diff --git a/tests/unit/core/core.js b/tests/unit/core/core.js
index f26257053..232b95061 100644
--- a/tests/unit/core/core.js
+++ b/tests/unit/core/core.js
@@ -57,4 +57,26 @@ test('zIndex', function() {
 	equals($('#zIndexAutoNoParent').zIndex(), 0, 'zIndex never explicitly set in hierarchy');
 });
 
+test('widget factory, merge multiple option arguments', function() {
+	expect(1);
+	$.widget("ui.widgetTest", {
+		_init: function() {
+			same(this.options, {
+				disabled: false,
+				option1: "value1",
+				option2: "value2",
+				option3: "value3"
+			});
+		}
+	});
+	$("#main > :first").widgetTest({
+		option1: "valuex",
+		option2: "valuex",
+		option3: "value3"
+	}, {
+		option1: "value1",
+		option2: "value2"
+	});
+});
+
 })(jQuery);
diff --git a/ui/ui.core.js b/ui/ui.core.js
index e166f0f06..37f1f09e9 100644
--- a/ui/ui.core.js
+++ b/ui/ui.core.js
@@ -253,6 +253,11 @@ $.widget = function(name, prototype) {
 			args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 1),
 			returnValue = this;
 
+		// allow multiple hashes to be passed on init
+		options = !isMethodCall && args.length
+			? $.extend.apply(null, arguments)
+			: options;
+
 		// prevent calls to internal methods
 		if (isMethodCall && options.substring(0, 1) == '_') {
 			return returnValue;