1 files changed, 7 insertions, 13 deletions
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/through_association.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/through_association.rb
index 6536fb44b2..0d83b46130 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/through_association.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/through_association.rb
@@ -10,17 +10,6 @@ module ActiveRecord
         end
       end
 
-      def stale_target?
-        if @target && @reflection.through_reflection.macro == :belongs_to && defined?(@through_foreign_key)
-          previous_key = @through_foreign_key.to_s
-          current_key  = @owner.send(@reflection.through_reflection.foreign_key).to_s
-
-          previous_key != current_key
-        else
-          false
-        end
-      end
-
       protected
 
       def construct_find_scope
@@ -157,11 +146,16 @@ module ActiveRecord
 
       alias_method :sql_conditions, :conditions
 
-      def update_stale_state
+      def stale_state
         if @reflection.through_reflection.macro == :belongs_to
-          @through_foreign_key = @owner.send(@reflection.through_reflection.foreign_key)
+          @owner[@reflection.through_reflection.foreign_key].to_s
         end
       end
+
+      def foreign_key_present
+        @reflection.through_reflection.macro == :belongs_to &&
+        !@owner[@reflection.through_reflection.foreign_key].nil?
+      end
     end
   end
 end