diff --git a/core/modules/block/block.module b/core/modules/block/block.module
index 97f59e9..3e15612 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/block.module
+++ b/core/modules/block/block.module
@@ -987,6 +987,7 @@ function block_rebuild() {
 function template_preprocess_block(&$variables) {
   $block_counter = &drupal_static(__FUNCTION__, array());
   $variables['block'] = $variables['elements']['#block'];
+  $variables['title'] = isset($variables['block']->subject) ? $variables['block']->subject : NULL;
   // All blocks get an independent counter for each region.
   if (!isset($block_counter[$variables['block']->region])) {
     $block_counter[$variables['block']->region] = 1;
diff --git a/core/modules/block/block.tpl.php b/core/modules/block/block.tpl.php
index 78387a8..68e825d 100644
--- a/core/modules/block/block.tpl.php
+++ b/core/modules/block/block.tpl.php
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * Default theme implementation to display a block.
  *
  * Available variables:
- * - $block->subject: Block title.
+ * - $title: Block title.
  * - $content: Block content.
  * - $block->module: Module that generated the block.
  * - $block->delta: An ID for the block, unique within each module.
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@
 <div id="<?php print $block_html_id; ?>" class="<?php print $classes; ?>"<?php print $attributes; ?>>
 
   <?php print render($title_prefix); ?>
-<?php if ($block->subject): ?>
-  <h2<?php print $title_attributes; ?>><?php print $block->subject ?></h2>
+<?php if ($title): ?>
+  <h2<?php print $title_attributes; ?>><?php print $title ?></h2>
 <?php endif;?>
   <?php print render($title_suffix); ?>