2 files changed, 10 insertions, 11 deletions
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_association.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_association.rb
index 1d2e8667e4..dfcb116392 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_association.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_association.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ module ActiveRecord
             when :destroy
               target.destroy
             when :nullify
-              target.update_attribute(reflection.foreign_key, nil)
+              target.send("#{reflection.foreign_key}=", nil)
+              target.save(:validations => false)
           end
         end
       end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
index 17a64b6e86..3377a5934b 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
@@ -104,19 +104,17 @@ module ActiveRecord
       became
     end
 
-    # Updates a single attribute and saves the record.
-    # This is especially useful for boolean flags on existing records. Also note that
+    # Updates a single attribute of an object, without calling save.
     #
     # * Validation is skipped.
-    # * Callbacks are invoked.
-    # * updated_at/updated_on column is updated if that column is available.
-    # * Updates all the attributes that are dirty in this object.
+    # * Callbacks are skipped.
+    # * updated_at/updated_on column is not updated in any case.
     #
-    def update_attribute(name, value)
+    def update_column(name, value)
       name = name.to_s
       raise ActiveRecordError, "#{name} is marked as readonly" if self.class.readonly_attributes.include?(name)
       send("#{name}=", value)
-      save(:validate => false)
+      self.class.update_all({ name => value }, self.class.primary_key => id)
     end
 
     # Updates the attributes of the model from the passed-in hash and saves the
@@ -156,7 +154,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
     # Saving is not subjected to validation checks. Returns +true+ if the
     # record could be saved.
     def increment!(attribute, by = 1)
-      increment(attribute, by).update_attribute(attribute, self[attribute])
+      increment(attribute, by).update_column(attribute, self[attribute])
     end
 
     # Initializes +attribute+ to zero if +nil+ and subtracts the value passed as +by+ (default is 1).
@@ -173,7 +171,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
     # Saving is not subjected to validation checks. Returns +true+ if the
     # record could be saved.
     def decrement!(attribute, by = 1)
-      decrement(attribute, by).update_attribute(attribute, self[attribute])
+      decrement(attribute, by).update_column(attribute, self[attribute])
     end
 
     # Assigns to +attribute+ the boolean opposite of <tt>attribute?</tt>. So
@@ -190,7 +188,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
     # Saving is not subjected to validation checks. Returns +true+ if the
     # record could be saved.
     def toggle!(attribute)
-      toggle(attribute).update_attribute(attribute, self[attribute])
+      toggle(attribute).update_column(attribute, self[attribute])
     end
 
     # Reloads the attributes of this object from the database.