diff --git a/activesupport/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb b/activesupport/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb
index 828015d2f3c08..9a2c933ab5c08 100644
--- a/activesupport/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb
+++ b/activesupport/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb
@@ -229,10 +229,10 @@ def load_missing_constant(from_mod, const_name)
         from_mod = Object
       end
     end
-    
+
     # If we have an anonymous module, all we can do is attempt to load from Object.
-    from_mod = Object if from_mod.name.empty?
-    
+    from_mod = Object if from_mod.name.blank?
+
     unless qualified_const_defined?(from_mod.name) && from_mod.name.constantize.object_id == from_mod.object_id
       raise ArgumentError, "A copy of #{from_mod} has been removed from the module tree but is still active!"
     end
@@ -392,11 +392,9 @@ def self.root(*args)
     end
   end
 
-protected
-  
   # Convert the provided const desc to a qualified constant name (as a string).
   # A module, class, symbol, or string may be provided.
-  def to_constant_name(desc)
+  def to_constant_name(desc) #:nodoc:
     name = case desc
       when String then desc.starts_with?('::') ? desc[2..-1] : desc
       when Symbol then desc.to_s
@@ -406,10 +404,10 @@ def to_constant_name(desc)
       else raise TypeError, "Not a valid constant descriptor: #{desc.inspect}"
     end
   end
-  
-  def remove_constant(const)
+
+  def remove_constant(const) #:nodoc:
     return false unless qualified_const_defined? const
-    
+
     const = $1 if /\A::(.*)\Z/ =~ const.to_s
     names = const.to_s.split('::')
     if names.size == 1 # It's under Object
@@ -417,12 +415,13 @@ def remove_constant(const)
     else
       parent = (names[0..-2] * '::').constantize
     end
-    
+
     log "removing constant #{const}"
     parent.instance_eval { remove_const names.last }
     return true
   end
-  
+
+protected
   def log_call(*args)
     arg_str = args.collect(&:inspect) * ', '
     /in `([a-z_\?\!]+)'/ =~ caller(1).first
diff --git a/activesupport/test/dependencies_test.rb b/activesupport/test/dependencies_test.rb
index ad3472bddbad7..76f8453c3538a 100644
--- a/activesupport/test/dependencies_test.rb
+++ b/activesupport/test/dependencies_test.rb
@@ -146,42 +146,42 @@ def test_non_existing_const_raises_name_error
   def test_directories_manifest_as_modules_unless_const_defined
     with_loading 'autoloading_fixtures' do
       assert_kind_of Module, ModuleFolder
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
     end
   end
 
   def test_module_with_nested_class
     with_loading 'autoloading_fixtures' do
       assert_kind_of Class, ModuleFolder::NestedClass
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
     end
   end
 
   def test_module_with_nested_inline_class
     with_loading 'autoloading_fixtures' do
       assert_kind_of Class, ModuleFolder::InlineClass
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
     end
   end
 
   def test_directories_may_manifest_as_nested_classes
     with_loading 'autoloading_fixtures' do
       assert_kind_of Class, ClassFolder
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ClassFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ClassFolder
     end
   end
 
   def test_class_with_nested_class
     with_loading 'autoloading_fixtures' do
       assert_kind_of Class, ClassFolder::NestedClass
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ClassFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ClassFolder
     end
   end
 
   def test_class_with_nested_inline_class
     with_loading 'autoloading_fixtures' do
       assert_kind_of Class, ClassFolder::InlineClass
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ClassFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ClassFolder
     end
   end
 
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def test_class_with_nested_inline_subclass_of_parent
       assert_kind_of Class, ClassFolder::ClassFolderSubclass
       assert_kind_of Class, ClassFolder
       assert_equal 'indeed', ClassFolder::ClassFolderSubclass::ConstantInClassFolder
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ClassFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ClassFolder
     end
   end
 
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ def test_nested_class_can_access_sibling
       sibling = ModuleFolder::NestedClass.class_eval "NestedSibling"
       assert defined?(ModuleFolder::NestedSibling)
       assert_equal ModuleFolder::NestedSibling, sibling
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
     end
   end
 
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ def failing_test_access_thru_and_upwards_fails
       assert ! defined?(ModuleFolder)
       assert_raises(NameError) { ModuleFolder::Object }
       assert_raises(NameError) { ModuleFolder::NestedClass::Object }
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
+      Object.send! :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
     end
   end
 
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ def test_autoloaded?
       def nil_name.name() nil end
       assert !Dependencies.autoloaded?(nil_name)
 
-      Object.send :remove_const, :ModuleFolder
+      Object.class_eval { remove_const :ModuleFolder }
     end
   end
 
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ def test_load_once_paths_do_not_add_to_autoloaded_constants
       assert ! Dependencies.autoloaded?(ModuleFolder::NestedClass)
     end
   ensure
-    Object.send(:remove_const, :ModuleFolder) if defined?(ModuleFolder)
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :ModuleFolder }
     Dependencies.load_once_paths = []
   end
 
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ def test_preexisting_constants_are_not_marked_as_autoloaded
     end
 
   ensure
-    Object.send :remove_const, :E if Object.const_defined?(:E)
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :E }
   end
 
   def test_unloadable
@@ -513,31 +513,30 @@ def test_new_contants_in_without_constants
   end
 
   def test_new_constants_in_with_a_single_constant
-    assert_equal(["Hello"], (Dependencies.new_constants_in(Object) do
-      Object.const_set :Hello, 10
-    end))
+    assert_equal ["Hello"], Dependencies.new_constants_in(Object) {
+                              Object.const_set :Hello, 10
+                            }.map(&:to_s)
     assert Dependencies.constant_watch_stack.empty?
   ensure
-    Object.send :remove_const, :Hello rescue nil
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :Hello }
   end
 
   def test_new_constants_in_with_nesting
     outer = Dependencies.new_constants_in(Object) do
       Object.const_set :OuterBefore, 10
 
-      inner = Dependencies.new_constants_in(Object) do
-        Object.const_set :Inner, 20
-      end
-      assert_equal ["Inner"], inner
+      assert_equal ["Inner"], Dependencies.new_constants_in(Object) {
+                                Object.const_set :Inner, 20
+                              }.map(&:to_s)
 
       Object.const_set :OuterAfter, 30
     end
 
-    assert_equal ["OuterAfter", "OuterBefore"], outer.sort
+    assert_equal ["OuterAfter", "OuterBefore"], outer.sort.map(&:to_s)
     assert Dependencies.constant_watch_stack.empty?
   ensure
     %w(OuterBefore Inner OuterAfter).each do |name|
-      Object.send :remove_const, name rescue nil
+      Object.class_eval { remove_const name if const_defined?(name) }
     end
   end
 
@@ -557,7 +556,7 @@ def test_new_constants_in_module
     assert_equal ["M::OuterAfter", "M::OuterBefore"], outer.sort
     assert Dependencies.constant_watch_stack.empty?
   ensure
-    Object.send :remove_const, :M rescue nil
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :M }
   end
 
   def test_new_constants_in_module_using_name
@@ -575,12 +574,12 @@ def test_new_constants_in_module_using_name
     assert_equal ["M::OuterAfter", "M::OuterBefore"], outer.sort
     assert Dependencies.constant_watch_stack.empty?
   ensure
-    Object.send :remove_const, :M rescue nil
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :M }
   end
 
   def test_new_constants_in_with_inherited_constants
     m = Dependencies.new_constants_in(:Object) do
-      Object.send :include, ModuleWithConstant
+      Object.class_eval { include ModuleWithConstant }
     end
     assert_equal [], m
   end
@@ -670,7 +669,7 @@ def test_autoload_doesnt_shadow_no_method_error_with_relative_constant
     end
   
   ensure
-    Object.send(:remove_const, :RaisesNoMethodError) if defined?(::RaisesNoMethodError)
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :RaisesNoMethodError if const_defined?(:RaisesNoMethodError) }
   end
 
   def test_autoload_doesnt_shadow_no_method_error_with_absolute_constant
@@ -683,7 +682,7 @@ def test_autoload_doesnt_shadow_no_method_error_with_absolute_constant
     end
   
   ensure
-    Object.send(:remove_const, :RaisesNoMethodError) if defined?(::RaisesNoMethodError)
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :RaisesNoMethodError if const_defined?(:RaisesNoMethodError) }
   end
 
   def test_autoload_doesnt_shadow_name_error
@@ -707,16 +706,16 @@ def test_autoload_doesnt_shadow_name_error
     end
 
   ensure
-    Object.send(:remove_const, :RaisesNameError) if defined?(::RaisesNameError)
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :RaisesNoMethodError if const_defined?(:RaisesNoMethodError) }
   end
   
   def test_remove_constant_handles_double_colon_at_start
     Object.const_set 'DeleteMe', Module.new
     DeleteMe.const_set 'OrMe', Module.new
-    Dependencies.send :remove_constant, "::DeleteMe::OrMe"
+    Dependencies.remove_constant "::DeleteMe::OrMe"
     assert ! defined?(DeleteMe::OrMe)
     assert defined?(DeleteMe)
-    Dependencies.send :remove_constant, "::DeleteMe"
+    Dependencies.remove_constant "::DeleteMe"
     assert ! defined?(DeleteMe)
   end
   
@@ -730,7 +729,7 @@ def test_load_once_constants_should_not_be_unloaded
     end
   ensure
     Dependencies.load_once_paths = []
-    Object.send :remove_const, :A rescue nil
+    Object.class_eval { remove_const :A if const_defined?(:A) }
   end
   
   def test_load_once_paths_should_behave_when_recursively_loading