diff --git a/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb b/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb
index 150d4351401d3..f0b1fcbe63b11 100644
--- a/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb
+++ b/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ def mail(headers={}, &block)
       m.charset = charset = headers[:charset]
 
       # Set configure delivery behavior
-      wrap_delivery_behavior!(headers.delete(:delivery_method))
+      wrap_delivery_behavior!(headers.delete(:delivery_method),headers.delete(:perform_deliveries))
 
       # Assign all headers except parts_order, content_type and body
       assignable = headers.except(:parts_order, :content_type, :body, :template_name, :template_path)
diff --git a/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/delivery_methods.rb b/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/delivery_methods.rb
index 3b38dbccc763e..0b8d0019eb0e5 100644
--- a/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/delivery_methods.rb
+++ b/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/delivery_methods.rb
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def add_delivery_method(symbol, klass, default_options={})
         self.delivery_methods = delivery_methods.merge(symbol.to_sym => klass).freeze
       end
 
-      def wrap_delivery_behavior(mail, method=nil) #:nodoc:
+      def wrap_delivery_behavior(mail, method=nil, perform_deliveries_header=nil) #:nodoc:
         method ||= self.delivery_method
         mail.delivery_handler = self
 
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def wrap_delivery_behavior(mail, method=nil) #:nodoc:
           mail.delivery_method(method)
         end
 
-        mail.perform_deliveries    = perform_deliveries
+        mail.perform_deliveries    = perform_deliveries && (perform_deliveries_header.nil? || perform_deliveries_header)
         mail.raise_delivery_errors = raise_delivery_errors
       end
     end
diff --git a/actionmailer/test/delivery_methods_test.rb b/actionmailer/test/delivery_methods_test.rb
index 08f84dbf3b40e..886e79aae94f4 100644
--- a/actionmailer/test/delivery_methods_test.rb
+++ b/actionmailer/test/delivery_methods_test.rb
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class DeliveryMailer < ActionMailer::Base
     def welcome(hash={})
       mail(DEFAULT_HEADERS.merge(hash))
     end
+
   end
 
   def setup
@@ -129,6 +130,18 @@ def teardown
     DeliveryMailer.welcome.deliver
   end
 
+  test "does not perform deliveries if customized per instance" do
+    DeliveryMailer.perform_deliveries = true
+    m = DeliveryMailer.welcome(:perform_deliveries => false)
+    assert_equal(false,m.perform_deliveries)
+  end
+
+  test "does not perform deliveries if globally set to off but instance instructs delivery" do
+    DeliveryMailer.perform_deliveries = false
+    m = DeliveryMailer.welcome(:perform_deliveries => true)
+    assert_equal(false,m.perform_deliveries)
+  end
+
   test "does not append the deliveries collection if told not to perform the delivery" do
     DeliveryMailer.perform_deliveries = false
     DeliveryMailer.deliveries.clear