diff --git a/lib/aasm.rb b/lib/aasm.rb
index 3b58889..b7f3c7e 100644
--- a/lib/aasm.rb
+++ b/lib/aasm.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'event')
 require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'state')
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'persistence')
 
 module AASM
   class InvalidTransition < Exception
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ module AASM
   
   def self.included(base) #:nodoc:
     base.extend AASM::ClassMethods
+    AASM::Persistence.set_persistence(base)
   end
 
   module ClassMethods
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ module AASM
     if self.respond_to?(:aasm_read_state) || self.private_methods.include?('aasm_read_state')
       @aasm_current_state = aasm_read_state
     end
-    return @aasm_read_state if @aasm_current_state
+    return @aasm_current_state if @aasm_current_state
     self.class.aasm_initial_state
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/persistence.rb b/lib/persistence.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b75d808
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/persistence.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+module AASM
+  module Persistence
+    def self.set_persistence(base)
+      # Use a fancier auto-loading thingy, perhaps.  When there are more persistence engines.
+      hierarchy = base.ancestors.map {|klass| klass.to_s}
+      
+      if hierarchy.include?("ActiveRecord::Base")
+        require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'persistence', 'active_record_persistence')
+        base.send(:include, AASM::Persistence::ActiveRecordPersistence)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/persistence/active_record_persistence.rb b/lib/persistence/active_record_persistence.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11e0782
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/persistence/active_record_persistence.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+module AASM
+  module Persistence
+    module ActiveRecordPersistence
+      def self.included(base)
+        base.extend AASM::Persistence::ActiveRecordPersistence::ClassMethods
+        base.send(:include, AASM::Persistence::ActiveRecordPersistence::WriteState) unless base.method_defined?(:aasm_write_state)
+        base.send(:include, AASM::Persistence::ActiveRecordPersistence::ReadState) unless base.method_defined?(:aasm_read_state)
+      end
+
+      module ClassMethods
+        def aasm_column(column_name=nil)
+          if column_name
+            @aasm_column = column_name.to_sym
+          else
+            @aasm_column
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      module WriteState
+        def aasm_write_state(state)
+          @aasm_column ||= :aasm_state
+          
+          update_attribute(@aasm_column, state.to_s)
+        end
+      end
+
+      module ReadState
+        def aasm_read_state
+          @aasm_column ||= :aasm_state
+          send(@aasm_column).to_sym
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end