1 files changed, 18 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
index 09c680ec3..27d08ccd2 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.widget.js
@@ -208,19 +208,34 @@ $.Widget.prototype = {
 	},
 
 	option: function( key, value ) {
-		var options = key;
+		var options = key,
+			parts,
+			curOption,
+			i;
 
 		if ( arguments.length === 0 ) {
 			// don't return a reference to the internal hash
 			return $.extend( {}, this.options );
 		}
 
-		if  (typeof key === "string" ) {
+		if ( typeof key === "string" ) {
 			if ( value === undefined ) {
 				return this.options[ key ];
 			}
+			// handle nested keys, e.g., "foo.bar" => { foo: { bar: ___ } }
 			options = {};
-			options[ key ] = value;
+			parts = key.split( "." );
+			key = parts.shift();
+			if ( parts.length ) {
+				curOption = options[ key ] = $.extend( true, {}, this.options[ key ] );
+				for ( i = 0; i < parts.length - 1; i++ ) {
+					curOption[ parts[ i ] ] = curOption[ parts[ i ] ] || {};
+					curOption = curOption[ parts[ i ] ];
+				}
+				curOption[ parts.pop() ] = value;
+			} else {
+				options[ key ] = value;
+			}
 		}
 
 		this._setOptions( options );