diff --git a/django/db/models/base.py b/django/db/models/base.py
index c593fec4da..c04e53eac9 100644
--- a/django/db/models/base.py
+++ b/django/db/models/base.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import copy
 import sys
-from functools import update_wrapper
 import warnings
 
 from django.apps import apps
@@ -336,9 +335,11 @@ class ModelBase(type):
         if cls.__doc__ is None:
             cls.__doc__ = "%s(%s)" % (cls.__name__, ", ".join(f.attname for f in opts.fields))
 
-        if hasattr(cls, 'get_absolute_url'):
-            cls.get_absolute_url = update_wrapper(curry(get_absolute_url, opts, cls.get_absolute_url),
-                                                  cls.get_absolute_url)
+        get_absolute_url_override = settings.ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES.get(
+            '%s.%s' % (opts.app_label, opts.model_name)
+        )
+        if get_absolute_url_override:
+            setattr(cls, 'get_absolute_url', get_absolute_url_override)
 
         signals.class_prepared.send(sender=cls)
 
@@ -1443,14 +1444,6 @@ def method_get_order(ordered_obj, self):
             ordered_obj.objects.filter(**{order_name: rel_val}).values(pk_name)]
 
 
-##############################################
-# HELPER FUNCTIONS (CURRIED MODEL FUNCTIONS) #
-##############################################
-
-def get_absolute_url(opts, func, self, *args, **kwargs):
-    return settings.ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES.get('%s.%s' % (opts.app_label, opts.model_name), func)(self, *args, **kwargs)
-
-
 ########
 # MISC #
 ########
diff --git a/docs/ref/settings.txt b/docs/ref/settings.txt
index 208f27159b..b8b4f5ffa9 100644
--- a/docs/ref/settings.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/settings.txt
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES
 Default: ``{}`` (Empty dictionary)
 
 A dictionary mapping ``"app_label.model_name"`` strings to functions that take
-a model object and return its URL. This is a way of overriding
+a model object and return its URL. This is a way of inserting or overriding
 ``get_absolute_url()`` methods on a per-installation basis. Example::
 
     ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES = {
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ a model object and return its URL. This is a way of overriding
 Note that the model name used in this setting should be all lower-case, regardless
 of the case of the actual model class name.
 
+.. versionchanged:: 1.7.1
+
+    ``ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES`` now works on models that don't declare
+    ``get_absolute_url()``.
+
 .. setting:: ADMINS
 
 ADMINS
diff --git a/docs/releases/1.7.1.txt b/docs/releases/1.7.1.txt
index 368749f595..46a19f1f6d 100644
--- a/docs/releases/1.7.1.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/1.7.1.txt
@@ -26,3 +26,8 @@ Bugfixes
 
 * Fixed a typo in an ``inlineformset_factory()`` error message that caused a
   crash (:ticket:`23451`).
+
+* Restored the ability to use :setting:`ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES` with the
+  ``'auth.User'`` model (:ticket:`11775`). As a side effect, the setting now
+  adds a ``get_absolute_url()`` method to any model that appears in
+  ``ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES`` but doesn't define ``get_absolute_url()``.
diff --git a/tests/absolute_url_overrides/__init__.py b/tests/absolute_url_overrides/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/tests/absolute_url_overrides/tests.py b/tests/absolute_url_overrides/tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b57374cb6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/absolute_url_overrides/tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+from django.db import models
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+
+class AbsoluteUrlOverrideTests(TestCase):
+
+    def test_get_absolute_url(self):
+        """
+        get_absolute_url() functions as a normal method.
+        """
+        get_absolute_url = lambda o: '/test-a/%s/' % o.pk
+        TestA = self._create_model_class('TestA', get_absolute_url)
+
+        self.assertTrue(hasattr(TestA, 'get_absolute_url'))
+        obj = TestA(pk=1, name='Foo')
+        self.assertEqual('/test-a/%s/' % obj.pk, obj.get_absolute_url())
+
+    def test_override_get_absolute_url(self):
+        """
+        ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES should override get_absolute_url().
+        """
+        get_absolute_url = lambda o: '/test-b/%s/' % o.pk
+        with self.settings(
+            ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES={
+                'absolute_url_overrides.testb': lambda o: '/overridden-test-b/%s/' % o.pk,
+            },
+        ):
+            TestB = self._create_model_class('TestB', get_absolute_url)
+            obj = TestB(pk=1, name='Foo')
+            self.assertEqual('/overridden-test-b/%s/' % obj.pk, obj.get_absolute_url())
+
+    def test_insert_get_absolute_url(self):
+        """
+        ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES should work even if the model doesn't have a
+        get_absolute_url() method.
+        """
+        with self.settings(
+            ABSOLUTE_URL_OVERRIDES={
+                'absolute_url_overrides.testc': lambda o: '/test-c/%s/' % o.pk,
+            },
+        ):
+            TestC = self._create_model_class('TestC')
+            obj = TestC(pk=1, name='Foo')
+            self.assertEqual('/test-c/%s/' % obj.pk, obj.get_absolute_url())
+
+    def _create_model_class(self, class_name, get_absolute_url_method=None):
+        attrs = {
+            'name': models.CharField(max_length=50),
+            '__module__': 'absolute_url_overrides',
+        }
+        if get_absolute_url_method:
+            attrs['get_absolute_url'] = get_absolute_url_method
+
+        return type(class_name, (models.Model,), attrs)