diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/design_doc.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/design_doc.rb
index b634351..36c3940 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/design_doc.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/design_doc.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,11 @@ module CouchRest
       module ClassMethods
 
         def design_doc
-          @design_doc ||= ::CouchRest::Design.new(default_design_doc)
+          @design_doc ||= if auto_update_design_doc
+                            ::CouchRest::Design.new(default_design_doc)
+                          else
+                            stored_design_doc || ::CouchRest::Design.new(default_design_doc)
+                          end
         end
 
         def design_doc_id
@@ -75,16 +79,25 @@ module CouchRest
           # If auto updates enabled, check checksum cache
           return design_doc if auto_update_design_doc && design_doc_cache_checksum(db) == checksum
 
-          # Load up the stored doc (if present), update, and save
-          saved = stored_design_doc(db)
-          if saved
-            if force || saved['couchrest-hash'] != checksum
-              saved.merge!(design_doc)
-              db.save_doc(saved)
+          retries = 1
+          begin
+            # Load up the stored doc (if present), update, and save
+            saved = stored_design_doc(db)
+            if saved
+              if force || saved['couchrest-hash'] != checksum
+                saved.merge!(design_doc)
+                db.save_doc(saved)
+                @design_doc = saved  # update memo to point to the document we actually saved
+              end
+            else
+              design_doc.delete('_rev') # This is a new document and so doesn't have a revision yet
+              db.save_doc(design_doc)
             end
-          else
-            db.save_doc(design_doc)
-            design_doc.delete('_rev') # Prevent conflicts, never store rev as DB specific
+          rescue RestClient::Conflict
+            # if we get a conflict retry the operation...
+            raise if retries < 1
+            retries -= 1
+            retry
           end
 
           # Ensure checksum cached for next attempt if using auto updates
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/designs.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/designs.rb
index e17f1bc..3862567 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/designs.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/designs.rb
@@ -58,10 +58,11 @@ module CouchRest
           self.model = model
         end
 
-        # Define a view and generate a method that will provide a new 
-        # View instance when requested.
+        # Generate a method that will provide a new View instance when
+        # requested.  This will also define the view in CouchDB unless
+        # auto_update_design_doc is disabled.
         def view(name, opts = {})
-          View.create(model, name, opts)
+          View.create(model, name, opts) if model.auto_update_design_doc
           create_view_method(name)
         end
 
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/views.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/views.rb
index 89dffbd..f8331e5 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/views.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/views.rb
@@ -72,9 +72,12 @@ module CouchRest
         # <tt>spec/couchrest/more/extended_doc_spec.rb</tt>.
 
         def view_by(*keys)
+          return unless auto_update_design_doc
+
           opts = keys.pop if keys.last.is_a?(Hash)
           opts ||= {}
           ducktype = opts.delete(:ducktype)
+
           unless ducktype || opts[:map]
             opts[:guards] ||= []
             opts[:guards].push "(doc['#{model_type_key}'] == '#{self.to_s}')"
diff --git a/spec/unit/design_doc_spec.rb b/spec/unit/design_doc_spec.rb
index d034d68..299f5e6 100644
--- a/spec/unit/design_doc_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/design_doc_spec.rb
@@ -159,39 +159,68 @@ describe CouchRest::Model::DesignDoc do
     end
 
     describe "when auto_update_design_doc false" do
-  
-      before :all do
-        Article.auto_update_design_doc = false
-        Article.save_design_doc!
-      end
+      # We really do need a new class for each of example. If we try
+      # to use the same class the examples interact with each in ways
+      # that can hide failures because the design document gets cached
+      # at the class level.
+      let(:model_class) {
+        class_name = "#{example.metadata[:full_description].gsub(/\s+/,'_').camelize}Model"
+        doc = CouchRest::Document.new("_id" => "_design/#{class_name}")
+        doc["language"] = "javascript"
+        doc["views"] = {"all" => {"map" => 
+                                  "function(doc) {
+                                 if (doc['type'] == 'Article') {
+                                   emit(doc['_id'],1);
+                                 }
+                               }"},
+                         "by_name" => {"map" => 
+                                       "function(doc) {
+                                     if ((doc['type'] == '#{class_name}') && (doc['name'] != null)) {
+                                       emit(doc['name'], null);
+                                     }",
+                                      "reduce" => 
+                                      "function(keys, values, rereduce) {
+                                        return sum(values);
+                                      }"}}
+        
+        DB.save_doc doc
 
-      after :all do
-        Article.auto_update_design_doc = true
-      end
+        eval <<-KLASS
+          class ::#{class_name} < CouchRest::Model::Base
+            use_database DB
+            self.auto_update_design_doc = false
+            design do 
+              view :by_name
+            end
+            property :name, String
+          end
+        KLASS
 
-      it "will not send a request for the saved design doc" do
-        Article.should_not_receive(:stored_design_doc)
-        Article.by_date
-      end
+        class_name.constantize
+      }
 
       it "will not update stored design doc if view changed" do
-        Article.by_date
-        orig = Article.stored_design_doc
-        design = Article.design_doc
-        view = design['views']['by_date']['map']
-        design['views']['by_date']['map'] = view + '  '
-        Article.by_date
-        Article.stored_design_doc['_rev'].should eql(orig['_rev'])
+        model_class.by_name
+        orig = model_class.stored_design_doc
+        design = model_class.design_doc
+        view = design['views']['by_name']['map']
+        design['views']['by_name']['map'] = view + '  '
+        model_class.by_name
+        model_class.stored_design_doc['_rev'].should eql(orig['_rev'])
       end
 
       it "will update stored design if forced" do
-        Article.by_date
-        orig = Article.stored_design_doc
-        design = Article.design_doc
-        view = design['views']['by_date']['map']
-        design['views']['by_date']['map'] = view + '  '
-        Article.save_design_doc!
-        Article.stored_design_doc['_rev'].should_not eql(orig['_rev'])
+        model_class.by_name
+        orig = model_class.stored_design_doc
+        design = model_class.design_doc
+        view = design['views']['by_name']['map']
+        design['views']['by_name']['map'] = view + '  '
+        model_class.save_design_doc!
+        model_class.stored_design_doc['_rev'].should_not eql(orig['_rev'])
+      end
+
+      it "is able to use predefined views" do 
+        model_class.by_name(key: "special").all
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/unit/designs_spec.rb b/spec/unit/designs_spec.rb
index e4e981d..96d02a3 100644
--- a/spec/unit/designs_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/designs_spec.rb
@@ -83,7 +83,23 @@ describe CouchRest::Model::Designs do
         @object.should_receive(:create_view_method).with('test')
         @object.view('test')
       end
+    end
 
+    context "for model with auto_update_design_doc disabled " do 
+      class ::DesignModelAutoUpdateDesignDocDisabled < ::CouchRest::Model::Base
+        self.auto_update_design_doc = false
+      end
+
+      describe "#view" do 
+        before :each do
+          @object = @klass.new(DesignModelAutoUpdateDesignDocDisabled)
+        end
+
+        it "does not attempt to create view" do 
+          CouchRest::Model::Designs::View.should_not_receive(:create)
+          @object.view('test')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     describe "#filter" do