diff --git a/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb b/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb
index 40aff7f0d8..b2c355c7ae 100644
--- a/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb
+++ b/actionmailer/lib/action_mailer/base.rb
@@ -250,31 +250,21 @@ module ActionMailer #:nodoc:
   #   <tt>["text/html", "text/enriched", "text/plain"]</tt>. Items that appear first in the array have higher priority in the mail client
   #   and appear last in the mime encoded message. You can also pick a different order from inside a method with
   #   +implicit_parts_order+.
-  class Base
+  class Base < AbstractController::Base
     include AdvAttrAccessor, PartContainer, Quoting, Utils
 
     include AbstractController::Rendering
     include AbstractController::LocalizedCache
     include AbstractController::Layouts
-
     include AbstractController::Helpers
+
     helper ActionMailer::MailHelper
 
-    if Object.const_defined?(:ActionController)
-      include ActionController::UrlWriter
-    end
-
+    include ActionController::UrlWriter
     include ActionMailer::DeprecatedBody
 
     private_class_method :new #:nodoc:
 
-    class_inheritable_accessor :view_paths
-    self.view_paths = []
-
-    attr_internal :formats
-
-    cattr_accessor :logger
-
     @@raise_delivery_errors = true
     cattr_accessor :raise_delivery_errors
 
@@ -346,24 +336,13 @@ class Base
     # have multiple mailer methods share the same template.
     adv_attr_accessor :template
 
-    # The mail and action_name instances referenced by this mailer.
-    attr_reader :mail, :action_name
-
-    # Where the response body is stored.
-    attr_internal :response_body
-
     # Override the mailer name, which defaults to an inflected version of the
     # mailer's class name. If you want to use a template in a non-standard
     # location, you can use this to specify that location.
-    attr_writer :mailer_name
+    adv_attr_accessor :mailer_name
 
-    def mailer_name(value = nil)
-      if value
-        @mailer_name = value
-      else
-        @mailer_name || self.class.mailer_name
-      end
-    end
+    # Expose the internal mail
+    attr_reader :mail
 
     # Alias controller_path to mailer_name so render :partial in views work.
     alias :controller_path :mailer_name
@@ -453,18 +432,16 @@ def matches_dynamic_method?(method_name) #:nodoc:
     # will be initialized according to the named method. If not, the mailer will
     # remain uninitialized (useful when you only need to invoke the "receive"
     # method, for instance).
-    def initialize(method_name=nil, *parameters) #:nodoc:
-      @_formats = []
-      @_response_body = nil
+    def initialize(method_name=nil, *args) #:nodoc:
       super()
-      create!(method_name, *parameters) if method_name
+      process(method_name, *args) if method_name
     end
 
-    # Initialize the mailer via the given +method_name+. The body will be
+    # Process the mailer via the given +method_name+. The body will be
     # rendered and a new TMail::Mail object created.
-    def create!(method_name, *parameters) #:nodoc:
+    def process(method_name, *args) #:nodoc:
       initialize_defaults(method_name)
-      __send__(method_name, *parameters)
+      super
 
       # Create e-mail parts
       create_parts
@@ -473,7 +450,7 @@ def create!(method_name, *parameters) #:nodoc:
       @subject ||= I18n.t(:subject, :scope => [:actionmailer, mailer_name, method_name],
                                     :default => method_name.humanize)
 
-      # build the mail object itself
+      # Build the mail object itself
       @mail = create_mail
     end
 
@@ -488,7 +465,7 @@ def deliver!(mail = @mail)
         logger.debug "\n#{mail.encoded}"
       end
 
-      ActiveSupport::Notifications.instrument(:deliver_mail, :mail => @mail) do
+      ActiveSupport::Notifications.instrument(:deliver_mail, :mail => mail) do
         begin
           self.delivery_method.perform_delivery(mail) if perform_deliveries
         rescue Exception => e # Net::SMTP errors or sendmail pipe errors
@@ -510,23 +487,18 @@ def initialize_defaults(method_name)
         @implicit_parts_order ||= @@default_implicit_parts_order.dup
         @mime_version         ||= @@default_mime_version.dup if @@default_mime_version
 
-        @mailer_name ||= self.class.mailer_name
+        @mailer_name ||= self.class.mailer_name.dup
         @template    ||= method_name
-        @action_name = @template
 
         @parts   ||= []
         @headers ||= {}
         @sent_on ||= Time.now
 
-        ActiveSupport::Deprecation.silence do
-          super # Run deprecation hooks
-        end
+        super # Run deprecation hooks
       end
 
       def create_parts
-        ActiveSupport::Deprecation.silence do
-          super # Run deprecation hooks
-        end
+        super # Run deprecation hooks
 
         if String === response_body
           @parts.unshift Part.new(
diff --git a/actionmailer/test/mail_service_test.rb b/actionmailer/test/mail_service_test.rb
index 697265b8ec..1cd3bc77c4 100644
--- a/actionmailer/test/mail_service_test.rb
+++ b/actionmailer/test/mail_service_test.rb
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ def cancelled_account(recipient)
   def from_with_name
     from       "System <system@loudthinking.com>"
     recipients "root@loudthinking.com"
-    body       "Nothing to see here."
+    render :text => "Nothing to see here."
   end
 
   def from_without_name
     from       "system@loudthinking.com"
     recipients "root@loudthinking.com"
-    body       "Nothing to see here."
+    render :text => "Nothing to see here."
   end
 
   def cc_bcc(recipient)
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ def return_path
     render :text => "testing"
   end
 
+  # This tests body calls accepeting a hash, which is deprecated.
   def body_ivar(recipient)
     recipients   recipient
     subject      "Body as a local variable"
@@ -1043,7 +1044,8 @@ def test_return_path_with_deliver
   end
 
   def test_body_is_stored_as_an_ivar
-    mail = TestMailer.create_body_ivar(@recipient)
+    mail = nil
+    ActiveSupport::Deprecation.silence { mail = TestMailer.create_body_ivar(@recipient) }
     assert_equal "body: foo\nbar: baz", mail.body
   end
 
diff --git a/actionmailer/test/url_test.rb b/actionmailer/test/url_test.rb
index 18eb355e7d..1140613132 100644
--- a/actionmailer/test/url_test.rb
+++ b/actionmailer/test/url_test.rb
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ def signed_up_with_url(recipient)
     @from         = "system@loudthinking.com"
     @sent_on      = Time.local(2004, 12, 12)
 
-    @body["recipient"]   = recipient
-    @body["welcome_url"] = url_for :host => "example.com", :controller => "welcome", :action => "greeting"
+    @recipient   = recipient
+    @welcome_url = url_for :host => "example.com", :controller => "welcome", :action => "greeting"
   end
 
   class <<self
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/base.rb
index 9d57c52429..efea81aa71 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/base.rb
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def action_methods
     #
     # ==== Returns
     # self
-    def process(action)
+    def process(action, *args)
       @_action_name = action_name = action.to_s
 
       unless action_name = method_for_action(action_name)
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ def process(action)
 
       @_response_body = nil
 
-      process_action(action_name)
+      process_action(action_name, *args)
     end
 
   private
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ def action_method?(name)
     # Call the action. Override this in a subclass to modify the
     # behavior around processing an action. This, and not #process,
     # is the intended way to override action dispatching.
-    def process_action(method_name)
-      send_action(method_name)
+    def process_action(method_name, *args)
+      send_action(method_name, *args)
     end
 
     # Actually call the method associated with the action. Override
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/logger.rb b/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/logger.rb
index 27ba5be45f..e3bcd28da7 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/logger.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/abstract_controller/logger.rb
@@ -29,33 +29,5 @@ def method_missing(*args, &block)
         @str.send(*args, &block)
       end
     end
-
-    # Override process_action in the AbstractController::Base
-    # to log details about the method.
-    def process_action(action)
-      result = ActiveSupport::Notifications.instrument(:process_action,
-                :controller => self, :action => action) do
-        super
-      end
-
-      if logger
-        log = DelayedLog.new do
-          "\n\nProcessing #{self.class.name}\##{action_name} " \
-          "to #{request.formats} (for #{request_origin}) " \
-          "[#{request.method.to_s.upcase}]"
-        end
-
-        logger.info(log)
-      end
-
-      result
-    end
-
-  private
-    # Returns the request origin with the IP and time. This needs to be cached,
-    # otherwise we would get different results for each time it calls.
-    def request_origin
-      @request_origin ||= "#{request.remote_ip} at #{Time.now.to_s(:db)}"
-    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb
index e31b795cd2..8b3a444cda 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller.rb
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ module ActionController
       autoload :Helpers
       autoload :HideActions
       autoload :Layouts
+      autoload :Logger
       autoload :MimeResponds
       autoload :RackDelegation
       autoload :Compatibility
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
index 452f0cd4f0..f75b6ed641 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class Base < Metal
     include ActionController::Layouts
     include ActionController::ConditionalGet
     include ActionController::RackDelegation
+    include ActionController::Logger
     include ActionController::Benchmarking
     include ActionController::Configuration
 
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/metal/logger.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/metal/logger.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..956d7dd371
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/metal/logger.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+require 'abstract_controller/logger'
+
+module ActionController
+  module Logger
+    # Override process_action in the AbstractController::Base
+    # to log details about the method.
+    def process_action(action)
+      result = ActiveSupport::Notifications.instrument(:process_action,
+                :controller => self, :action => action) do
+        super
+      end
+
+      if logger
+        log = AbstractController::Logger::DelayedLog.new do
+          "\n\nProcessing #{self.class.name}\##{action_name} " \
+          "to #{request.formats} (for #{request_origin}) " \
+          "[#{request.method.to_s.upcase}]"
+        end
+
+        logger.info(log)
+      end
+
+      result
+    end
+
+  private
+
+    # Returns the request origin with the IP and time. This needs to be cached,
+    # otherwise we would get different results for each time it calls.
+    def request_origin
+      @request_origin ||= "#{request.remote_ip} at #{Time.now.to_s(:db)}"
+    end
+  end
+end