diff --git a/History.txt b/History.txt
index d27cb50..374a20f 100644
--- a/History.txt
+++ b/History.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+* resource methods (new_resource, find_resource, and find_resources) are now in a mixin so it's easier
+  to override them.  Just include a new mixin after the resources_controller_for call, or add them to your
+  action module.
+
 * Allow new_resource to use the block initialisation syntax in rails 2.3 (reported by Chris Hapgood)
 
 * Fix bug where id is the same name as the resource name [mocoso]
diff --git a/lib/ardes/resources_controller.rb b/lib/ardes/resources_controller.rb
index 37312ba..4a2fbcb 100644
--- a/lib/ardes/resources_controller.rb
+++ b/lib/ardes/resources_controller.rb
@@ -451,6 +451,7 @@ def resources_controller_for(name, options = {}, &block)
         extend  ResourcesController::ClassMethods
         helper  ResourcesController::Helper
         include ResourcesController::InstanceMethods, ResourcesController::NamedRouteHelper
+        include ResourcesController::ResourceMethods unless included_modules.include?(ResourcesController::ResourceMethods)
       end
 
       before_filter(:load_enclosing_resources, when_options) unless load_enclosing_resources_filter_exists?
@@ -458,6 +459,10 @@ def resources_controller_for(name, options = {}, &block)
       write_inheritable_attribute(:specifications, [])
       specifications << '*' unless options.delete(:load_enclosing) == false
       
+      unless (options.delete(:resource_methods) == false)
+        include ResourcesController::ResourceMethods
+      end
+      
       unless (actions = options.delete(:actions)) == false
         actions ||= options[:singleton] ? Ardes::ResourcesController.singleton_actions : Ardes::ResourcesController.actions
         include_actions actions, when_options
@@ -550,33 +555,8 @@ def ensure_sane_wildcard
     end
     
     module InstanceMethods
-      def self.included(base)
-        base.class_eval do
-        protected
-          # we define the find|new_resource(s) methods only if they're not already defined
-          # this allows abstract controllers to define the resource service methods
-          unless instance_methods.include?('find_resources')
-            # finds the collection of resources
-            def find_resources
-              resource_service.find :all
-            end
-          end
-
-          unless instance_methods.include?('find_resource')
-            # finds the resource, using the passed id
-            def find_resource(id = params[:id])
-              resource_service.find id
-            end
-          end
-
-          unless instance_methods.include?('new_resource')
-            # makes a new resource, optionally using the passed hash
-            def new_resource(attributes = (params[resource_name] || {}), &block)
-              resource_service.new attributes, &block
-            end
-          end
-        end
-        base.send :hide_action, *instance_methods
+      def self.included(controller)
+        controller.send :hide_action, *instance_methods
       end
       
       def resource_service=(service)
diff --git a/lib/ardes/resources_controller/resource_methods.rb b/lib/ardes/resources_controller/resource_methods.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f897213
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ardes/resources_controller/resource_methods.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+module Ardes
+  module ResourcesController
+    # methods which communicate with the resource_service to find/create resources
+    module ResourceMethods
+    protected
+      # finds the collection of resources
+      def find_resources
+        resource_service.find :all
+      end
+
+      # finds the resource, using the passed id, defaults to the current params[:id]
+      def find_resource(id = nil)
+        id ||= respond_to?(:params) && params[:id]
+        resource_service.find id
+      end
+
+      # makes a new resource, if attributes are not supplied, determine them from the
+      # params hash and the current resource_name
+      def new_resource(attributes = nil, &block)
+        attributes ||= (respond_to?(:params) && params[resource_name]) || {}
+        resource_service.new attributes, &block
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/app.rb b/spec/app.rb
index 50ab1e3..b7a6cb7 100644
--- a/spec/app.rb
+++ b/spec/app.rb
@@ -238,11 +238,13 @@ class OwnersController < ApplicationController
 end
 
 class PostsAbstractController < ApplicationController
+  include Ardes::ResourcesController::ResourceMethods
   attr_accessor :filter_trace
   
   # for testing filter load order
   before_filter {|controller| controller.filter_trace ||= []; controller.filter_trace << :abstract}
-  
+
+protected
   # redefine find_resources
   def find_resources
     resource_service.find :all, :order => 'id DESC'