diff --git a/foo.rb b/foo.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f40e0d94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/foo.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+require 'spec'
+
+describe "thing" do
+  it "does something" do
+    subject.should == self
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/spec/example/subject.rb b/lib/spec/example/subject.rb
index 1507ddcad..34f8239ea 100644
--- a/lib/spec/example/subject.rb
+++ b/lib/spec/example/subject.rb
@@ -76,11 +76,7 @@ def subject
         #     it { should be_eligible_to_vote }
         #   end
         def should(matcher=nil)
-          if matcher
-            subject.should(matcher)
-          else
-            subject.should
-          end
+          subject.should(matcher)
         end
 
         # Just like +should+, +should_not+ delegates to the subject (implicit or
@@ -92,11 +88,7 @@ def should(matcher=nil)
         #     it { should_not be_eligible_to_vote }
         #   end
         def should_not(matcher=nil)
-          if matcher
-            subject.should_not(matcher)
-          else
-            subject.should_not
-          end
+          subject.should_not(matcher)
         end
       end
     end