2 files changed, 27 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb
index 2010d8573c..34499fa784 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/test_case.rb
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ module ActionController
       validate_request!
 
       case options
-      when NilClass, String
+      when NilClass, String, Symbol
+        options = options.to_s if Symbol === options
         rendered = @templates
         msg = build_message(message,
                 "expecting <?> but rendering with <?>",
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb
index 1741b58f72..eae2641dc0 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/action_pack_assertions_test.rb
@@ -349,21 +349,43 @@ class ActionPackAssertionsControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_template :partial => '_partial'
   end
 
-  def test_assert_template_with_nil
+  def test_assert_template_with_nil_passes_when_no_template_rendered
     get :nothing
     assert_template nil
   end
 
-  def test_assert_template_with_string
+  def test_assert_template_with_nil_fails_when_template_rendered
+    get :hello_world
+    assert_raise(ActiveSupport::TestCase::Assertion) do
+      assert_template nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  def test_assert_template_passes_with_correct_string
     get :hello_world
     assert_template 'hello_world'
+    assert_template 'test/hello_world'
   end
 
-  def test_assert_template_with_symbol
+  def test_assert_template_passes_with_correct_symbol
     get :hello_world
     assert_template :hello_world
   end
 
+  def test_assert_template_fails_with_incorrect_string
+    get :hello_world
+    assert_raise(ActiveSupport::TestCase::Assertion) do
+      assert_template 'hello_planet'
+    end
+  end
+
+  def test_assert_template_fails_with_incorrect_symbol
+    get :hello_world
+    assert_raise(ActiveSupport::TestCase::Assertion) do
+      assert_template :hello_planet
+    end
+  end
+
   # check if we were rendered by a file-based template?
   def test_rendered_action
     process :nothing
@@ -387,7 +409,6 @@ class ActionPackAssertionsControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_nil @response.redirect_url
   end
 
-
   # check server errors
   def test_server_error_response_code
     process :response500