diff --git a/lib/compass.rb b/lib/compass.rb
index 952c0627..382f094b 100644
--- a/lib/compass.rb
+++ b/lib/compass.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module Compass
 end
 
-%w(dependencies util browser_support sass_extensions core_ext version errors quick_cache).each do |lib|
+%w(dependencies util browser_support sass_extensions version errors quick_cache).each do |lib|
   require "compass/#{lib}"
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/compass/app_integration/rails/templates/compass-install-rails.rb b/lib/compass/app_integration/rails/templates/compass-install-rails.rb
index 8bbc5593..aa2b8ce8 100644
--- a/lib/compass/app_integration/rails/templates/compass-install-rails.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/app_integration/rails/templates/compass-install-rails.rb
@@ -47,18 +47,18 @@ css_framework = ask("What CSS Framework install do you want to use with Compass?
 
 # sass storage prompt
 sass_dir = ask("Where would you like to keep your sass files within your project? (default: 'app/stylesheets')")
-sass_dir = "app/stylesheets" if sass_dir.blank?
+sass_dir = "app/stylesheets" if Compass::Util.blank?(sass_dir)
 
 # compiled css storage prompt
 css_dir = ask("Where would you like Compass to store your compiled css files? (default: 'public/stylesheets/compiled')")
-css_dir = "public/stylesheets/compiled" if css_dir.blank?
+css_dir = "public/stylesheets/compiled" if Compass::Util.blank?(css_dir)
 
 # use sudo for gem commands?
 use_sudo = nil
 if sudo_is_an_option? # dont give them the option if they are on a system that can't use sudo (aka windows)
   use_sudo = yes?("Use sudo for the gem commands? (the default for your system is #{sudo_is_an_option? ? 'yes' : 'no'})")
 end
-use_sudo = sudo_is_an_option? if use_sudo.blank?
+use_sudo = sudo_is_an_option? if Compass::Util.blank?(use_sudo)
 
 # define dependencies
 gem "haml", :version => ">=3.0.0"
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ rake "gems:unpack GEM=compass --trace"
 
 # build out compass command
 compass_command = "compass init rails . --css-dir=#{css_dir} --sass-dir=#{sass_dir} "
-compass_command << "--using #{css_framework} " unless css_framework.blank?
+compass_command << "--using #{css_framework} " unless Compass::Util.blank?(css_framework)
 
 # integrate it!
 run "haml --rails ."
diff --git a/lib/compass/core_ext.rb b/lib/compass/core_ext.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 09927e72..00000000
--- a/lib/compass/core_ext.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-class String
-  unless method_defined?(:blank?)
-    # see if string has any content
-    def blank?; self.length.zero?; end
-  end
-end
-
-class NilClass
-  unless method_defined?(:blank?)
-    def blank?
-      true
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/lib/compass/util.rb b/lib/compass/util.rb
index 516be5f9..4e75dd03 100644
--- a/lib/compass/util.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/util.rb
@@ -15,4 +15,15 @@ module Compass::Util
     send(WARN_METHOD, *args)
   end
 
+  def blank?(value)
+    case value
+    when NilClass, FalseClass
+      true
+    when String, Array
+      value.length.zero?
+    else
+      false
+    end
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/test/test_case_helper.rb b/test/test_case_helper.rb
index 3c4f95e0..9110ae5d 100644
--- a/test/test_case_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_case_helper.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module Compass
   module TestCaseHelper
     def absolutize(path)
-      if path.blank?
+      if Compass::Util.blank?(path)
         File.dirname(__FILE__)
       elsif path[0] == ?/
         "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}#{path}"