1 files changed, 13 insertions, 7 deletions
diff --git a/lib/rake/dsl_definition.rb b/lib/rake/dsl_definition.rb
index 6d9a6b88f3..143b0bcf7a 100644
--- a/lib/rake/dsl_definition.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/dsl_definition.rb
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ module Rake
 
     # Declare a file creation task.
     # (Mainly used for the directory command).
-    def file_create(args, &block)
-      Rake::FileCreationTask.define_task(args, &block)
+    def file_create(*args, &block)
+      Rake::FileCreationTask.define_task(*args, &block)
     end
 
     # Declare a set of files tasks to create the given directories on
@@ -62,12 +62,15 @@ module Rake
     # Example:
     #   directory "testdata/doc"
     #
-    def directory(dir)
+    def directory(*args, &block)
+      result = file_create(*args, &block)
+      dir, _ = *Rake.application.resolve_args(args)
       Rake.each_dir_parent(dir) do |d|
         file_create d do |t|
           mkdir_p t.name if ! File.exist?(t.name)
         end
       end
+      result
     end
 
     # Declare a task that performs its prerequisites in
@@ -78,8 +81,8 @@ module Rake
     # Example:
     #   multitask :deploy => [:deploy_gem, :deploy_rdoc]
     #
-    def multitask(args, &block)
-      Rake::MultiTask.define_task(args, &block)
+    def multitask(*args, &block)
+      Rake::MultiTask.define_task(*args, &block)
     end
 
     # Create a new rake namespace and use it for evaluating the given
@@ -167,10 +170,13 @@ module Rake
         private :#{name}
       }, __FILE__, line
     end
-  end
+  end unless defined? Rake::REDUCE_COMPAT
 
   extend FileUtilsExt
 end
 
+# Extend the main object with the DSL commands. This allows top-level
+# calls to task, etc. to work from a Rakefile without polluting the
+# object inheritance tree.
 self.extend Rake::DSL
-include Rake::DeprecatedObjectDSL
+include Rake::DeprecatedObjectDSL unless defined? Rake::REDUCE_COMPAT