diff --git a/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb b/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb
index 587e9c6..ba17d1f 100644
--- a/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb
+++ b/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module CanCan
     end
 
     def parent?
-      @options[:parent] || @name && @name != name_from_controller.to_sym
+      @options.has_key?(:parent) ? @options[:parent] : @name && @name != name_from_controller.to_sym
     end
 
     private
diff --git a/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb b/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb
index 8b8e693..bc26c22 100644
--- a/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb
@@ -122,6 +122,11 @@ describe CanCan::ControllerResource do
     resource.should be_parent
   end
 
+  it "should not be parent if specified in options" do
+    resource = CanCan::ControllerResource.new(@controller, :person, {:parent => false})
+    resource.should_not be_parent
+  end
+
   it "should load parent resource through proper id parameter when supplying a resource with a different name" do
     @params.merge!(:action => "index", :person_id => 123)
     stub(Person).find(123) { :some_person }