diff --git a/compiler/lib/Node.js b/compiler/lib/Node.js
index f4bd9a517..9dbc0c9db 100644
--- a/compiler/lib/Node.js
+++ b/compiler/lib/Node.js
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ Node.prototype = {
         if (escapeXml !== false) {
             methodCall = 'context.captureString(';
         } else {
-            methodCall = 'helpers.c(context, ';
+            methodCall = '__helpers.c(context, ';
         }
 
         return template.makeExpression({
diff --git a/compiler/lib/TemplateBuilder.js b/compiler/lib/TemplateBuilder.js
index 4a7acf7e7..615db9292 100644
--- a/compiler/lib/TemplateBuilder.js
+++ b/compiler/lib/TemplateBuilder.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ CodeWriter.prototype = {
         args = arrayFromArguments(arguments, 1);
 
         this.flush();
-        this._code.append(this._indent + 'helpers.' + methodName + '(context');
+        this._code.append(this._indent + '__helpers.' + methodName + '(context');
 
         if (args.length) {
             this._code.append(', ');    
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ TemplateBuilder.prototype = {
         if (added) {
             return added;
         } else {
-            this.addStaticVar(varName, 'helpers.' + propName);
+            this.addStaticVar(varName, '__helpers.' + propName);
             this.helperFunctionsAdded[propName] = varName;
             return varName;
         }
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ TemplateBuilder.prototype = {
         } else {
             params = ['context'];
         }
-        out.append('module.exports = function create(helpers) {\n');
+        out.append('module.exports = function create(__helpers) {\n');
         //Write out the static variables
         this.writer.flush();
         this._writeVars(this.staticVars, out, INDENT);
diff --git a/taglibs/core/DefNode.js b/taglibs/core/DefNode.js
index 3e5f16733..f68a1ff6d 100644
--- a/taglibs/core/DefNode.js
+++ b/taglibs/core/DefNode.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ DefNode.prototype = {
         }
         
         template.statement('function ' + func + ' {').indent(function () {
-            template.line('return helpers.c(context, function() {').indent(function () {
+            template.line('return __helpers.c(context, function() {').indent(function () {
                 this.generateCodeForChildren(template);
             }, this).line('});');
         }, this).line('}');
diff --git a/test/test-project/custom-tag.rhtml.expected.js b/test/test-project/custom-tag.rhtml.expected.js
index 52c659a11..8f66e194d 100644
--- a/test/test-project/custom-tag.rhtml.expected.js
+++ b/test/test-project/custom-tag.rhtml.expected.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-module.exports = function create(helpers) {
-  var empty = helpers.e,
-      notEmpty = helpers.ne,
+module.exports = function create(__helpers) {
+  var empty = __helpers.e,
+      notEmpty = __helpers.ne,
       hello_renderer = require("./hello-renderer");
 
   return function render(data, context) {
-    helpers.t(context, 
+    __helpers.t(context, 
       hello_renderer,
       {
         "name": "World"
diff --git a/test/test-project/rhtml-templates/simple.rhtml.js b/test/test-project/rhtml-templates/simple.rhtml.js
index 5916d4ccf..61893af3b 100644
--- a/test/test-project/rhtml-templates/simple.rhtml.js
+++ b/test/test-project/rhtml-templates/simple.rhtml.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-module.exports = function create(helpers) {
-  var empty = helpers.e,
-      notEmpty = helpers.ne,
-      escapeXmlAttr = helpers.xa,
-      escapeXml = helpers.x,
-      forEach = helpers.f;
+module.exports = function create(__helpers) {
+  var empty = __helpers.e,
+      notEmpty = __helpers.ne,
+      escapeXmlAttr = __helpers.xa,
+      escapeXml = __helpers.x,
+      forEach = __helpers.f;
 
   return function render(data, context) {
     var rootClass=data.rootClass;
diff --git a/test/test-project/rxml-templates/simple.rxml.js b/test/test-project/rxml-templates/simple.rxml.js
index 105528774..d030bf5ca 100644
--- a/test/test-project/rxml-templates/simple.rxml.js
+++ b/test/test-project/rxml-templates/simple.rxml.js
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
-module.exports = function create(helpers) {
-  var empty = helpers.e,
-      notEmpty = helpers.ne,
+module.exports = function create(__helpers) {
+  var empty = __helpers.e,
+      notEmpty = __helpers.ne,
       hello_renderer = require("../hello-renderer"),
-      escapeXmlAttr = helpers.xa,
-      escapeXml = helpers.x,
-      forEach = helpers.f;
+      escapeXmlAttr = __helpers.xa,
+      escapeXml = __helpers.x,
+      forEach = __helpers.f;
 
   return function render(data, context) {
     var rootClass = data.rootClass,
         colors = data.colors,
         message = data.message;
 
-    helpers.t(context, 
+    __helpers.t(context, 
       hello_renderer,
       {
         "name": "World"
diff --git a/test/test-project/simple.rhtml.expected.js b/test/test-project/simple.rhtml.expected.js
index d8160db56..acd884784 100644
--- a/test/test-project/simple.rhtml.expected.js
+++ b/test/test-project/simple.rhtml.expected.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-module.exports = function create(helpers) {
-  var empty = helpers.e,
-      notEmpty = helpers.ne;
+module.exports = function create(__helpers) {
+  var empty = __helpers.e,
+      notEmpty = __helpers.ne;
 
   return function render(data, context) {
     context.w('Hello John');