diff --git a/cake/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.php b/cake/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.php
index 89531fafa8a..81e026adc67 100644
--- a/cake/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.php
+++ b/cake/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.php
@@ -50,7 +50,13 @@ class JqueryEngineHelper extends JsBaseEngineHelper {
 			'direction' => 'orientation'
 		)
 	);
-
+/**
+ * The variable name of the jQuery Object, useful
+ * when jQuery is put into noConflict() mode.
+ *
+ * @var string
+ **/
+	 var $jQueryObject = '$';
 /**
  * Helper function to wrap repetitive simple method templating.
  *
@@ -67,7 +73,6 @@ function _methodTemplate($method, $template, $options, $callbacks) {
 		$options = $this->_parseOptions($options, $callbacks);
 		return sprintf($template, $this->selection, $options);
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create javascript selector for a CSS rule
  *
@@ -76,13 +81,12 @@ function _methodTemplate($method, $template, $options, $callbacks) {
  **/
 	function get($selector) {
 		if ($selector == 'window' || $selector == 'document') {
-			$this->selection = '$(' . $selector .')';
+			$this->selection = $this->jQueryObject . '(' . $selector .')';
 		} else {
-			$this->selection = '$("' . $selector . '")';
+			$this->selection = $this->jQueryObject . '("' . $selector . '")';
 		}
 		return $this;
 	}
-
 /**
  * Add an event to the script cache. Operates on the currently selected elements.
  *
@@ -109,7 +113,6 @@ function event($type, $callback, $options = array()) {
 		}
 		return sprintf('%s.bind("%s", %s);', $this->selection, $type, $callback);
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create a domReady event. This is a special event in many libraries
  *
@@ -119,7 +122,6 @@ function event($type, $callback, $options = array()) {
 	function domReady($functionBody) {
 		return $this->get('document')->event('ready', $functionBody, array('stop' => false));
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create an iteration over the current selection result.
  *
@@ -130,7 +132,6 @@ function domReady($functionBody) {
 	function each($callback) {
 		return $this->selection . '.each(function () {' . $callback . '});';
 	}
-
 /**
  * Trigger an Effect.
  *
@@ -158,7 +159,6 @@ function effect($name, $options = array()) {
 		}
 		return $this->selection . $effect;
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create an $.ajax() call.
  *
@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ function request($url, $options = array()) {
 		$options = $this->_parseOptions($options, $callbacks);
 		return '$.ajax({' . $options .'});';
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create a sortable element.
  *
@@ -199,7 +198,6 @@ function sortable($options = array()) {
 		$template = '%s.sortable({%s});';
 		return $this->_methodTemplate('sortable', $template, $options, $callbacks);
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create a Draggable element
  * 
@@ -214,7 +212,6 @@ function drag($options = array()) {
 		$template = '%s.draggable({%s});';
 		return $this->_methodTemplate('drag', $template, $options, $callbacks);
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create a Droppable element
  * 
@@ -229,7 +226,6 @@ function drop($options = array()) {
 		$template = '%s.droppable({%s});';
 		return $this->_methodTemplate('drop', $template, $options, $callbacks);
 	}
-
 /**
  * Create a Slider element
  * 
@@ -244,5 +240,21 @@ function slider($options = array()) {
 		$template = '%s.slider({%s});';
 		return $this->_methodTemplate('slider', $template, $options, $callbacks);
 	}
+/**
+ * Serialize the form attached to $selector. If the current selection is not an input or 
+ * form, errors will be created in the Javascript.
+ * 
+ * Pass `true` for $isForm if the current selection is a form element.
+ * 
+ * @param boolean $isForm is the current selection a form?
+ * @return string completed form serialization script
+ **/
+	function serializeForm($isForm = false) {
+		$selector = $this->selection;
+		if (!$isForm) {
+			$selector = $this->selection . '.closest("form")';
+		}
+		return $selector . '.serialize();';
+	}
 }
 ?>
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diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.test.php
index bcf02c1f968..6c76ef6152c 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/libs/view/helpers/jquery_engine.test.php
@@ -47,15 +47,15 @@ function testSelector() {
 		$result = $this->Jquery->get('#content');
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $this->Jquery);
 		$this->assertEqual($this->Jquery->selection, '$("#content")');
-		
+
 		$result = $this->Jquery->get('document');
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $this->Jquery);
 		$this->assertEqual($this->Jquery->selection, '$(document)');
-		
+
 		$result = $this->Jquery->get('window');
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $this->Jquery);
 		$this->assertEqual($this->Jquery->selection, '$(window)');
-		
+
 		$result = $this->Jquery->get('ul');
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $this->Jquery);
 		$this->assertEqual($this->Jquery->selection, '$("ul")');
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ function testRequest() {
 
 		$result = $this->Jquery->request('/people/edit/1', array(
 			'method' => 'post',
-			'before' => 'doBefore', 
+			'before' => 'doBefore',
 			'complete' => 'doComplete',
 			'success' => 'doSuccess',
 			'error' => 'handleError',
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ function testRequest() {
 		));
 		$expected = '$.ajax({beforeSend:doBefore, complete:doComplete, data:"name=jim&height=185cm", dataType:"json", error:handleError, method:"post", success:doSuccess, url:"\\/people\\/edit\\/1"});';
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
-		
+
 		$result = $this->Jquery->request('/people/edit/1', array(
 			'update' => '#updated',
 			'success' => 'doFoo',
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ function testDrag() {
 		$result = $this->Jquery->drag(array(
 			'container' => '#content',
 			'start' => 'onStart',
-			'drag' => 'onDrag', 
+			'drag' => 'onDrag',
 			'stop' => 'onStop',
 			'snapGrid' => array(10, 10),
 		));
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ function testDrop() {
 		$this->Jquery->get('#element');
 		$result = $this->Jquery->drop(array(
 			'accept' => '.items',
-			'hover' => 'onHover', 
+			'hover' => 'onHover',
 			'leave' => 'onExit',
 			'drop' => 'onDrop'
 		));
@@ -233,5 +233,24 @@ function testSlider() {
 		$expected = '$("#element").slider({change:onChange, max:10, min:0, orientation:"vertical", stop:onComplete, value:2});';
 		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
 	}
+/**
+ * test the serializeForm method
+ *
+ * @return void
+ **/
+	function testSerializeForm() {
+		$this->Jquery->get('#element');
+		$result = $this->Jquery->serializeForm(false);
+		$expected = '$("#element").closest("form").serialize();';
+		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
+
+		$result = $this->Jquery->serializeForm(true);
+		$expected = '$("#element").serialize();';
+		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
+
+		$result = $this->Jquery->serializeForm();
+		$expected = '$("#element").closest("form").serialize();';
+		$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
+	}
 }
 ?>
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