diff --git a/lib/class.js b/lib/class.js
index 8c51910..ff740cf 100644
--- a/lib/class.js
+++ b/lib/class.js
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ function createStaging( cname )
             // implement on empty base, providing the class name to be used once
             // extended
             return createImplement(
-                extend( {} ),
+                null,
                 Array.prototype.slice.call( arguments ),
                 cname
             );
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ function createStaging( cname )
  * called, as it does not make sense to create a class without any
  * body/definition.
  *
- * @param  {Object}   base    base class to implement atop of
+ * @param  {Object}   base    base class to implement atop of, or null
  * @param  {Array}    ifaces  interfaces to implement
  * @param  {string=}  cname   optional class name once extended
  *
@@ -351,19 +351,27 @@ function createStaging( cname )
  */
 function createImplement( base, ifaces, cname )
 {
-    ifaces.push( base );
-
     // Defer processing until after extend(). This also ensures that implement()
     // returns nothing usable.
     return {
-        extend: function( def )
+        extend: function()
         {
+            var args     = Array.prototype.slice.call( arguments ),
+                def      = args.pop(),
+                ext_base = args.pop()
+            ;
+
             // if a name was provided, use it
             if ( cname )
             {
                 def.__name = cname;
             }
 
+            // If a base was provided when createImplement() was called, use
+            // that. Otherwise, use the extend() base passed to this function.
+            // If neither of those are available, extend from an empty class.
+            ifaces.push( base || ext_base || extend( {} ) );
+
             return extend.apply( null, [
                 implement.apply( this, ifaces ),
                 def
diff --git a/test/test-class-name.js b/test/test-class-name.js
index fbb40c3..a700c3a 100644
--- a/test/test-class-name.js
+++ b/test/test-class-name.js
@@ -201,6 +201,9 @@ var common = require( './common' ),
     var name   = 'Foo',
         named  = Class( name ).extend( {} )
         namedi = Class( name ).implement( Interface( {} ) ).extend( {} )
+
+        // we should also be able to extend classes in this manner
+        namede = Class( name ).implement( Interface( {} ) ).extend( named, {} )
     ;
 
     // ensure what was returned is a valid class
@@ -232,6 +235,29 @@ var common = require( './common' ),
         name,
         "Name is set on named class via staging method when implementing"
     );
+
+
+    // we should be able to extend existing classes
+    assert.equal(
+        Class.isClass( namede ),
+        true,
+        "Named class generated via staging method, implementing an " +
+            "interface, and extending an existing class is considered " +
+            "to be a valid class"
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(
+        Class.isInstanceOf( named, namede() ),
+        true,
+        "Named class extending base class is instance of the base class"
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(
+        namede.toString(),
+        name,
+        "Name is set on named class via staging method when implementing " +
+            "and extending"
+    );
 } )();