diff --git a/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb b/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb
index ca12c227..70b93717 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb
+++ b/lib/i18n/backend/base.rb
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def translate(locale, key, options = EMPTY_HASH)
       end
 
       def exists?(locale, key, options = EMPTY_HASH)
-        lookup(locale, key) != nil
+        lookup(locale, key, options[:scope]) != nil
       end
 
       # Acts the same as +strftime+, but uses a localized version of the
diff --git a/test/i18n_test.rb b/test/i18n_test.rb
index 7b4d6757..28becfc6 100644
--- a/test/i18n_test.rb
+++ b/test/i18n_test.rb
@@ -303,6 +303,10 @@ def setup
     assert_equal true, I18n.exists?(:currency, :nl)
   end
 
+  test "exists? given an existing key and a scope will return true" do
+    assert_equal true, I18n.exists?(:delimiter, scope: [:currency, :format])
+  end
+
   test "exists? given a non-existing key and an existing locale will return false" do
     assert_equal false, I18n.exists?(:bogus, :nl)
   end