotGreedy() {
 
 		$this->assertFalse(isset($Controller->Session));
 	}
+
+/**
+ * Ensure that $modelClass is correct even when Controller::$uses
+ * has been iterated, eg: by a Component, or event handlers.
+ */
+	public function testMergeVarsModelClass() {
+		$Controller = new MergeVariablescontroller();
+		$Controller->uses = array('Test', 'TestAlias');
+		$lastModel = end($Controller->uses);
+		$Controller->constructClasses();
+		$this->assertEquals($Controller->uses[0], $Controller->modelClass);
+	}
+
 }