diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/capture.rb b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/capture.rb
index ec352aae7b..e219a9315b 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/capture.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/capture.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require 'sinatra/base'
 require 'sinatra/engine_tracking'
+require 'backports'
 
 module Sinatra
   #
@@ -105,12 +106,12 @@ def capture(*args, &block)
         dummy      = DUMMIES.fetch(current_engine)
         options    = { :layout => false, :locals => {:args => args, :block => block }}
 
-        buffer.clear if buffer.respond_to?(:clear)
+        buffer.try :clear
         result = render(current_engine, dummy, options, &block)
       end
       result.strip.empty? && @capture ? @capture : result
     ensure
-      buffer.replace(old_buffer) if buffer.respond_to?(:replace)
+      buffer.try :replace, old_buffer
     end
 
     def capture_later(&block)
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib.rb b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib.rb
index e27888b368..2f61b297a3 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib.rb
@@ -7,32 +7,32 @@ module Contrib
     # or breaks if external dependencies are missing. Will extend
     # Sinatra::Application by default.
     module Common
-      register :ConfigFile, 'sinatra/config_file'
-      register :MultiRoute, 'sinatra/multi_route'
-      register :Namespace, 'sinatra/namespace'
-      register :RespondWith, 'sinatra/respond_with'
+      register :ConfigFile
+      register :MultiRoute
+      register :Namespace
+      register :RespondWith
 
-      helpers :Capture, 'sinatra/capture'
-      helpers :ContentFor, 'sinatra/content_for'
-      helpers :Cookies, 'sinatra/cookies'
-      helpers :EngineTracking, 'sinatra/engine_tracking'
-      helpers :JSON, 'sinatra/json'
-      helpers :LinkHeader, 'sinatra/link_header'
-      helpers :Streaming, 'sinatra/streaming'
-      helpers :RequiredParams, 'sinatra/required_params'
+      helpers :Capture
+      helpers :ContentFor
+      helpers :Cookies
+      helpers :EngineTracking
+      helpers :JSON
+      helpers :LinkHeader
+      helpers :Streaming
+      helpers :RequiredParams
     end
 
     ##
     # Other extensions you don't want to be loaded unless needed.
     module Custom
-      # register :Compass, 'sinatra/compass'
-      register :Reloader, 'sinatra/reloader'
+      # register :Compass
+      register :Reloader
     end
 
     ##
     # Stuff that aren't Sinatra extensions, technically.
-    autoload :Extension, 'sinatra/extension'
-    autoload :TestHelpers, 'sinatra/test_helpers'
+    autoload :Extension
+    autoload :TestHelpers
   end
 
   register Sinatra::Contrib::Common
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib/setup.rb b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib/setup.rb
index 61e4f87279..cc427270db 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib/setup.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/contrib/setup.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require 'sinatra/base'
 require 'sinatra/contrib/version'
+require 'backports'
 
 module Sinatra
   module Contrib
@@ -8,15 +9,16 @@ def extensions
         @extensions ||= {:helpers => [], :register => []}
       end
 
-      def register(name, path)
+      def register(name, path = nil)
         autoload name, path, :register
       end
 
-      def helpers(name, path)
+      def helpers(name, path = nil)
         autoload name, path, :helpers
       end
 
-      def autoload(name, path, method = nil)
+      def autoload(name, path = nil, method = nil)
+        path ||= "sinatra/#{name.to_s.underscore}"
         extensions[method] << name if method
         Sinatra.autoload(name, path)
       end
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/cookies.rb b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/cookies.rb
index e30b03f5d8..0bfbfa4d66 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/cookies.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/cookies.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 require 'sinatra/base'
+require 'backports'
 
 module Sinatra
   # = Sinatra::Cookies
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/extension.rb b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/extension.rb
index 2a5cda78d4..4318a1225e 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/extension.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/extension.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 require 'sinatra/base'
+require 'backports/basic_object' unless defined? BasicObject
 
 module Sinatra
 
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/namespace.rb b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/namespace.rb
index b3645b918e..cfe6bb97ff 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/namespace.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/namespace.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+require 'backports'
 require 'sinatra/base'
 require 'mustermann'
 
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/streaming.rb b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/streaming.rb
index aa9e717f82..ddd88bdcc8 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/streaming.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/lib/sinatra/streaming.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 require 'sinatra/base'
+require 'backports'
 
 module Sinatra
 
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/sinatra-contrib.gemspec b/sinatra-contrib/sinatra-contrib.gemspec
index e5fdb246a8..90f797e975 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/sinatra-contrib.gemspec
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/sinatra-contrib.gemspec
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
 
   s.add_dependency "sinatra", version
   s.add_dependency "mustermann", "~> 1.0"
-  s.add_dependency "tilt", ">= 1.3", "< 3"
+  s.add_dependency "backports", ">= 2.0"
+  s.add_dependency "tilt",      ">= 1.3", "< 3"
   s.add_dependency "rack-protection", version
   s.add_dependency "multi_json"
 
diff --git a/sinatra-contrib/spec/streaming_spec.rb b/sinatra-contrib/spec/streaming_spec.rb
index 94638c555b..31b81bb04b 100644
--- a/sinatra-contrib/spec/streaming_spec.rb
+++ b/sinatra-contrib/spec/streaming_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+require 'backports'
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Sinatra::Streaming do