diff --git a/lib/cancan/ability.rb b/lib/cancan/ability.rb
index ba308dc..53cb409 100644
--- a/lib/cancan/ability.rb
+++ b/lib/cancan/ability.rb
@@ -302,7 +302,8 @@ module CanCan
       can_definitions.each do |can_definition|
         merge_association_joins(joins, can_definition.association_joins || [])
       end
-      clear_association_joins(joins)
+      joins = clear_association_joins(joins)
+      joins unless joins.empty?
     end
     
     def merge_association_joins(what, with)
diff --git a/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb b/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb
index d76afd5..d8dd689 100644
--- a/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cancan/ability_spec.rb
@@ -270,6 +270,21 @@ describe CanCan::Ability do
     @ability.sql_conditions(:read, SqlSanitizer).should == 'true=true'
   end
   
+  it "should accept array condition for use in sql" do
+    @ability.can :read, SqlSanitizer, ["user_id = ?", 1]
+    
+    @ability.sql_conditions(:read, SqlSanitizer).should == ['user_id = ?', 1]
+    @ability.association_joins(:read, SqlSanitizer).should be_nil
+  end
+  
+  it "should accept array condition for use in sql and do sanitizing in complex conditions" do
+    @ability.cannot :read, SqlSanitizer
+    @ability.can :read, SqlSanitizer, ["user_id = ?", 1]
+    
+    @ability.sql_conditions(:read, SqlSanitizer).should == 'user_id = 1'
+    @ability.association_joins(:read, SqlSanitizer).should be_nil
+  end
+  
   it "should has eated cheezburger" do
     lambda {
       @ability.can? :has, :cheezburger