diff --git a/mithril.js b/mithril.js
index 32d925c3..3b8f2bfc 100644
--- a/mithril.js
+++ b/mithril.js
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ var m = (function app(window, undefined) {
 		var controller = function() {
 			return (component.controller || noop).apply(this, args) || this;
 		};
-		controller.prototype = component.controller.prototype
+		if (component.controller) controller.prototype = component.controller.prototype
 		var view = function(ctrl) {
 			if (arguments.length > 1) args = args.concat([].slice.call(arguments, 1));
 			return component.view.apply(component, args ? [ctrl].concat(args) : [ctrl]);