diff --git a/lib/mongo/collection.rb b/lib/mongo/collection.rb
index 5dd542c..eb40a5d 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/collection.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/collection.rb
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ module Mongo
 
     # Initialize a collection object.
     #
-    # @param [DB] db a MongoDB database instance.
     # @param [String, Symbol] name the name of the collection.
+    # @param [DB] db a MongoDB database instance.
     #
     # @option options [:create_pk] :pk (BSON::ObjectId) A primary key factory to use
     #   other than the default BSON::ObjectId.
@@ -44,7 +44,13 @@ module Mongo
     # @return [Collection]
     #
     # @core collections constructor_details
-    def initialize(db, name, options={})
+    def initialize(name, db, options={})
+      if db.is_a?(String) && name.is_a?(Mongo::DB)
+        warn "Warning: the order of parameters to initialize a collection have changed. " +
+             "Please specify the collection name first, followed by the db."
+        db, name = name, db
+      end
+
       case name
       when Symbol, String
       else
@@ -96,7 +102,7 @@ module Mongo
     #   the specified sub-collection
     def [](name)
       name = "#{self.name}.#{name}"
-      return Collection.new(db, name) if !db.strict? || db.collection_names.include?(name)
+      return Collection.new(name, db) if !db.strict? || db.collection_names.include?(name)
       raise "Collection #{name} doesn't exist. Currently in strict mode."
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/mongo/db.rb b/lib/mongo/db.rb
index 4e8bc4b..c174212 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/db.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/db.rb
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ module Mongo
 
     # Instances of DB are normally obtained by calling Mongo#db.
     #
-    # @param [String] db_name the database name.
+    # @param [String] name the database name.
     # @param [Mongo::Connection] connection a connection object pointing to MongoDB. Note
     #   that databases are usually instantiated via the Connection class. See the examples below.
     #
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ module Mongo
     # @option options [Integer] :cache_time (300) Set the time that all ensure_index calls should cache the command.
     #
     # @core databases constructor_details
-    def initialize(db_name, connection, options={})
-      @name       = Mongo::Support.validate_db_name(db_name)
+    def initialize(name, connection, options={})
+      @name       = Mongo::Support.validate_db_name(name)
       @connection = connection
       @strict     = options[:strict]
       @pk_factory = options[:pk]
@@ -208,8 +208,8 @@ module Mongo
     #
     # @return [Array<Mongo::Collection>]
     def collections
-      collection_names.map do |collection_name|
-        Collection.new(self, collection_name)
+      collection_names.map do |name|
+        Collection.new(name, self)
       end
     end
 
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ module Mongo
     def collections_info(coll_name=nil)
       selector = {}
       selector[:name] = full_collection_name(coll_name) if coll_name
-      Cursor.new(Collection.new(self, SYSTEM_NAMESPACE_COLLECTION), :selector => selector)
+      Cursor.new(Collection.new(SYSTEM_NAMESPACE_COLLECTION, self), :selector => selector)
     end
 
     # Create a collection.
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ module Mongo
         if strict?
           raise MongoDBError, "Collection #{name} already exists. Currently in strict mode."
         else
-          return Collection.new(self, name)
+          return Collection.new(name, self)
         end
       end
 
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ module Mongo
       oh = BSON::OrderedHash.new
       oh[:create] = name
       doc = command(oh.merge(options || {}))
-      return Collection.new(self, name, :pk => @pk_factory) if ok?(doc)
+      return Collection.new(name, self, :pk => @pk_factory) if ok?(doc)
       raise MongoDBError, "Error creating collection: #{doc.inspect}"
     end
 
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ module Mongo
       else
         options[:safe] = options.fetch(:safe, @safe)
         options.merge!(:pk => @pk_factory) unless options[:pk]
-        Collection.new(self, name, options)
+        Collection.new(name, self, options)
       end
     end
     alias_method :[], :collection
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ module Mongo
     def index_information(collection_name)
       sel  = {:ns => full_collection_name(collection_name)}
       info = {}
-      Cursor.new(Collection.new(self, SYSTEM_INDEX_COLLECTION), :selector => sel).each do |index|
+      Cursor.new(Collection.new(SYSTEM_INDEX_COLLECTION, self), :selector => sel).each do |index|
         info[index['name']] = index
       end
       info
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ module Mongo
     #
     # @return [Array] a list of documents containing profiling information.
     def profiling_info
-      Cursor.new(Collection.new(self, DB::SYSTEM_PROFILE_COLLECTION), :selector => {}).to_a
+      Cursor.new(Collection.new(SYSTEM_PROFILE_COLLECTION, self), :selector => {}).to_a
     end
 
     # Validate a named collection.
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ module Mongo
     private
 
     def system_command_collection
-      Collection.new(self, SYSTEM_COMMAND_COLLECTION)
+      Collection.new(SYSTEM_COMMAND_COLLECTION, self)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/collection_test.rb b/test/collection_test.rb
index 4516154..4ac5558 100644
--- a/test/collection_test.rb
+++ b/test/collection_test.rb
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class TestCollection < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_pk_factory_on_collection
-    @coll = Collection.new(@@db, 'foo', TestPK)
+    @coll = Collection.new('foo', @@db, TestPK)
     assert_equal TestPK, @coll.pk_factory
 
 
-    @coll2 = Collection.new(@@db, 'foo', :pk => TestPK)
+    @coll2 = Collection.new('foo', @@db, :pk => TestPK)
     assert_equal TestPK, @coll2.pk_factory
   end
 
diff --git a/test/unit/safe_test.rb b/test/unit/safe_test.rb
index b244e76..92ecf29 100644
--- a/test/unit/safe_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/safe_test.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class SafeTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         col = @db['bar']
         assert_equal @safe_value, col.safe
 
-        col = Collection.new(@db, 'bar')
+        col = Collection.new('bar', @db)
         assert_equal @safe_value, col.safe
       end
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class SafeTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         col = @db.collection('bar', :safe => false)
         assert_equal false, col.safe
 
-        col = Collection.new(@db, 'bar', :safe => false)
+        col = Collection.new('bar', @db, :safe => false)
         assert_equal false, col.safe
       end
     end