diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
index 1b00006a0..ea1826481 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
@@ -37,7 +37,13 @@ $.widget = function( name, base, prototype ) {
 
 	$[ namespace ] = $[ namespace ] || {};
 	$[ namespace ][ name ] = function( options, element ) {
+		// allow instantiation without "new" keyword
+		if ( !this._createWidget ) {
+			return new $[ namespace ][ name ]( options, element );
+		}
+
 		// allow instantiation without initializing for simple inheritance
+		// must use "new" keyword (the code above always passes args)
 		if ( arguments.length ) {
 			this._createWidget( options, element );
 		}
@@ -97,7 +103,7 @@ $.widget.bridge = function( name, object ) {
 				if ( instance ) {
 					instance.option( options || {} )._init();
 				} else {
-					$.data( this, name, new object( options, this ) );
+					object( options, this );
 				}
 			});
 		}
@@ -107,7 +113,13 @@ $.widget.bridge = function( name, object ) {
 };
 
 $.Widget = function( options, element ) {
+	// allow instantiation without "new" keyword
+	if ( !this._createWidget ) {
+		return new $[ namespace ][ name ]( options, element );
+	}
+
 	// allow instantiation without initializing for simple inheritance
+	// must use "new" keyword (the code above always passes args)
 	if ( arguments.length ) {
 		this._createWidget( options, element );
 	}