diff --git a/src/ng/route.js b/src/ng/route.js
index 2b9d187adabe..864cb0ee7f19 100644
--- a/src/ng/route.js
+++ b/src/ng/route.js
@@ -51,15 +51,13 @@ function $RouteProvider(){
    *      If the option is set to `false` and url in the browser changes, then
    *      `$routeUpdate` event is broadcasted on the root scope.
    *
-   * @returns {Object} route object
+   * @returns {Object} self
    *
    * @description
    * Adds a new route definition to the `$route` service.
    */
   this.when = function(path, route) {
-    var routeDef = routes[path];
-    if (!routeDef) routeDef = routes[path] = {reloadOnSearch: true};
-    if (route) extend(routeDef, route); // TODO(im): what the heck? merge two route definitions?
+    routes[path] = extend({reloadOnSearch: true}, route);
 
     // create redirection for trailing slashes
     if (path) {
@@ -70,7 +68,7 @@ function $RouteProvider(){
       routes[redirectPath] = {redirectTo: path};
     }
 
-    return routeDef;
+    return this;
   };
 
   /**
@@ -83,9 +81,11 @@ function $RouteProvider(){
    * is matched.
    *
    * @param {Object} params Mapping information to be assigned to `$route.current`.
+   * @returns {Object} self
    */
   this.otherwise = function(params) {
     this.when(null, params);
+    return this;
   };
 
 
diff --git a/test/ng/routeParamsSpec.js b/test/ng/routeParamsSpec.js
index d1b2ecb117a9..e3aac1a26213 100644
--- a/test/ng/routeParamsSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/routeParamsSpec.js
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 describe('$routeParams', function() {
   it('should publish the params into a service',  function() {
     module(function($routeProvider) {
-      $routeProvider.when('/foo');
-      $routeProvider.when('/bar/:barId');
+      $routeProvider.when('/foo', {});
+      $routeProvider.when('/bar/:barId', {});
     });
 
     inject(function($rootScope, $route, $location, $routeParams) {
diff --git a/test/ng/routeSpec.js b/test/ng/routeSpec.js
index 88e54b9aaa35..b66cbb8edeec 100644
--- a/test/ng/routeSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/routeSpec.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ describe('$route', function() {
     module(function($routeProvider) {
       $routeProvider.when('/Book/:book/Chapter/:chapter',
           {controller: noop, template: 'Chapter.html'});
-      $routeProvider.when('/Blank');
+      $routeProvider.when('/Blank', {});
     });
     inject(function($route, $location, $rootScope) {
       $rootScope.$on('$beforeRouteChange', function(event, next, current) {
@@ -147,6 +147,24 @@ describe('$route', function() {
   });
 
 
+  it('should chain whens and otherwise', function() {
+    module(function($routeProvider){
+      $routeProvider.when('/foo', {template: 'foo.html'}).
+                     otherwise({template: 'bar.html'}).
+                     when('/baz', {template: 'baz.html'});
+    });
+
+    inject(function($route, $location, $rootScope) {
+      $rootScope.$digest();
+      expect($route.current.template).toBe('bar.html');
+
+      $location.url('/baz');
+      $rootScope.$digest();
+      expect($route.current.template).toBe('baz.html');
+    });
+  });
+
+
   it('should not fire $after/beforeRouteChange during bootstrap (if no route)', function() {
     var routeChangeSpy = jasmine.createSpy('route change');