diff --git a/frameworks/compass/stylesheets/compass/css3/_columns.scss b/frameworks/compass/stylesheets/compass/css3/_columns.scss
index 520f57c0..18480013 100644
--- a/frameworks/compass/stylesheets/compass/css3/_columns.scss
+++ b/frameworks/compass/stylesheets/compass/css3/_columns.scss
@@ -1,55 +1,60 @@
 @import "shared";
 
 // Specify the number of columns
-@mixin column-count($n) {
-  @include experimental(column-count, $n,
+@mixin column-count($count) {
+  @include experimental(column-count, $count,
     -moz, -webkit, -o, not -ms, not -khtml, official
   );
 }
 
 // Specify the gap between columns e.g. `20px`
-@mixin column-gap($u) {
-  @include experimental(column-gap, $u,
+@mixin column-gap($width) {
+  @include experimental(column-gap, $width,
     -moz, -webkit, -o, not -ms, not -khtml, official
   );
 }
 
 // Specify the width of columns e.g. `100px`
-@mixin column-width($u) {
-  @include experimental(column-width, $u,
+@mixin column-width($width) {
+  @include experimental(column-width, $width,
     -moz, -webkit, -o, not -ms, not -khtml, official
   );
 }
 
 // Specify the width of the rule between columns e.g. `1px`
-@mixin column-rule-width($w) {
-  @include experimental(rule-width, $w,
+@mixin column-rule-width($width) {
+  @include experimental(rule-width, $width,
     -moz, -webkit, -o, not -ms, not -khtml, official
   );
 }
 
 // Specify the style of the rule between columns e.g. `dotted`.
 // This works like border-style.
-@mixin column-rule-style($s) {
-  @include experimental(rule-style, unquote($s),
+@mixin column-rule-style($style) {
+  @include experimental(rule-style, unquote($style),
     -moz, -webkit, -o, not -ms, not -khtml, official
   );
 }
 
-// Specify the style of the rule between columns e.g. `dotted`.
+// Specify the color of the rule between columns e.g. `blue`.
 // This works like border-color.
-
-@mixin column-rule-color($c) {
-  @include experimental(rule-color, unquote($s),
+@mixin column-rule-color($color) {
+  @include experimental(rule-color, $color,
     -moz, -webkit, -o, not -ms, not -khtml, official
   );
 }
 
-// Mixin encompassing all column rule rules
+// Mixin encompassing all column rule properties
 // For example:
-//     +column-rule(1px, solid, #c00)
-@mixin column-rule($w, $s: solid, $c: black) {
-  @include experimental(column-rule, $w $s $c,
+//
+//     @include column-rule(1px, solid, #c00)
+//
+// Or the values can be space separated:
+//
+//     @include column-rule(1px solid #c00)
+@mixin column-rule($width, $style: false, $color: false) {
+  $full : -compass-space-list(compact($width, $style, $color));
+  @include experimental(column-rule, $full,
     -moz, -webkit, -o, not -ms, not -khtml, official
   );
 }
diff --git a/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/gradient_support.rb b/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/gradient_support.rb
index 776bfc0d..d43c1e51 100644
--- a/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/gradient_support.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/gradient_support.rb
@@ -328,6 +328,16 @@ module Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::GradientSupport
       end
     end
 
+    def _compass_space_list(list)
+      if list.is_a?(List) && !list.is_a?(SpaceList)
+        SpaceList.new(*list.values)
+      elsif list.is_a?(SpaceList)
+        list
+      else
+        SpaceList.new(list)
+      end
+    end
+
     # slice a sublist from a list
     def _compass_slice(list, start_index, end_index = nil)
       end_index ||= Sass::Script::Number.new(-1)
diff --git a/test/fixtures/stylesheets/compass/css/columns.css b/test/fixtures/stylesheets/compass/css/columns.css
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c49d7ba6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/stylesheets/compass/css/columns.css
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+.column-count {
+  -moz-column-count: 5;
+  -webkit-column-count: 5;
+  -o-column-count: 5;
+  column-count: 5; }
+
+.column-gap {
+  -moz-column-gap: 10px;
+  -webkit-column-gap: 10px;
+  -o-column-gap: 10px;
+  column-gap: 10px; }
+
+.column-width {
+  -moz-column-width: 90px;
+  -webkit-column-width: 90px;
+  -o-column-width: 90px;
+  column-width: 90px; }
+
+.column-rule-width {
+  -moz-rule-width: 1px;
+  -webkit-rule-width: 1px;
+  -o-rule-width: 1px;
+  rule-width: 1px; }
+
+.column-rule-style {
+  -moz-rule-style: dotted;
+  -webkit-rule-style: dotted;
+  -o-rule-style: dotted;
+  rule-style: dotted; }
+
+.column-rule-color {
+  -moz-rule-color: blue;
+  -webkit-rule-color: blue;
+  -o-rule-color: blue;
+  rule-color: blue; }
+
+.column-rule {
+  -moz-column-rule: 1px solid blue;
+  -webkit-column-rule: 1px solid blue;
+  -o-column-rule: 1px solid blue;
+  column-rule: 1px solid blue; }
+
+.column-rule-spaced {
+  -moz-column-rule: 1px solid blue;
+  -webkit-column-rule: 1px solid blue;
+  -o-column-rule: 1px solid blue;
+  column-rule: 1px solid blue; }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/stylesheets/compass/sass/columns.scss b/test/fixtures/stylesheets/compass/sass/columns.scss
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c66f71c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/stylesheets/compass/sass/columns.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+@import "compass/css3/columns";
+
+.column-count       { @include column-count(5);               }
+.column-gap         { @include column-gap(10px);              }
+.column-width       { @include column-width(90px);            }
+.column-rule-width  { @include column-rule-width(1px);        }
+.column-rule-style  { @include column-rule-style(dotted);     }
+.column-rule-color  { @include column-rule-color(blue);       }
+.column-rule        { @include column-rule(1px, solid, blue); }
+.column-rule-spaced { @include column-rule(1px solid blue);   }