diff --git a/change_log.txt b/change_log.txt
index 1824fc48..f37c2bb5 100644
--- a/change_log.txt
+++ b/change_log.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 19.02.2012
 - bugfix {include} could result in a fatal error if used in appended or prepended nested {block} tags
   (reported by mh and Issue 83)
+- enhancement added Smarty special variable $smarty.template_object to return the current template object (Forum Topic 20289)
+
 
 07.02.2012
 - bugfix increase entropy of internal function names in compiled and cached template files (Forum Topic 20996)
diff --git a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_private_special_variable.php b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_private_special_variable.php
index f9adcec8..4760dbe3 100644
--- a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_private_special_variable.php
+++ b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_private_special_variable.php
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ class Smarty_Internal_Compile_Private_Special_Variable extends Smarty_Internal_C
             case 'template':
                 return 'basename($_smarty_tpl->source->filepath)';
 
+            case 'template_object':
+                return '$_smarty_tpl';
+
             case 'current_dir':
                 return 'dirname($_smarty_tpl->source->filepath)';