diff --git a/lib/devise.rb b/lib/devise.rb
index 12c6dfee..0bbefc02 100644
--- a/lib/devise.rb
+++ b/lib/devise.rb
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ module Devise
   end
 end
 
-ActiveRecord::Base.send :extend, Devise::ActiveRecord
-ActionController::Base.send :include, Devise::ActionController
-ActionView::Base.send :include, Devise::ActionView
+# Ensure to include Devise modules only after Rails initialization.
+# This way application should have already defined Devise mappings and we are
+# able to create default filters.
+#
+Rails.configuration.after_initialize do
+  ActiveRecord::Base.send :extend, Devise::ActiveRecord
+  ActionController::Base.send :include, Devise::ActionController
+  ActionView::Base.send :include, Devise::ActionView
+end
diff --git a/lib/devise/action_controller.rb b/lib/devise/action_controller.rb
index 8bd36cc2..a9ec7263 100644
--- a/lib/devise/action_controller.rb
+++ b/lib/devise/action_controller.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ module Devise
         include Devise::Controllers::Authenticable
         include Devise::Controllers::Resources
         include Devise::Controllers::UrlHelpers
+        include Devise::Controllers::Filters
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/devise/controllers/authenticable.rb b/lib/devise/controllers/authenticable.rb
index b895b410..5ef42402 100644
--- a/lib/devise/controllers/authenticable.rb
+++ b/lib/devise/controllers/authenticable.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ module Devise
       # Proxy to the authenticated? method on warden
       #
       def authenticated?(scope=resource_name)
-        warden.authenticated?(scope)
+        warden.authenticated?(scope.to_sym)
       end
       alias_method :logged_in?, :authenticated?
 
@@ -47,20 +47,6 @@ module Devise
         warden.raw_session.inspect  # Without this inspect here.  The session does not clear :|
         warden.logout(resource_name)
       end
-
-      # Verify authenticated user and redirect to sign in if no authentication is found
-      #
-      def authenticate!
-        redirect_to new_session_path unless authenticated?
-      end
-
-      # Helper for use in before_filters where no authentication is required:
-      # Example:
-      #   before_filter :require_no_authentication, :only => :new
-      #
-      def require_no_authentication
-        redirect_to root_path if authenticated?
-      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/devise/controllers/filters.rb b/lib/devise/controllers/filters.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e6b19c8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/devise/controllers/filters.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+module Devise
+  module Controllers
+    module Filters
+
+      # Define authentication filters based on mappings. These filters should be
+      # used inside the controllers as before_filters, so you can control the
+      # scope of the user who should be signed in to access that specific
+      # controller/action.
+      #
+      # Example:
+      #   Maps:
+      #     Devise.map :users, :for => [:authenticable]
+      #     Devise.map :admin, :for => [:authenticable]
+      #   Generated Filters:
+      #     user_authenticate!
+      #     admin_authenticate!
+      #   Use:
+      #     before_filter :user_authenticate! # Tell devise to use :user map
+      #     before_filter :admin_authenticate! # Tell devise to use :admin map
+      #
+      Devise.mappings.each_key do |mapping|
+        define_method(:"#{mapping}_authenticate!") do
+          authenticate!(mapping)
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Verify authenticated user and redirect to sign in if no authentication
+      # is found
+      #
+      def authenticate!(scope)
+        redirect_to new_session_path(scope) unless authenticated?(scope)
+      end
+
+      # Helper for use in before_filters where no authentication is required:
+      # Example:
+      #   before_filter :require_no_authentication, :only => :new
+      #
+      def require_no_authentication
+        Devise.mappings.each_key do |map|
+          redirect_to root_path if authenticated?(map)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/devise/controllers/resources.rb b/lib/devise/controllers/resources.rb
index 7f82965f..a3f9bfb4 100644
--- a/lib/devise/controllers/resources.rb
+++ b/lib/devise/controllers/resources.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ module Devise
       private
 
         def resource_name_or_request_path(object=nil)
-          object ? object.class.name : request.path
+          object ? (object.is_a?(::ActiveRecord::Base) ? object.class.name : object) : request.path
         end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/devise/controllers/url_helpers.rb b/lib/devise/controllers/url_helpers.rb
index 3b4643e8..396afcf9 100644
--- a/lib/devise/controllers/url_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/devise/controllers/url_helpers.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ module Devise
           actions.each do |action|
             class_eval <<-URL_HELPERS
               def #{action}#{module_name}_#{path_or_url}(*args)
-                resource = args.first.is_a?(::ActiveRecord::Base) ? args.shift : nil
+                resource = case args.first
+                  when ::ActiveRecord::Base, Symbol, String then args.shift
+                end
                 send("#{action}\#{resource_name(resource)}_#{module_name}_#{path_or_url}", *args)
               end
             URL_HELPERS
diff --git a/test/controllers/filters_test.rb b/test/controllers/filters_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..188a38cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/controllers/filters_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+require 'test/test_helper'
+
+class FiltersController < ApplicationController
+  before_filter :user_authenticate!, :only => :user_action
+  before_filter :admin_authenticate!, :only => :admin_action
+  before_filter :require_no_authentication, :only => :not_authenticated_action
+
+  def public_action
+    render :text => 'public'
+  end
+
+  def not_authenticated_action
+    render :text => 'not_authenticated'
+  end
+
+  def user_action
+    render :text => 'user'
+  end
+
+  def admin_action
+    render :text => 'admin'
+  end
+end
+
+class FiltersTest < ActionController::TestCase
+  tests FiltersController
+
+  test 'generate user_authenticate! filter' do
+    assert @controller.respond_to?(:user_authenticate!)
+  end
+
+  test 'proxy user_authenticate! to authenticate with user scope' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticate!).with('user')
+    @controller.user_authenticate!
+  end
+
+  test 'generate admin_authenticate! filter' do
+    assert @controller.respond_to?(:admin_authenticate!)
+  end
+
+  test 'proxy admin_authenticate! to authenticate with user scope' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticate!).with('admin')
+    @controller.admin_authenticate!
+  end
+
+  test 'not authenticated user should be able to access public action' do
+    get :public_action
+
+    assert_response :success
+    assert_equal 'public', @response.body
+  end
+
+  test 'not authenticated as user should not be able to access user action' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('user').returns(false)
+
+    get :user_action
+    assert_response :redirect
+    assert_redirected_to new_user_session_path
+  end
+
+  test 'authenticated as user should be able to access user action' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('user').returns(true)
+
+    get :user_action
+    assert_response :success
+    assert_equal 'user', @response.body
+  end
+
+  test 'not authenticated as admin should not be able to access admin action' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('admin').returns(false)
+
+    get :admin_action
+    assert_response :redirect
+    assert_redirected_to new_admin_session_path
+  end
+
+  test 'authenticated as admin should be able to access admin action' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('admin').returns(true)
+
+    get :admin_action
+    assert_response :success
+    assert_equal 'admin', @response.body
+  end
+
+  test 'authenticated as user should not be able to access not authenticated action' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('user').returns(true)
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('admin').returns(false)
+
+    get :not_authenticated_action
+    assert_response :redirect
+    assert_redirected_to root_path
+  end
+
+  test 'authenticated as admin should not be able to access not authenticated action' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('user').returns(false)
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('admin').returns(true)
+
+    get :not_authenticated_action
+    assert_response :redirect
+    assert_redirected_to root_path
+  end
+
+  test 'not authenticated should access not_authenticated_action' do
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('user').returns(false)
+    @controller.expects(:authenticated?).with('admin').returns(false)
+
+    get :not_authenticated_action
+    assert_response :success
+    assert_equal 'not_authenticated', @response.body
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/controllers/url_helpers_test.rb b/test/controllers/url_helpers_test.rb
index 623557bb..200e2978 100644
--- a/test/controllers/url_helpers_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/url_helpers_test.rb
@@ -6,21 +6,31 @@ class RoutesTest < ActionController::TestCase
   def test_path_and_url(name, prepend_path=nil)
     @request.path = '/users/session'
     prepend_path = "#{prepend_path}_" if prepend_path
+
+    # No params
     assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_path"),
                  send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_path")
     assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_url"),
                  send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_url")
 
+    # Default url params
     assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_path", :param => 123),
                  send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_path", :param => 123)
     assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_url", :param => 123),
                  send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_url", :param => 123)
 
     @request.path = nil
+    # With an AR object
     assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_path", User.new),
                  send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_path")
     assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_url", User.new),
                  send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_url")
+
+    # Using a symbol
+    assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_path", :user),
+                 send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_path")
+    assert_equal @controller.send(:"#{prepend_path}#{name}_url", :user),
+                 send(:"#{prepend_path}user_#{name}_url")
   end
 
 
diff --git a/test/rails_app/config/routes.rb b/test/rails_app/config/routes.rb
index 08e8fade..7fe75152 100644
--- a/test/rails_app/config/routes.rb
+++ b/test/rails_app/config/routes.rb
@@ -2,4 +2,7 @@ ActionController::Routing::Routes.draw do |map|
   map.resources :users, :only => :index
   map.resources :admins, :only => :index
   map.root :controller => :home
+
+  map.connect ':controller/:action/:id'
+  map.connect ':controller/:action/:id.:format'
 end