diff --git a/backbone.js b/backbone.js
index 1074d7fc..ec79a532 100644
--- a/backbone.js
+++ b/backbone.js
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@
   // if an existing element is not provided...
   var View = Backbone.View = function(options) {
     this.cid = _.uniqueId('view');
-    this._configure(options || {});
+    options = this._configure(options || {});
     this._ensureElement();
     this.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
     this.delegateEvents();
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@
     _configure: function(options) {
       if (this.options) options = _.extend({}, _.result(this, 'options'), options);
       _.extend(this, _.pick(options, viewOptions));
-      this.options = options;
+      return options;
     },
 
     // Ensure that the View has a DOM element to render into.
diff --git a/test/view.js b/test/view.js
index 58a87718..755ba797 100644
--- a/test/view.js
+++ b/test/view.js
@@ -14,13 +14,10 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
 
   });
 
-  test("constructor", 6, function() {
+  test("constructor", 3, function() {
     equal(view.el.id, 'test-view');
     equal(view.el.className, 'test-view');
     equal(view.el.other, void 0);
-    equal(view.options.id, 'test-view');
-    equal(view.options.className, 'test-view');
-    equal(view.options.other, 'non-special-option');
   });
 
   test("jQuery", 1, function() {
@@ -156,28 +153,22 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     strictEqual(new View().el.id, 'id');
   });
 
-  test("with options function", 3, function() {
-    var View1 = Backbone.View.extend({
+  test("with options function", 2, function() {
+
+    var View = Backbone.View.extend({
+
       options: function() {
-        return {
-          title: 'title1',
-          acceptText: 'confirm'
-        };
+        return {title: 'title'};
+      },
+
+      initialize: function(options) {
+        strictEqual(options.title, 'title');
+        strictEqual(options.fixed, true);
       }
+
     });
 
-    var View2 = View1.extend({
-      options: function() {
-        return _.extend(View1.prototype.options.call(this), {
-          title: 'title2',
-          fixed: true
-        });
-      }
-    });
-
-    strictEqual(new View2().options.title, 'title2');
-    strictEqual(new View2().options.acceptText, 'confirm');
-    strictEqual(new View2().options.fixed, true);
+    new View({fixed: true});
   });
 
   test("with attributes", 2, function() {