diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8d6f2c3..e7674e8 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
  * `aasm_column` has been removed. Use `aasm.attribute_name` instead
  * `aasm_human_event_name` has been removed. Use `aasm.human_event_name` instead
 
+## 4.0.5
+
+ * bugfix: initialize the aasm state column after initialization of the _ActiveRecord_ instance only if the attribute has been loaded (see [issue #193](https://github.com/aasm/aasm/issues/193) for details)
+
 ## 4.0.4
 
  * corrected callback order in README
diff --git a/aasm.gemspec b/aasm.gemspec
index 31bacf9..ddef72a 100644
--- a/aasm.gemspec
+++ b/aasm.gemspec
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
 
   # debugging
   # s.add_development_dependency 'debugger'
-  # s.add_development_dependency 'pry'
+  s.add_development_dependency 'pry'
 
   # test coverage
   # s.add_development_dependency 'mime-types', '~> 1.25' # needed by coveralls (>= 2.0 needs Ruby >=1.9.2)
diff --git a/lib/aasm/persistence/active_record_persistence.rb b/lib/aasm/persistence/active_record_persistence.rb
index 7bae809..7e3abed 100644
--- a/lib/aasm/persistence/active_record_persistence.rb
+++ b/lib/aasm/persistence/active_record_persistence.rb
@@ -164,7 +164,9 @@ module AASM
         #   foo.aasm_state # => nil
         #
         def aasm_ensure_initial_state
-          aasm.enter_initial_state if send(self.class.aasm.attribute_name).blank?
+          if respond_to?(self.class.aasm.attribute_name) && send(self.class.aasm.attribute_name).blank?
+            aasm.enter_initial_state
+          end
         end
 
         def aasm_fire_event(name, options, *args, &block)
diff --git a/spec/unit/persistence/active_record_persistence_spec.rb b/spec/unit/persistence/active_record_persistence_spec.rb
index 1edee03..85746ec 100644
--- a/spec/unit/persistence/active_record_persistence_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/persistence/active_record_persistence_spec.rb
@@ -252,9 +252,20 @@ describe "instance methods" do
     expect(gate.aasm.current_state).to be_nil
   end
 
-  it "should initialize the aasm state on instantiation" do
-    expect(Gate.new.aasm_state).to eql 'opened'
-    expect(Gate.new.aasm.current_state).to eql :opened
+  context 'on initialization' do
+    it "should initialize the aasm state" do
+      expect(Gate.new.aasm_state).to eql 'opened'
+      expect(Gate.new.aasm.current_state).to eql :opened
+    end
+
+    it "should not initialize the aasm state if it has not been loaded" do
+      # we have to create a gate in the database, for which we only want to
+      # load the id, and not the state
+      gate = Gate.create!
+
+      # then we just load the gate ids
+      Gate.select(:id).where(id: gate.id).first
+    end
   end
 
 end