diff --git a/requests/models.py b/requests/models.py
index 752c58c153..45b3ea9680 100644
--- a/requests/models.py
+++ b/requests/models.py
@@ -523,6 +523,10 @@ def prepare_cookies(self, cookies):
 
     def prepare_hooks(self, hooks):
         """Prepares the given hooks."""
+        # hooks can be passed as None to the prepare method and to this
+        # method. To prevent iterating over None, simply use an empty list
+        # if hooks is False-y
+        hooks = hooks or []
         for event in hooks:
             self.register_hook(event, hooks[event])
 
diff --git a/test_requests.py b/test_requests.py
index 15406a22fc..cad8c055c8 100755
--- a/test_requests.py
+++ b/test_requests.py
@@ -1613,7 +1613,6 @@ def test_prepare_unicode_url():
     p.prepare(
         method='GET',
         url=u('http://www.example.com/üniçø∂é'),
-        hooks=[]
     )
     assert_copy(p, p.copy())