diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 860ae74d..d034687a 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+    - added assign attribute to include and include_php, documented (Monte)
     - added include_php built-in function. (Monte)
     - added trusted_dir functionality, documented. (Monte)
     - consolidated secure_dir tests to one function. (Monte)
diff --git a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 60cc7d9b..39e44264 100644
--- a/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -431,18 +431,22 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                 $include_file = $arg_value;
                 continue;
             }
+            elseif ($arg_name == 'assign') {
+                $assign_var = $arg_value;
+                continue;
+            }
             if (is_bool($arg_value))
                 $arg_value = $arg_value ? 'true' : 'false';
             $arg_list[] = "'$arg_name' => $arg_value";
         }
-        if (!empty($attrs['assign'])) {
+        if (isset($assign_var)) {
 			$return = "<?php ob_start();\n";
         	$return .=  
             	"\$_smarty_tpl_vars = \$this->_tpl_vars;\n" .
             	"\$this->_smarty_include(".$include_file.", array(".implode(',', (array)$arg_list)."));\n" .
             	"\$this->_tpl_vars = \$_smarty_tpl_vars;\n" .
             	"unset(\$_smarty_tpl_vars);\n";
-			$return .= "\$this->assign('".$this->_dequote($attrs['assign'])."',ob_get_contents()); ob_end_clean();\n?>";
+			$return .= "\$this->assign('".$this->_dequote($assign_var)."',ob_get_contents()); ob_end_clean();\n?>";
 		} else {
         	$return =  "<?php " .
             	"\$_smarty_tpl_vars = \$this->_tpl_vars;\n" .
diff --git a/docs.sgml b/docs.sgml
index 8048318c..52d2bcb1 100644
--- a/docs.sgml
+++ b/docs.sgml
@@ -2292,6 +2292,14 @@ pass=foobar
                         <entry><emphasis>n/a</emphasis></entry>
                         <entry>The name of the template file to include</entry>
                     </row>
+                    <row>
+                        <entry>assign</entry>
+                        <entry>string</entry>
+                        <entry>No</entry>
+                        <entry><emphasis>n/a</emphasis></entry>
+                        <entry>The name of the varible that the output of
+						include will be assigned to</entry>
+                    </row>
                     <row>
                         <entry>[var ...]</entry>
                         <entry>[var type]</entry>
@@ -2308,6 +2316,11 @@ pass=foobar
             available within the included template. The include tag must have
             the attribute "file", which contains the template resource path.
 			</para>
+			<para>
+			You an optionally pass the assign attribute, which will specify a
+			template variable name that the output of include will be assigned
+			to instead of displayed. This was added to Smarty 1.5.0.
+			</para>
 <example>
 <title>function include</title>
 <programlisting>
@@ -2365,6 +2378,14 @@ pass=foobar
                         <entry><emphasis>n/a</emphasis></entry>
                         <entry>The name of the php file to include</entry>
                     </row>
+                    <row>
+                        <entry>assign</entry>
+                        <entry>string</entry>
+                        <entry>No</entry>
+                        <entry><emphasis>n/a</emphasis></entry>
+                        <entry>The name of the varible that the output of
+						include_php will be assigned to</entry>
+                    </row>
                 </tbody>
                 </tgroup>
             </informaltable>
@@ -2386,6 +2407,11 @@ pass=foobar
 			before hand.
 			</para>
 			<para>
+			You an optionally pass the assign attribute, which will specify a
+			template variable name that the output of include_php will be
+			assigned to instead of displayed.
+			</para>
+			<para>
 			include_php was added to Smarty 1.5.0.
 			</para>
 <example>
diff --git a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
index 60cc7d9b..39e44264 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty_Compiler.class.php
@@ -431,18 +431,22 @@ class Smarty_Compiler extends Smarty {
                 $include_file = $arg_value;
                 continue;
             }
+            elseif ($arg_name == 'assign') {
+                $assign_var = $arg_value;
+                continue;
+            }
             if (is_bool($arg_value))
                 $arg_value = $arg_value ? 'true' : 'false';
             $arg_list[] = "'$arg_name' => $arg_value";
         }
-        if (!empty($attrs['assign'])) {
+        if (isset($assign_var)) {
 			$return = "<?php ob_start();\n";
         	$return .=  
             	"\$_smarty_tpl_vars = \$this->_tpl_vars;\n" .
             	"\$this->_smarty_include(".$include_file.", array(".implode(',', (array)$arg_list)."));\n" .
             	"\$this->_tpl_vars = \$_smarty_tpl_vars;\n" .
             	"unset(\$_smarty_tpl_vars);\n";
-			$return .= "\$this->assign('".$this->_dequote($attrs['assign'])."',ob_get_contents()); ob_end_clean();\n?>";
+			$return .= "\$this->assign('".$this->_dequote($assign_var)."',ob_get_contents()); ob_end_clean();\n?>";
 		} else {
         	$return =  "<?php " .
             	"\$_smarty_tpl_vars = \$this->_tpl_vars;\n" .