diff --git a/src/ajax.js b/src/ajax.js
index 9195bcc89e..d10b931129 100644
--- a/src/ajax.js
+++ b/src/ajax.js
@@ -463,10 +463,11 @@ jQuery.extend({
 		try {
 			var oldAbort = xhr.abort;
 			xhr.abort = function() {
-				// xhr.abort in IE7 is not a native JS function
-				// and does not have a call property
-				if ( xhr && oldAbort.call ) {
-					oldAbort.call( xhr );
+				if ( xhr ) {
+					// oldAbort has no call property in IE7 so
+					// just do it this way, which works in all
+					// browsers
+					Function.prototype.call.call( oldAbort, xhr );
 				}
 
 				onreadystatechange( "abort" );
diff --git a/test/unit/ajax.js b/test/unit/ajax.js
index b2e51fbcf3..4ce14c24cf 100644
--- a/test/unit/ajax.js
+++ b/test/unit/ajax.js
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ test(".load()) - 404 error callbacks", function() {
 });
 
 test("jQuery.ajax() - abort", function() {
-	expect( 6 );
+	expect( 8 );
 	stop();
 
 	jQuery('#foo').ajaxStart(function(){
@@ -157,7 +157,10 @@ test("jQuery.ajax() - abort", function() {
 		complete: function(){ ok(true, "complete"); }
 	});
 
+	equals( xhr.readyState, 1, "XHR readyState indicates successful dispatch" );
+
 	xhr.abort();
+	equals( xhr.readyState, 0, "XHR readyState indicates successful abortion" );
 });
 
 test("Ajax events with context", function() {