diff --git modules/simpletest/tests/menu.test modules/simpletest/tests/menu.test
index f46b81d..6940677 100644
--- modules/simpletest/tests/menu.test
+++ modules/simpletest/tests/menu.test
@@ -489,6 +489,27 @@ class MenuRouterTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $this->drupalGet("menu-test/arguments/$arg1/$arg2/task");
     $this->assertRaw($expected, t('Inherited load arguments found.'));
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Test if defined load functions are found.
+   */
+  function testMenuLoadFunctions() {
+    $content = $this->drupalGet('menu-test/load-functions/my-param');
+    $this->assertText('Load functions test. ', 'Menu item found.');
+    $this->assertText('menu_test_load_functions_load', 'Load function found');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Test if defined load functions are found even if parent declares
+   * "load arguments".
+   *
+   * @link http://drupal.org/node/979958
+   */
+  function testMenuLoadFunctionsWithParentLoadArguments() {
+    $content = $this->drupalGet('menu-test/load-functions/arguments/my-param');
+    $this->assertText('Child: Load function / argument inheritance test.', 'Menu item found.');
+    $this->assertText('menu_test_load_functions_load', 'Load function found');
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git modules/simpletest/tests/menu_test.module modules/simpletest/tests/menu_test.module
index 4d673e8..ff96133 100644
--- modules/simpletest/tests/menu_test.module
+++ modules/simpletest/tests/menu_test.module
@@ -280,6 +280,28 @@ function menu_test_menu() {
     'type' => MENU_LOCAL_TASK,
   );
 
+  // Load function test.
+  $items['menu-test/load-functions/%menu_test_load_functions'] = array(
+    'title' => 'Load functions test.',
+    'page callback' => 'menu_test_load_functions',
+    'page arguments' => array(2),
+    'access callback' => TRUE,
+  );
+  // Parent with load arguments
+  $items['menu-test/load-functions/arguments'] = array(
+    'title' => 'Parent: Load function / argument inheritance test.',
+    'page callback' => 'menu_test_load_functions',
+    'page arguments' => array(2),
+    'access callback' => TRUE,
+    'load arguments' => array(2),
+  );
+  $items['menu-test/load-functions/arguments/%menu_test_load_functions'] = array(
+    'title' => 'Child: Load function / argument inheritance test.',
+    'page callback' => 'menu_test_load_functions',
+    'page arguments' => array(3),
+    'access callback' => TRUE,
+  );
+
   return $items;
 }
 
@@ -325,6 +347,31 @@ function menu_test_callback() {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Page callback for the 'load functions' test.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   Names of the load functions or "No load functions found." if none are
+ *   found.
+ */
+function menu_test_load_functions() {
+  $item = menu_get_item();
+  if (!isset($item['load_functions']) || !count($item['load_functions'])) {
+    return 'No load functions found.';
+  }
+  return print_r($item['load_functions'], true);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Dummy load function for the 'load functions' test.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *  A random string.
+ */
+function menu_test_load_functions_load() {
+  return '';
+}
+
+/**
  * Page callback to use when testing the theme callback functionality.
  *
  * @param $inherited