diff --git a/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb b/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
index 55b82af..69bc35a 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
@@ -440,15 +440,22 @@ module CouchRest
     end
 
     # Takes a hash as argument, and applies the values by using writer methods
-    # for each key. Raises a NoMethodError if the corresponding methods are
-    # missing. In case of error, no attributes are changed.
-    def update_attributes hash
+    # for each key. It doesn't save the document at the end. Raises a NoMethodError if the corresponding methods are
+    # missing. In case of error, no attributes are changed.    
+    def update_attributes_without_saving hash
       hash.each do |k, v|
         raise NoMethodError, "#{k}= method not available, use key_accessor or key_writer :#{k}" unless self.respond_to?("#{k}=")
       end      
       hash.each do |k, v|
         self.send("#{k}=",v)
       end
+    end
+
+    # Takes a hash as argument, and applies the values by using writer methods
+    # for each key. Raises a NoMethodError if the corresponding methods are
+    # missing. In case of error, no attributes are changed.
+    def update_attributes hash
+      update_attributes_without_saving hash
       save
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
index 98efe74..e6f440f 100644
--- a/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ describe CouchRest::Model do
     end
   end
   
-  describe "update attributes" do
+  describe "update attributes without saving" do
     before(:each) do
       a = Article.get "big-bad-danger" rescue nil
       a.destroy if a
@@ -161,13 +161,21 @@ describe CouchRest::Model do
       @art['title'].should == "big bad danger"
     end
     
+  end
+  
+  describe "update attributes" do
+    before(:each) do
+      a = Article.get "big-bad-danger" rescue nil
+      a.destroy if a
+      @art = Article.new(:title => "big bad danger")
+      @art.save
+    end
     it "should save" do
       @art['title'].should == "big bad danger"
       @art.update_attributes('date' => Time.now, :title => "super danger")
       loaded = Article.get @art.id
       loaded['title'].should == "super danger"
     end
-    
   end
   
   describe "a model with template values" do