diff --git a/lib/faraday.rb b/lib/faraday.rb
index 80db124c9..7a829766d 100644
--- a/lib/faraday.rb
+++ b/lib/faraday.rb
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ class << self
     #     :params => {:page => 1}
     #
     # Returns a Faraday::Connection.
-    def new(url = nil, options = nil)
-      block = block_given? ? Proc.new : nil
+    def new(url = nil, options = nil, &block)
       options = options ? default_connection_options.merge(options) : default_connection_options
       Faraday::Connection.new(url, options, &block)
     end
diff --git a/lib/faraday/options.rb b/lib/faraday/options.rb
index 50cf60f47..b17342780 100644
--- a/lib/faraday/options.rb
+++ b/lib/faraday/options.rb
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ def self.attribute_options
       @attribute_options ||= {}
     end
 
-    def self.memoized(key)
-      memoized_attributes[key.to_sym] = Proc.new
+    def self.memoized(key, &block)
+      memoized_attributes[key.to_sym] = block
       class_eval <<-RUBY, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1
         def #{key}() self[:#{key}]; end
       RUBY
diff --git a/lib/faraday/rack_builder.rb b/lib/faraday/rack_builder.rb
index e3641e25c..13950ee22 100644
--- a/lib/faraday/rack_builder.rb
+++ b/lib/faraday/rack_builder.rb
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ def build(app)
       end
     end
 
-    def initialize(handlers = [])
+    def initialize(handlers = [], &block)
       @handlers = handlers
       if block_given?
-        build(&Proc.new)
+        build(&block)
       elsif @handlers.empty?
         # default stack, if nothing else is configured
         self.request :url_encoded