2 files changed, 22 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
index 50166c4385..8d093c81de 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
@@ -102,12 +102,19 @@ module ActiveRecord
       became
     end
 
-    # Updates a single attribute and saves the record without going through the normal validation procedure.
-    # This is especially useful for boolean flags on existing records. The regular +update_attribute+ method
-    # in Base is replaced with this when the validations module is mixed in, which it is by default.
+    # Updates a single attribute and saves the record without going through the normal validation procedure
+    # or callbacks. This is especially useful for boolean flags on existing records.
     def update_attribute(name, value)
       send("#{name}=", value)
-      save(:validate => false)
+      primary_key = self.class.primary_key
+      h = {name => value}
+      if should_record_update_timestamps
+        self.send(:record_update_timestamps)
+        current_time = current_time_from_proper_timezone
+        timestamp_attributes_for_update_in_model.each { |column| h.merge!(column => current_time) }
+      end
+      self.class.update_all(h, {primary_key => self[primary_key]}) == 1
+      @changed_attributes.delete(name.to_s)
     end
 
     # Updates all the attributes from the passed-in Hash and saves the record. 
@@ -234,4 +241,4 @@ module ActiveRecord
       end
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/timestamp.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/timestamp.rb
index da8324ddcc..e6d52744df 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/timestamp.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/timestamp.rb
@@ -58,14 +58,22 @@ module ActiveRecord
     end
 
     def update(*args) #:nodoc:
-      if record_timestamps && (!partial_updates? || changed?)
+      record_update_timestamps
+      super
+    end
+
+    def record_update_timestamps
+      if should_record_update_timestamps
         current_time = current_time_from_proper_timezone
         timestamp_attributes_for_update_in_model.each { |column| write_attribute(column.to_s, current_time) }
       end
+    end
 
-      super
+    def should_record_update_timestamps
+      record_timestamps && (!partial_updates? || changed?)
     end
 
+
     def timestamp_attributes_for_update #:nodoc:
       [:updated_at, :updated_on]
     end