diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb
index 50ae27da61969..d018034ebed69 100755
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb
@@ -159,7 +159,10 @@ def date_select(object_name, method, options = {}, html_options = {})
       # Returns a set of select tags (one for hour, minute and optionally second) pre-selected for accessing a specified
       # time-based attribute (identified by +method+) on an object assigned to the template (identified by +object+).
       # You can include the seconds with <tt>:include_seconds</tt>.
-      # 
+      #
+      # This method will also generate 3 input hidden tags, for the actual year, month and day unless the option
+      # <tt>:ignore_date</tt> is set to +true+.
+      #
       # If anything is passed in the html_options hash it will be applied to every select tag in the set.
       #
       # ==== Examples
@@ -655,7 +658,7 @@ def date_or_time_select(options, html_options = {})
           order.reverse.each do |param|
             # Send hidden fields for discarded elements once output has started
             # This ensures AR can reconstruct valid dates using ParseDate
-            next if discard[param] && date_or_time_select.empty?
+            next if discard[param] && (date_or_time_select.empty? || options[:ignore_date])
 
             date_or_time_select.insert(0, self.send("select_#{param}", datetime, options_with_prefix(position[param], options.merge(:use_hidden => discard[param])), html_options))
             date_or_time_select.insert(0,
diff --git a/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb b/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb
index 3faa363459e58..8b4e94c67fd1e 100755
--- a/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/template/date_helper_test.rb
@@ -1198,6 +1198,21 @@ def test_time_select
     assert_dom_equal expected, time_select("post", "written_on")
   end
 
+  def test_time_select_without_date_hidden_fields
+    @post = Post.new
+    @post.written_on = Time.local(2004, 6, 15, 15, 16, 35)
+
+    expected = %(<select id="post_written_on_4i" name="post[written_on(4i)]">\n)
+    0.upto(23) { |i| expected << %(<option value="#{leading_zero_on_single_digits(i)}"#{' selected="selected"' if i == 15}>#{leading_zero_on_single_digits(i)}</option>\n) }
+    expected << "</select>\n"
+    expected << " : "
+    expected << %(<select id="post_written_on_5i" name="post[written_on(5i)]">\n)
+    0.upto(59) { |i| expected << %(<option value="#{leading_zero_on_single_digits(i)}"#{' selected="selected"' if i == 16}>#{leading_zero_on_single_digits(i)}</option>\n) }
+    expected << "</select>\n"
+
+    assert_dom_equal expected, time_select("post", "written_on", :ignore_date => true)
+  end
+
   def test_time_select_with_seconds
     @post = Post.new
     @post.written_on = Time.local(2004, 6, 15, 15, 16, 35)