diff --git a/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js b/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js
index 604222106..76d6543c2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js
+++ b/tests/unit/widget/widget_core.js
@@ -209,7 +209,30 @@ test( ".option() - getter", function() {
 		"modifying returned options hash does not modify plugin instance" );
 });
 
-test( ".option() - setter", function() {
+test( ".option() - delegate to ._setOptions()", function() {
+	var calls = [];
+	$.widget( "ui.testWidget", {
+		_create: function() {},
+		_setOptions: function( options ) {
+			calls.push( options );
+		}
+	});
+	var div = $( "<div></div>" ).testWidget();
+
+	calls = [];
+	div.testWidget( "option", "foo", "bar" );
+	same( calls, [{ foo: "bar" }], "_setOptions called for single option" );
+	
+	calls = [];
+	div.testWidget( "option", {
+		bar: "qux",
+		quux: "quuux"
+	});
+	same( calls, [{ bar: "qux", quux: "quuux" }],
+		"_setOptions called with multiple options" );
+});
+
+test( ".option() - delegate to ._setOption()", function() {
 	var calls = [];
 	$.widget( "ui.testWidget", {
 		_create: function() {},
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
index aef9b8378..866f7441e 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
@@ -176,12 +176,11 @@ $.Widget.prototype = {
 	},
 
 	option: function( key, value ) {
-		var options = key,
-			self = this;
+		var options = key;
 
 		if ( arguments.length === 0 ) {
 			// don't return a reference to the internal hash
-			return $.extend( {}, self.options );
+			return $.extend( {}, this.options );
 		}
 
 		if  (typeof key === "string" ) {
@@ -192,11 +191,17 @@ $.Widget.prototype = {
 			options[ key ] = value;
 		}
 
+		this._setOptions( options );
+
+		return this;
+	},
+	_setOptions: function( options ) {
+		var self = this;
 		$.each( options, function( key, value ) {
 			self._setOption( key, value );
 		});
 
-		return self;
+		return this;
 	},
 	_setOption: function( key, value ) {
 		this.options[ key ] = value;