diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 740ab3f9..417c90d3 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -773,6 +773,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       return runnableResources[currentRunnable().id].spies;
     }});
 
+    this.allowRespy = function(allow){
+      spyRegistry.allowRespy(allow);
+    };
+
     this.spyOn = function() {
       return spyRegistry.spyOn.apply(spyRegistry, arguments);
     };
@@ -2006,6 +2010,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SpyRegistry = function(j$) {
     options = options || {};
     var currentSpies = options.currentSpies || function() { return []; };
 
+    this.allowRespy = function(allow){
+      this.respy = allow;
+    };
+
     this.spyOn = function(obj, methodName) {
       if (j$.util.isUndefined(obj)) {
         throw new Error('spyOn could not find an object to spy upon for ' + methodName + '()');
@@ -2019,9 +2027,12 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SpyRegistry = function(j$) {
         throw new Error(methodName + '() method does not exist');
       }
 
-      if (obj[methodName] && j$.isSpy(obj[methodName])) {
-        //TODO?: should this return the current spy? Downside: may cause user confusion about spy state
-        throw new Error(methodName + ' has already been spied upon');
+      if (obj[methodName] && j$.isSpy(obj[methodName])  ) {
+        if ( !!this.respy ){
+          return obj[methodName];
+        }else {
+          throw new Error(methodName + ' has already been spied upon');
+        }
       }
 
       var descriptor;
diff --git a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
index 4ea60413..cb4e3779 100644
--- a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
@@ -677,6 +677,31 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
     env.execute();
   });
 
+  it('can be configured to allow respying on functions', function () {
+    var env = new jasmineUnderTest.Env(),
+        foo = {
+          bar: function () {
+            return 1;
+          }
+        };
+
+    env.allowRespy(true);
+
+    env.describe('test suite', function(){
+      env.it('spec 0', function(){
+        env.spyOn(foo,'bar');
+
+        var error = null;
+
+        expect(function() {
+          env.spyOn(foo, 'bar');
+        }).not.toThrow();
+      });
+    });
+
+    env.execute();
+  });
+
   it('removes all spies added in a spec after the spec is complete', function(done) {
     var env = new jasmineUnderTest.Env(),
       originalFoo = function() {},
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index 95c93d63..0cdea404 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -269,6 +269,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       return runnableResources[currentRunnable().id].spies;
     }});
 
+    this.allowRespy = function(allow){
+      spyRegistry.allowRespy(allow);
+    };
+
     this.spyOn = function() {
       return spyRegistry.spyOn.apply(spyRegistry, arguments);
     };
diff --git a/src/core/SpyRegistry.js b/src/core/SpyRegistry.js
index 9e168c88..aa7ee21a 100644
--- a/src/core/SpyRegistry.js
+++ b/src/core/SpyRegistry.js
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SpyRegistry = function(j$) {
     options = options || {};
     var currentSpies = options.currentSpies || function() { return []; };
 
+    this.allowRespy = function(allow){
+      this.respy = allow;
+    };
+
     this.spyOn = function(obj, methodName) {
       if (j$.util.isUndefined(obj)) {
         throw new Error('spyOn could not find an object to spy upon for ' + methodName + '()');
@@ -17,9 +21,12 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SpyRegistry = function(j$) {
         throw new Error(methodName + '() method does not exist');
       }
 
-      if (obj[methodName] && j$.isSpy(obj[methodName])) {
-        //TODO?: should this return the current spy? Downside: may cause user confusion about spy state
-        throw new Error(methodName + ' has already been spied upon');
+      if (obj[methodName] && j$.isSpy(obj[methodName])  ) {
+        if ( !!this.respy ){
+          return obj[methodName];
+        }else {
+          throw new Error(methodName + ' has already been spied upon');
+        }
       }
 
       var descriptor;