diff --git a/lib/factory_girl.rb b/lib/factory_girl.rb
index 25301a30d..e9775c3b3 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 require 'factory_girl/proxy/attributes_for'
 require 'factory_girl/proxy/stub'
 require 'factory_girl/registry'
+require 'factory_girl/null_factory'
 require 'factory_girl/factory'
 require 'factory_girl/attribute'
 require 'factory_girl/attribute/static'
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb b/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
index 04d6cbb42..0c19a674d 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def build_class #:nodoc:
     end
 
     def default_strategy #:nodoc:
-      @default_strategy || (parent && parent.default_strategy) || :create
+      @default_strategy || parent.default_strategy || :create
     end
 
     def allow_overrides
@@ -89,17 +89,15 @@ def names
     end
 
     def compile
-      if parent
-        parent.defined_traits.each {|trait| define_trait(trait) }
-        parent.compile
-      end
+      parent.defined_traits.each {|trait| define_trait(trait) }
+      parent.compile
       attribute_list.ensure_compiled
     end
 
     protected
 
     def class_name #:nodoc:
-      @class_name || (parent && parent.class_name) || name
+      @class_name || parent.class_name || name
     end
 
     def attributes
@@ -110,14 +108,12 @@ def attributes
         end
 
         list.apply_attribute_list(attribute_list)
-        list.apply_attribute_list(parent.attributes) if parent
+        list.apply_attribute_list(parent.attributes)
       end
     end
 
     def callbacks
-      [traits.map(&:callbacks), @definition.callbacks].tap do |result|
-        result.unshift(*parent.callbacks) if parent
-      end.flatten
+      [parent.callbacks, traits.map(&:callbacks), @definition.callbacks].flatten
     end
 
     private
@@ -137,8 +133,11 @@ def traits
     end
 
     def parent
-      return unless @parent
-      FactoryGirl.factory_by_name(@parent)
+      if @parent
+        FactoryGirl.factory_by_name(@parent)
+      else
+        NullFactory.new
+      end
     end
 
     def attribute_list
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/null_factory.rb b/lib/factory_girl/null_factory.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e88cf7f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/null_factory.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+module FactoryGirl
+  class NullFactory
+    attr_reader :definition
+
+    def initialize
+      @definition = Definition.new
+    end
+
+    delegate :defined_traits, :callbacks, :to => :definition
+
+    def compile; end
+    def default_strategy; end
+    def class_name; end
+
+    def attributes
+      AttributeList.new
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/factory_girl/null_factory_spec.rb b/spec/factory_girl/null_factory_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a653581ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/factory_girl/null_factory_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+require "spec_helper"
+
+describe FactoryGirl::NullFactory do
+  it { should delegate(:defined_traits).to(:definition) }
+  it { should delegate(:callbacks).to(:definition) }
+
+  its(:compile)          { should be_nil }
+  its(:default_strategy) { should be_nil }
+  its(:class_name)       { should be_nil }
+  its(:attributes)       { should be_an_instance_of(FactoryGirl::AttributeList) }
+end