diff --git a/underscore.js b/underscore.js
index 75d4fdcb9..42770faeb 100644
--- a/underscore.js
+++ b/underscore.js
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@
   _.bind = function(func, obj) {
     var args = _.rest(arguments, 2);
     return function() {
-      return func.apply(obj || root, args.concat(_.toArray(arguments)));
+      return func.apply(obj || {}, args.concat(_.toArray(arguments)));
     };
   };