diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 50a6b19a..03a16e3e 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+    - add get_registered_object function (messju, Monte)
     - treat unrecognized param attribute syntax as string (Monte)
     - support $smarty.const.$foo syntax (messju, Monte)
     - remove E_NOTICE warnings from debug.tpl,
diff --git a/Smarty.class.php b/Smarty.class.php
index 00016eef..aef32a5b 100644
--- a/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/Smarty.class.php
@@ -1323,11 +1323,13 @@ class Smarty
      * @param string $name
      */    
 	function &get_registered_object($name) {
-		if(isset($this->_reg_objects[$name])) {
-			return $this->_reg_objects[$name][0];
-		} else {
-		 	return false; 
-		}
+		if (!isset($this->_reg_objects[$object]))
+		$this->_trigger_fatal_error("'$object' is not a registered object");
+
+		if (!is_object($this->_reg_objects[$object][0]))
+		$this->_trigger_fatal_error("registered '$object' is not an object");
+
+		return $this->_reg_objects[$name][0];		
 	}	
 
     /**#@+
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index 00016eef..aef32a5b 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -1323,11 +1323,13 @@ class Smarty
      * @param string $name
      */    
 	function &get_registered_object($name) {
-		if(isset($this->_reg_objects[$name])) {
-			return $this->_reg_objects[$name][0];
-		} else {
-		 	return false; 
-		}
+		if (!isset($this->_reg_objects[$object]))
+		$this->_trigger_fatal_error("'$object' is not a registered object");
+
+		if (!is_object($this->_reg_objects[$object][0]))
+		$this->_trigger_fatal_error("registered '$object' is not an object");
+
+		return $this->_reg_objects[$name][0];		
 	}	
 
     /**#@+