diff --git a/src/ngRoute/route.js b/src/ngRoute/route.js
index a9f88ceeb605..7a51a78cf689 100644
--- a/src/ngRoute/route.js
+++ b/src/ngRoute/route.js
@@ -141,10 +141,14 @@ function $RouteProvider(){
    * Adds a new route definition to the `$route` service.
    */
   this.when = function(path, route) {
+    //copy original route object to preserve params inherited from proto chain
+    var routeCopy = angular.copy(route);
+    if (angular.isUndefined(routeCopy.reloadOnSearch)) {
+      routeCopy.reloadOnSearch = true;
+    }
     routes[path] = angular.extend(
-      {reloadOnSearch: true},
-      route,
-      path && pathRegExp(path, route)
+      routeCopy,
+      path && pathRegExp(path, routeCopy)
     );
 
     // create redirection for trailing slashes
@@ -155,7 +159,7 @@ function $RouteProvider(){
 
       routes[redirectPath] = angular.extend(
         {redirectTo: path},
-        pathRegExp(redirectPath, route)
+        pathRegExp(redirectPath, routeCopy)
       );
     }
 
diff --git a/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js b/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js
index 45668c3c2209..0e90d6ae9508 100644
--- a/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js
+++ b/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js
@@ -294,6 +294,23 @@ describe('$route', function() {
       $rootScope.$digest();
       expect($route.current).toBeDefined();
     }));
+
+    it("should use route params inherited from prototype chain", function() {
+      var BaseRoute = function BaseRoute() {
+          BaseRoute.prototype.templateUrl = 'foo.html';
+        };
+      var route = new BaseRoute();
+
+      module(function($routeProvider) {
+        $routeProvider.when('/foo', route);
+      });
+
+      inject(function($route, $location, $rootScope) {
+        $location.path('/foo');
+        $rootScope.$digest();
+        expect($route.current.templateUrl).toBe('foo.html');
+      });
+    });
   });