diff --git a/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js b/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js
index b1c27b10464..40fd97ba52b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js
+++ b/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js
@@ -413,6 +413,7 @@ test( ".option() - getter", function() {
 		qux: [ "quux", "quuux" ]
 	});
 
+	same( div.testWidget( "option", "x" ), null, "non-existent option" );
 	same( div.testWidget( "option", "foo"), "bar", "single option - string" );
 	same( div.testWidget( "option", "baz"), 5, "single option - number" );
 	same( div.testWidget( "option", "qux"), [ "quux", "quuux" ],
@@ -431,6 +432,24 @@ test( ".option() - getter", function() {
 		"modifying returned options hash does not modify plugin instance" );
 });
 
+test( ".option() - deep option getter", function() {
+	$.widget( "ui.testWidget", {} );
+	var div = $( "<div>" ).testWidget({
+		foo: {
+			bar: "baz",
+			qux: {
+				quux: "xyzzy"
+			}
+		}
+	});
+	equal( div.testWidget( "option", "foo.bar" ), "baz", "one level deep - string" );
+	deepEqual( div.testWidget( "option", "foo.qux" ), { quux: "xyzzy" },
+		"one level deep - object" );
+	equal( div.testWidget( "option", "foo.qux.quux" ), "xyzzy", "two levels deep - string" );
+	equal( div.testWidget( "option", "x.y" ), null, "top level non-existent" );
+	equal( div.testWidget( "option", "foo.x.y" ), null, "one level deep - non-existent" );
+});
+
 test( ".option() - delegate to ._setOptions()", function() {
 	var calls = [];
 	$.widget( "ui.testWidget", {
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
index 00bc07c4fec..59d110b6a02 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ $.widget.bridge = function( name, object ) {
 				}
 				var methodValue = instance[ options ].apply( instance, args );
 				if ( methodValue !== instance && methodValue !== undefined ) {
-					returnValue = methodValue.jquery ?
+					returnValue = methodValue && methodValue.jquery ?
 						returnValue.pushStack( methodValue.get() ) :
 						methodValue;
 					return false;
@@ -239,9 +239,6 @@ $.Widget.prototype = {
 		}
 
 		if ( typeof key === "string" ) {
-			if ( value === undefined ) {
-				return this.options[ key ];
-			}
 			// handle nested keys, e.g., "foo.bar" => { foo: { bar: ___ } }
 			options = {};
 			parts = key.split( "." );
@@ -252,8 +249,15 @@ $.Widget.prototype = {
 					curOption[ parts[ i ] ] = curOption[ parts[ i ] ] || {};
 					curOption = curOption[ parts[ i ] ];
 				}
-				curOption[ parts.pop() ] = value;
+				key = parts.pop();
+				if ( value === undefined ) {
+					return curOption[ key ] === undefined ? null : curOption[ key ];
+				}
+				curOption[ key ] = value;
 			} else {
+				if ( value === undefined ) {
+					return this.options[ key ] === undefined ? null : this.options[ key ];
+				}
 				options[ key ] = value;
 			}
 		}