diff --git a/frameworks/compass/stylesheets/compass/utilities/sprites/_base.scss b/frameworks/compass/stylesheets/compass/utilities/sprites/_base.scss
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..42bf3b16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frameworks/compass/stylesheets/compass/utilities/sprites/_base.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// Set the width and height of an element to the original
+// dimensions of an image before it was included in the sprite.
+@mixin sprite-dimensions($sprite, $name) {
+  height: image-height(sprite-file($sprite, $name));
+  width: image-width(sprite-file($sprite, $name));
+}
+
+// Set the background position of the given `$sprite` to display the
+// image of the given `$name`. You can move the image relative to its
+// natural position by passing `$offset-x` and `$offset-y`.
+@mixin sprite-position($sprite, $name, $offset-x: 0, $offset-y: 0) {
+  background-position: sprite-position($sprite, $name, $offset-x, $offset-y);  
+}
+
+@mixin sprite($sprite, $name, $dimensions: false, $offset-x: 0, $offset-y: 0) {
+  @include sprite-position($sprite, $name, $offset-x, $offset-y);
+  @if $dimensions {
+    @include sprite-dimensions($sprite, $name);
+  }
+}
+
+@mixin sprites($sprite, $sprite-names, $base-class: false, $dimensions: false) {
+  @each $sprite-name in $sprite-names {
+    .#{sprite-name($sprite)}-#{$sprite-name} {
+      @if $base-class { @extend #{$base-class}; }
+      @include sprite($sprite, $sprite-name, $dimensions);
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb b/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb
index 41a7e619..7b1b6d65 100644
--- a/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'chunky_png'
 
 module Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::Sprites
-  SASS_NULL = Sass::Script::Number::new(0)
+  ZERO = Sass::Script::Number::new(0)
   
   # Provides a consistent interface for getting a variable in ruby
   # from a keyword argument hash that accounts for underscores/dash equivalence
@@ -12,111 +12,253 @@ module Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::Sprites
     end
   end
 
-  def generate_sprite_image(uri, kwargs = {})
-    kwargs.extend VariableReader
-    path, name = Compass::Sprites.path_and_name(uri.value)
-    last_spacing = 0
-    width = 0
-    height = 0
+  class Sprite < Sass::Script::Literal
 
-    # Get image metadata
-    Compass::Sprites.discover_sprites(uri.value).each do |file|
-      Compass::Sprites.compute_image_metadata! file, path, name
+    attr_accessor :image_names, :path, :name, :options
+    attr_accessor :images, :width, :height
+
+    def self.from_uri(uri, context, kwargs)
+      path, name = Compass::Sprites.path_and_name(uri.value)
+      new(Compass::Sprites.discover_sprites(uri.value), path, name, context, kwargs)
     end
 
-    images = Compass::Sprites.sprites(path, name)
-
-    # Calculation
-    images.each do |image|
-      current_spacing = number_from_var(kwargs, "#{image[:name]}-spacing", 0)
-      if height > 0
-        height += [current_spacing, last_spacing].max
-      end
-      image[:y] = height
-      height += image[:height]
-      last_spacing = current_spacing
-      width = image[:width] if image[:width] > width
+    def initialize(image_names, path, name, context, options)
+      @image_names, @path, @name, @options = image_names, path, name, options
+      @images = nil
+      @width = nil
+      @height = nil
+      @evaluation_context = context
+      validate!
+      compute_image_metadata!
     end
-    
-    # Generation
-    output_png = ChunkyPNG::Image.new(width, height, ChunkyPNG::Color::TRANSPARENT)
-    images.each do |image|
-      input_png  = ChunkyPNG::Image.from_file(image[:file])
-      
-      position = kwargs.get_var("#{image[:name]}-position") || Sass::Script::Number.new(0, ["%"])
-      if position.unit_str == "%"
-        image[:x] = (width - image[:width]) * (position.value / 100)
-      else
-        image[:x] = position.value
+
+    def sprite_names
+      image_names.map{|f| Compass::Sprites.sprite_name(f) }
+    end
+
+    def validate!
+      for sprite_name in sprite_names
+        unless sprite_name =~ /\A#{Sass::SCSS::RX::IDENT}\Z/
+          raise Sass::SyntaxError, "#{sprite_name} must be a legal css identifier"
+        end
       end
-      
-      repeat = if (var = kwargs.get_var("#{image[:name]}-repeat"))
+    end
+
+    # Calculates the overal image dimensions
+    # collects image sizes and input parameters for each sprite
+    def compute_image_metadata!
+      @images = []
+      @width = 0
+      image_names.each do |file|
+        relative_file = file.gsub(Compass.configuration.images_path+"/", "")
+        width, height = Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::ImageSize::ImageProperties.new(file).size
+        sprite_name = Compass::Sprites.sprite_name(relative_file)
+        @width = [@width, width].max
+        @images << {
+          :name => sprite_name,
+          :file => file,
+          :relative_file => relative_file,
+          :height => height,
+          :width => width,
+          :repeat => repeat_for(sprite_name),
+          :spacing => spacing_for(sprite_name),
+          :position => position_for(sprite_name)
+        }
+      end
+      @images.each_with_index do |image, index|
+        if index == 0
+          image[:top] = 0
+        else
+          last_image = @images[index-1]
+          image[:top] = last_image[:top] + last_image[:height] + [image[:spacing],  last_image[:spacing]].max
+        end
+        if image[:position].unit_str == "%"
+          image[:left] = (@width - image[:width]) * (image[:position].value / 100)
+        else
+          image[:left] = image[:position].value
+        end
+      end
+      @height = @images.last[:top] + @images.last[:height]
+    end
+
+    def position_for(name)
+      options.get_var("#{name}-position") || options.get_var("position") || Sass::Script::Number.new(0, ["px"])
+    end
+
+    def repeat_for(name)
+      if (var = options.get_var("#{name}-repeat"))
+        var.value
+      elsif (var = options.get_var("repeat"))
         var.value
       else
         "no-repeat"
       end
-      if repeat == "no-repeat"
-        output_png.replace input_png, image[:x], image[:y]
-      else
-        x = image[:x] - (image[:x] / image[:width]).ceil * image[:width]
-        while x < width do
-          output_png.replace input_png, x, image[:y]
-          x += image[:width]
-        end
+    end
+
+    def spacing_for(name)
+      (options.get_var("#{name}-spacing") ||
+       options.get_var("spacing") ||
+       ZERO).value
+    end
+
+    def image_for(name)
+      @images.detect{|img| img[:name] == name}
+    end
+
+    # Calculate the size of the sprite
+    def size
+      [width, height]
+    end
+
+    # Generate a sprite image if necessary
+    def generate
+      if generation_required?
+        save!(construct_sprite)
       end
     end
-    output_png.save File.join(File.join(Compass.configuration.images_path, "#{path}.png"))
-    
-    sprite_url(uri)
-  end
-  Sass::Script::Functions.declare :generate_sprite_image, [:uri], :var_kwargs => true
-  
-  def sprite_image(uri, x_shift = SASS_NULL, y_shift = SASS_NULL, depricated_1 = nil, depricated_2 = nil)
-    check_spacing_deprecation uri, depricated_1, depricated_2
-    url = sprite_url(uri)
-    position = sprite_position(uri, x_shift, y_shift)
-    Sass::Script::String.new("#{url} #{position}")
-  end
-    
-  def sprite_url(uri)
-    path, name = Compass::Sprites.path_and_name(uri.value)
-    image_url(Sass::Script::String.new("#{path}.png"))
+
+    def generation_required?
+      !File.exists?(filename) || outdated?
+    end
+
+    # Returns a PNG object
+    def construct_sprite
+      output_png = ChunkyPNG::Image.new(width, height, ChunkyPNG::Color::TRANSPARENT)
+      images.each do |image|
+        input_png  = ChunkyPNG::Image.from_file(image[:file])
+        if image[:repeat] == "no-repeat"
+          output_png.replace input_png, image[:left], image[:top]
+        else
+          x = image[:left] - (image[:left] / image[:width]).ceil * image[:width]
+          while x < width do
+            output_png.replace input_png, x, image[:top]
+            x += image[:width]
+          end
+        end
+      end
+      output_png 
+    end
+
+    # The on-the-disk filename of the sprite
+    def filename
+      File.join(File.join(Compass.configuration.images_path, "#{path}.png"))
+    end
+
+    # saves the sprite for later retrieval
+    def save!(output_png)
+      output_png.save filename
+    end
+
+    # All the full-path filenames involved in this sprite
+    def image_filenames
+      image_names.map do |image_name|
+        File.join(File.join(Compass.configuration.images_path, image_name))
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Checks whether this sprite is outdated
+    def outdated?
+      last_update = self.mtime
+      image_filenames.each do |image|
+        return true if File.mtime(image) > last_update
+      end
+      false
+    end
+
+    def mtime
+      File.mtime(filename)
+    end
+
+    def inspect
+      to_s
+    end
+
+    def to_s(options = self.options)
+      sprite_url(self).value
+    end
+
+    def method_missing(meth, *args, &block)
+      if @evaluation_context.respond_to?(meth)
+        @evaluation_context.send(meth, *args, &block)
+      else
+        super
+      end
+    end
+
   end
 
-  def sprite_position(uri, x_shift = SASS_NULL, y_shift = SASS_NULL, depricated_1 = nil, depricated_2 = nil)
-    check_spacing_deprecation uri, depricated_1, depricated_2
-    path, name = Compass::Sprites.path_and_name(uri.value)
-    image_name = File.basename(uri.value, '.png')
-    image = Compass::Sprites.sprites(path, name).detect{ |image| image[:name] == image_name }
+  def sprite(uri, kwargs = {})
+    kwargs.extend VariableReader
+    Sprite.from_uri(uri, self, kwargs)
+  end
+  Sass::Script::Functions.declare :sprite, [:uri], :var_kwargs => true
+
+  def sprite_image(sprite, image = nil, x_shift = ZERO, y_shift = ZERO)
+    unless sprite.is_a?(Sprite)
+      missing_sprite!("sprite-image")
+    end
+    unless image && image.is_a?(Sass::Script::String)
+      raise Sass::SyntaxError, %Q(The second argument to sprite-image must be a sprite name. See http://beta.compass-style.org/help/tutorials/spriting/ for more information.)
+    end
+    url = sprite_url(sprite)
+    position = sprite_position(sprite, image, x_shift, y_shift)
+    Sass::Script::List.new([url, position], :space)
+  end
+
+  def sprite_name(sprite)
+    unless sprite.is_a?(Sprite)
+      missing_sprite!("sprite-name")
+    end
+    Sass::Script::String.new(sprite.name)
+  end
+
+  def sprite_file(sprite, image_name)
+    unless sprite.is_a?(Sprite)
+      missing_sprite!("sprite-file")
+    end
+    if image = sprite.image_for(image_name.value)
+      Sass::Script::String.new(image[:relative_file])
+    else
+      missing_image!(sprite, image_name)
+    end
+  end
+    
+  def sprite_url(sprite)
+    unless sprite.is_a?(Sprite)
+      missing_sprite!("sprite-url")
+    end
+    sprite.generate
+    image_url(Sass::Script::String.new("#{sprite.path}.png"))
+  end
+
+  def missing_image!(sprite, image_name)
+    raise Sass::SyntaxError, "No image called #{image_name} found in sprite #{sprite.path}/#{sprite.name}. Did you mean one of: #{sprite.sprite_names.join(", ")}"
+  end
+
+  def missing_sprite!(function_name)
+    raise Sass::SyntaxError, %Q(The first argument to #{function_name} must be a sprite. See http://beta.compass-style.org/help/tutorials/spriting/ for more information.)
+  end
+
+  def sprite_position(sprite, image_name = nil, x_shift = ZERO, y_shift = ZERO)
+    unless sprite.is_a?(Sprite)
+      missing_sprite!("sprite-position")
+    end
+    unless image_name && image_name.is_a?(Sass::Script::String)
+      raise Sass::SyntaxError, %Q(The second argument to sprite-image must be a sprite name. See http://beta.compass-style.org/help/tutorials/spriting/ for more information.)
+    end
+    image = sprite.image_for(image_name.value)
+    unless image
+      missing_image!(sprite, image_name)
+    end
     if x_shift.unit_str == "%"
-      x = x_shift.to_s
+      x = x_shift # CE: Shouldn't this be a percentage of the total width?
     else
-      x = x_shift.value - image[:x]
-      x = "#{x}px" unless x == 0
+      x = x_shift.value - image[:left]
+      x = Sass::Script::Number.new(x, x == 0 ? [] : ["px"])
     end
-    y = y_shift.value - image[:y]
-    y = "#{y}px" unless y == 0
-    Sass::Script::String.new("#{x} #{y}")
+    y = y_shift.value - image[:top]
+    y = Sass::Script::Number.new(y, y == 0 ? [] : ["px"])
+    Sass::Script::List.new([x, y],:space)
   end
   
-private
-  
-  def number_from_var(kwargs, var_name, default_value)
-    if number = kwargs.get_var(var_name)
-      assert_type number, :Number
-      number.value
-    else
-      default_value
-    end
-  end
-  
-  def check_spacing_deprecation(uri, spacing_before, spacing_after)
-    if spacing_before or spacing_after
-      path, name, image_name = Compass::Sprites.path_and_name(uri.value)
-      message = %Q(Spacing parameter is deprecated. ) +
-        %Q(Please add `$#{name}-#{image_name}-spacing: #{spacing_before};` ) +
-        %Q(before the `@import "#{path}/*.png";` statement.)
-      raise Compass::Error, message
-    end
-  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/compass/sprites.rb b/lib/compass/sprites.rb
index 28224a70..ed92a1a3 100644
--- a/lib/compass/sprites.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/sprites.rb
@@ -4,66 +4,41 @@ module Compass
     attr_accessor :path
     
     class << self
-      def reset
-        @@sprites = {}
-      end
-      
       def path_and_name(uri)
         if uri =~ %r{((.+/)?(.+))/(.+?)\.png}
           [$1, $3, $4]
         end
       end
     
-      def sprites(path, name, create = false)
-        if !defined?(@@sprites) || @@sprites.nil?
-          @@sprites = {}
-        end
-        index = "#{path}/#{name}"
-        images = @@sprites[index]
-        if images
-          images
-        elsif create
-          images = @@sprites[index] = []
-        else
-          raise Compass::Error, %Q(`@import` statement missing. Please add `@import "#{path}/*.png";`.)
-        end
-      end
-
       def discover_sprites(uri)
         glob = File.join(Compass.configuration.images_path, uri)
         Dir.glob(glob).sort
       end
 
-      def compute_image_metadata!(file, path, name)
-        width, height = Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::ImageSize::ImageProperties.new(file).size
-        sprite_name = File.basename(file, '.png');
-        unless sprite_name =~ /\A#{Sass::SCSS::RX::IDENT}\Z/
-          raise Sass::SyntaxError, "#{sprite_name} must be a legal css identifier"
-        end
-        sprites(path, name, true) << {
-          :name => sprite_name,
-          :file => file,
-          :height => height,
-          :width => width
-        }
+      def sprite_name(file)
+        File.basename(file, '.png')
       end
+
     end
 
-    def images
-      Compass::Sprites.sprites(self.path, self.name, true)
+    def find_relative(*args)
+      nil
     end
 
     def find(uri, options)
       if uri =~ /\.png$/
         self.path, self.name = Compass::Sprites.path_and_name(uri)
         options.merge! :filename => name, :syntax => :scss, :importer => self
-        image_names = Compass::Sprites.discover_sprites(uri).map{|i| File.basename(i, '.png')}
+        sprite_files = Compass::Sprites.discover_sprites(uri)
+        image_names = sprite_files.map {|i| Compass::Sprites.sprite_name(i) }
         Sass::Engine.new(content_for_images(uri, name, image_names), options)
       end
     end
 
     def content_for_images(uri, name, images)
       <<-SCSS
+@import "compass/utilities/sprites/base";
+
 // General Sprite Defaults
 // You can override them before you import this file.
 $#{name}-sprite-base-class: ".#{name}-sprite" !default;
@@ -82,50 +57,46 @@ $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-repeat: $#{name}-repeat !default;
 SCSS
 end.join}
 
+$#{name}-sprite: sprite("#{uri}",
+#{images.map do |sprite_name| 
+%Q{  $#{sprite_name}-position: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-position,
+  $#{sprite_name}-spacing: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-spacing,
+  $#{sprite_name}-repeat: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-repeat}
+end.join(",\n")});
+
 // All sprites should extend this class
 // The #{name}-sprite mixin will do so for you.
 \#{$#{name}-sprite-base-class} {
-  background: generate-sprite-image("#{uri}",
-#{images.map do |sprite_name| 
-%Q{    $#{sprite_name}-position: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-position,
-    $#{sprite_name}-spacing: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-spacing,
-    $#{sprite_name}-repeat: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-repeat}
-end.join(",\n")}) no-repeat;
+  background: $#{name}-sprite no-repeat;
 }
 
 // Use this to set the dimensions of an element
 // based on the size of the original image.
-@mixin #{name}-sprite-dimensions($sprite) {
-  height: image-height("#{name}/\#{$sprite}.png");
-  width: image-width("#{name}/\#{$sprite}.png");
+@mixin #{name}-sprite-dimensions($name) {
+  @include sprite-dimensions($#{name}-sprite, $name)
 }
 
 // Move the background position to display the sprite.
-@mixin #{name}-sprite-position($sprite, $x: 0, $y: 0) {
-  background-position: sprite-position("#{path}/\#{$sprite}.png", $x, $y);  
+@mixin #{name}-sprite-position($name, $offset-x: 0, $offset-y: 0) {
+  @include sprite-position($#{name}-sprite, $name, $offset-x, $offset-y)
 }
 
 // Extends the sprite base class and set the background position for the desired sprite.
 // It will also apply the image dimensions if $dimensions is true.
-@mixin #{name}-sprite($sprite, $dimensions: $#{name}-sprite-dimensions, $x: 0, $y: 0) {
+@mixin #{name}-sprite($name, $dimensions: $#{name}-sprite-dimensions, $offset-x: 0, $offset-y: 0) {
   @extend \#{$#{name}-sprite-base-class};
-  @include #{name}-sprite-position($sprite, $x, $y);
-  @if $dimensions {
-    @include #{name}-sprite-dimensions($sprite);
-  }
+  @include sprite($#{name}-sprite, $name, $dimensions, $offset-x, $offset-y)
+}
+
+@mixin #{name}-sprites($sprite-names, $dimensions: $#{name}-sprite-dimensions) {
+  @include sprites($#{name}-sprite, $sprite-names, $#{name}-sprite-base-class, $dimensions)
 }
 
 // Generates a class for each sprited image.
-@mixin all-#{name}-sprites {
-#{images.map do |sprite_name| 
-<<-SCSS
-  .#{name}-#{sprite_name} {
-    @include #{name}-sprite("#{sprite_name}");
-  }
-SCSS
-end.join}
+@mixin all-#{name}-sprites($dimensions: $#{name}-sprite-dimensions) {
+  @include #{name}-sprites(#{images.join(" ")}, $dimensions);
 }
-      SCSS
+SCSS
     end
 
     def key(uri, options)
diff --git a/spec/sprites_spec.rb b/spec/sprites_spec.rb
index 8ec5edcb..36481339 100644
--- a/spec/sprites_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/sprites_spec.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ describe Compass::Sprites do
     FileUtils.cp_r @images_src_path, @images_tmp_path
     Compass.configuration.images_path = @images_tmp_path
     Compass.configure_sass_plugin!
-    Compass::Sprites.reset
   end
 
   after :each do
@@ -247,19 +246,21 @@ describe Compass::Sprites do
   
   it "should use position adjustments in functions" do
     css = render <<-SCSS
-      $squares-position: 100%;
-      @import "squares/*.png";
+      $squares-sprite: sprite("squares/*.png", $position: 100%);
+      .squares-sprite {
+        background: $squares-sprite no-repeat;
+      }
       
       .adjusted-percentage {
-        background-position: sprite-position("squares/ten-by-ten.png", 100%);
+        background-position: sprite-position($squares-sprite, ten-by-ten, 100%);
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-1 {
-        background-position: sprite-position("squares/ten-by-ten.png", 4px);
+        background-position: sprite-position($squares-sprite, ten-by-ten, 4px);
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-2 {
-        background-position: sprite-position("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png", -3px, 2px);
+        background-position: sprite-position($squares-sprite, twenty-by-twenty, -3px, 2px);
       }
     SCSS
     css.should == <<-CSS
@@ -289,15 +290,15 @@ describe Compass::Sprites do
       @import "squares/*.png";
       
       .adjusted-percentage {
-        @include squares-sprite("ten-by-ten", $x: 100%);
+        @include squares-sprite("ten-by-ten", $offset-x: 100%);
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-1 {
-        @include squares-sprite("ten-by-ten", $x: 4px);
+        @include squares-sprite("ten-by-ten", $offset-x: 4px);
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-2 {
-        @include squares-sprite("twenty-by-twenty", $x: -3px, $y: 2px);
+        @include squares-sprite("twenty-by-twenty", $offset-x: -3px, $offset-y: 2px);
       }
     SCSS
     css.should == <<-CSS
@@ -344,89 +345,46 @@ describe Compass::Sprites do
     image_md5('squares.png').should == '0187306f3858136feee87d3017e7f307'
   end
   
-  it "should use the sprite-image and sprite-url function as in lemonade" do
-    css = render <<-SCSS
-      @import "squares/*.png";
-      
-      .squares-1 {
-        background: sprite-image("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png") no-repeat;
-      }
-      
-      .squares-2 {
-        background: sprite-image("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png", 100%) no-repeat;
-      }
-      
-      .squares-3 {
-        background: sprite-image("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png", -4px, 3px) no-repeat;
-      }
-      
-      .squares-4 {
-        background-image: sprite-url("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png");
-      }
-      
-      .squares-5 {
-        background-image: sprite-url("squares/*.png");
-      }
-    SCSS
-    css.should == <<-CSS
-      .squares-sprite {
-        background: url('/squares.png') no-repeat;
-      }
-      
-      .squares-1 {
-        background: url('/squares.png') 0 -10px no-repeat;
-      }
-      
-      .squares-2 {
-        background: url('/squares.png') 100% -10px no-repeat;
-      }
-      
-      .squares-3 {
-        background: url('/squares.png') -4px -7px no-repeat;
-      }
-      
-      .squares-4 {
-        background-image: url('/squares.png');
-      }
-      
-      .squares-5 {
-        background-image: url('/squares.png');
-      }
-    CSS
-  end
-  
-  it "should raise deprecation errors for lemonade's spacing syntax" do
+  it "should provide a nice errors for lemonade's old users" do
     proc do
       render <<-SCSS
-        @import "squares/*.png";
-        
         .squares {
-          background: sprite-image("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png", 0, 0, 11px) no-repeat;
+          background: sprite-url("squares/*.png") no-repeat;
         }
       SCSS
-    end.should raise_error Compass::Error,
-      %q(Spacing parameter is deprecated. Please add `$squares-twenty-by-twenty-spacing: 11px;` before the `@import "squares/*.png";` statement.)
-    proc do
-      render <<-SCSS
-        @import "squares/*.png";
-        
-        .squares {
-          background: sprite-position("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png", 0, 0, 11px) no-repeat;
-        }
-      SCSS
-    end.should raise_error Compass::Error,
-      %q(Spacing parameter is deprecated. Please add `$squares-twenty-by-twenty-spacing: 11px;` before the `@import "squares/*.png";` statement.)
-  end
-  
-  it "should raise an error if @import is missing" do
+    end.should raise_error Sass::SyntaxError,
+      %q(The first argument to sprite-url must be a sprite. See http://beta.compass-style.org/help/tutorials/spriting/ for more information.)
     proc do
       render <<-SCSS
         .squares {
           background: sprite-image("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png") no-repeat;
         }
       SCSS
-    end.should raise_error Compass::Error,
-      %q(`@import` statement missing. Please add `@import "squares/*.png";`.)
+    end.should raise_error Sass::SyntaxError,
+      %q(The first argument to sprite-image must be a sprite. See http://beta.compass-style.org/help/tutorials/spriting/ for more information.)
+    proc do
+      render <<-SCSS
+        @import "squares/*.png";
+        
+        .squares {
+          background: sprite-position("squares/twenty-by-twenty.png") no-repeat;
+        }
+      SCSS
+    end.should raise_error Sass::SyntaxError,
+      %q(The first argument to sprite-position must be a sprite. See http://beta.compass-style.org/help/tutorials/spriting/ for more information.)
+  end
+  
+  it "should work even if @import is missing" do
+    actual_css = render <<-SCSS
+      .squares {
+        background: sprite-image(sprite("squares/*.png"), twenty-by-twenty) no-repeat;
+      }
+    SCSS
+    actual_css.should == <<-CSS
+      .squares {
+        background: url('/squares.png') 0 -10px no-repeat;
+      }
+    CSS
   end
   
 end
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