diff --git a/backbone.js b/backbone.js
index 8438e727..1e8f506c 100644
--- a/backbone.js
+++ b/backbone.js
@@ -128,8 +128,7 @@
     var defaults;
     attributes || (attributes = {});
     if (options && options.parse) attributes = this.parse(attributes);
-    if (defaults = this.defaults) {
-      if (_.isFunction(defaults)) defaults = defaults.call(this);
+    if (defaults = getValue(this, 'defaults')) {
       attributes = _.extend({}, defaults, attributes);
     }
     this.attributes = {};
@@ -293,7 +292,7 @@
     // using Backbone's restful methods, override this to change the endpoint
     // that will be called.
     url : function() {
-      var base = getUrl(this.collection) || this.urlRoot || urlError();
+      var base = getValue(this.collection, 'url') || this.urlRoot || urlError();
       if (this.isNew()) return base;
       return base + (base.charAt(base.length - 1) == '/' ? '' : '/') + encodeURIComponent(this.id);
     },
@@ -938,8 +937,7 @@
     // This only works for delegate-able events: not `focus`, `blur`, and
     // not `change`, `submit`, and `reset` in Internet Explorer.
     delegateEvents : function(events) {
-      if (!(events || (events = this.events))) return;
-      if (_.isFunction(events)) events = events.call(this);
+      if (!(events || (events = getValue(this, 'events')))) return;
       this.undelegateEvents();
       for (var key in events) {
         var method = this[events[key]];
@@ -1035,7 +1033,7 @@
 
     // Ensure that we have a URL.
     if (!options.url) {
-      params.url = getUrl(model) || urlError();
+      params.url = getValue(model, 'url') || urlError();
     }
 
     // Ensure that we have the appropriate request data.
@@ -1116,11 +1114,11 @@
     return child;
   };
 
-  // Helper function to get a URL from a Model or Collection as a property
+  // Helper function to get a value from a Backbone object as a property
   // or as a function.
-  var getUrl = function(object) {
-    if (!(object && object.url)) return null;
-    return _.isFunction(object.url) ? object.url() : object.url;
+  var getValue = function(object, prop) {
+    if (!(object && object[prop])) return null;
+    return _.isFunction(object[prop]) ? object[prop]() : object[prop];
   };
 
   // Throw an error when a URL is needed, and none is supplied.