diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/UrlHelper.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/UrlHelper.cs
index b379f9f10e..c9118f1b2a 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/UrlHelper.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core/UrlHelper.cs
@@ -48,12 +48,30 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
         {
             var valuesDictionary = PropertyHelper.ObjectToDictionary(actionContext.Values);
 
-            if (actionContext.Action != null)
+            if (actionContext.Action == null)
+            {
+                object action;
+                if (!valuesDictionary.ContainsKey("action") && 
+                    AmbientValues.TryGetValue("action", out action))
+                {
+                    valuesDictionary["action"] = action;
+                }
+            }
+            else
             {
                 valuesDictionary["action"] = actionContext.Action;
             }
 
-            if (actionContext.Controller != null)
+            if (actionContext.Controller == null)
+            {
+                object controller;
+                if (!valuesDictionary.ContainsKey("controller") && 
+                    AmbientValues.TryGetValue("controller", out controller))
+                {
+                    valuesDictionary["controller"] = controller;
+                }
+            }
+            else
             {
                 valuesDictionary["controller"] = actionContext.Controller;
             }
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/UrlHelperTest.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/UrlHelperTest.cs
index 1a3b718915..714ffd9975 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/UrlHelperTest.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Core.Test/UrlHelperTest.cs
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Builder;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Http;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Http.Internal;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Internal;
 using Microsoft.AspNet.Routing;
+using Microsoft.Framework.DependencyInjection;
 using Microsoft.Framework.Logging;
 using Microsoft.Framework.Logging.Testing;
 using Microsoft.Framework.OptionsModel;
@@ -807,6 +809,120 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             Assert.Equal("https://myhost/named/home/newaction/someid", url);
         }
 
+        // Regression test for aspnet/Mvc#2859
+        [Fact]
+        public void Action_RouteValueInvalidation_DoesNotAffectActionAndController()
+        {
+            // Arrage
+            var services = GetServices();
+            var routeBuilder = new RouteBuilder()
+            {
+                DefaultHandler = new PassThroughRouter(),
+                ServiceProvider = services,
+            };
+
+            routeBuilder.MapRoute(
+                "default",
+                "{first}/{controller}/{action}",
+                new { second = "default", controller = "default", action = "default" });
+
+            var actionContext = services.GetService<IActionContextAccessor>().ActionContext;
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("first", "a");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("controller", "Store");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("action", "Buy");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Routers.Add(routeBuilder.Build());
+
+            var urlHelper = CreateUrlHelper(services);
+
+            // Act
+            //
+            // In this test the 'first' route value has changed, meaning that *normally* the
+            // 'controller' value could not be used. However 'controller' and 'action' are treated
+            // specially by UrlHelper.
+            var url = urlHelper.Action("Checkout", new { first = "b" });
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.NotNull(url);
+            Assert.Equal("/b/Store/Checkout", url);
+        }
+
+        // Regression test for aspnet/Mvc#2859
+        [Fact]
+        public void Action_RouteValueInvalidation_AffectsOtherRouteValues()
+        {
+            // Arrage
+            var services = GetServices();
+            var routeBuilder = new RouteBuilder()
+            {
+                DefaultHandler = new PassThroughRouter(),
+                ServiceProvider = services,
+            };
+
+            routeBuilder.MapRoute(
+                "default",
+                "{first}/{second}/{controller}/{action}",
+                new { second = "default", controller = "default", action = "default" });
+
+            var actionContext = services.GetService<IActionContextAccessor>().ActionContext;
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("first", "a");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("second", "x");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("controller", "Store");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("action", "Buy");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Routers.Add(routeBuilder.Build());
+
+            var urlHelper = CreateUrlHelper(services);
+
+            // Act
+            //
+            // In this test the 'first' route value has changed, meaning that *normally* the
+            // 'controller' value could not be used. However 'controller' and 'action' are treated
+            // specially by UrlHelper.
+            //
+            // 'second' gets no special treatment, and picks up its default value instead.
+            var url = urlHelper.Action("Checkout", new { first = "b" });
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.NotNull(url);
+            Assert.Equal("/b/default/Store/Checkout", url);
+        }
+
+        // Regression test for aspnet/Mvc#2859
+        [Fact]
+        public void Action_RouteValueInvalidation_DoesNotAffectActionAndController_ActionPassedInRouteValues()
+        {
+            // Arrage
+            var services = GetServices();
+            var routeBuilder = new RouteBuilder()
+            {
+                DefaultHandler = new PassThroughRouter(),
+                ServiceProvider = services,
+            };
+
+            routeBuilder.MapRoute(
+                "default",
+                "{first}/{controller}/{action}",
+                new { second = "default", controller = "default", action = "default" });
+
+            var actionContext = services.GetService<IActionContextAccessor>().ActionContext;
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("first", "a");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("controller", "Store");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Values.Add("action", "Buy");
+            actionContext.RouteData.Routers.Add(routeBuilder.Build());
+
+            var urlHelper = CreateUrlHelper(services);
+
+            // Act
+            //
+            // In this test the 'first' route value has changed, meaning that *normally* the
+            // 'controller' value could not be used. However 'controller' and 'action' are treated
+            // specially by UrlHelper.
+            var url = urlHelper.Action(action: null, values: new { first = "b", action = "Checkout" });
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.NotNull(url);
+            Assert.Equal("/b/Store/Checkout", url);
+        }
+
         private static HttpContext CreateHttpContext(
             IServiceProvider services,
             string appRoot)
@@ -844,6 +960,14 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             return new UrlHelper(actionContext, actionSelector.Object);
         }
 
+        private static UrlHelper CreateUrlHelper(IServiceProvider services)
+        {
+            var actionSelector = new Mock<IActionSelector>(MockBehavior.Strict);
+            return new UrlHelper(
+                services.GetRequiredService<IActionContextAccessor>(),
+                actionSelector.Object);
+        }
+
         private static UrlHelper CreateUrlHelper(string host)
         {
             var services = GetServices();
@@ -916,6 +1040,21 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
                 .Setup(s => s.GetService(typeof(ILoggerFactory)))
                 .Returns(NullLoggerFactory.Instance);
 
+            services
+                .Setup(s => s.GetService(typeof(IActionContextAccessor)))
+                .Returns(new ActionContextAccessor()
+                {
+                    ActionContext = new ActionContext()
+                    {
+                        HttpContext = new DefaultHttpContext()
+                        {
+                            ApplicationServices = services.Object,
+                            RequestServices = services.Object,
+                        },
+                        RouteData = new RouteData(),
+                    },
+                });
+
             return services.Object;
         }
 
@@ -952,5 +1091,20 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc
             routeBuilder.Routes.Add(mockHttpRoute.Object);
             return routeBuilder.Build();
         }
+
+        private class PassThroughRouter : IRouter
+        {
+            public VirtualPathData GetVirtualPath(VirtualPathContext context)
+            {
+                context.IsBound = true;
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            public Task RouteAsync(RouteContext context)
+            {
+                context.IsHandled = true;
+                return Task.FromResult(false);
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file