diff --git a/lib/httparty/module_inheritable_attributes.rb b/lib/httparty/module_inheritable_attributes.rb
index 0afe608..ebb4bb2 100644
--- a/lib/httparty/module_inheritable_attributes.rb
+++ b/lib/httparty/module_inheritable_attributes.rb
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ module HTTParty
 
       def inherited(subclass)
         @mattr_inheritable_attrs.each do |inheritable_attribute|
-          instance_var = "@#{inheritable_attribute}" 
-          subclass.instance_variable_set(instance_var, instance_variable_get(instance_var))
+          instance_var = "@#{inheritable_attribute}"
+          subclass.instance_variable_set(instance_var, instance_variable_get(instance_var).clone)
         end
       end
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/spec/httparty_spec.rb b/spec/httparty_spec.rb
index 140e137..718c2c6 100644
--- a/spec/httparty_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/httparty_spec.rb
@@ -308,6 +308,27 @@ describe HTTParty do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "two child classes inheriting from one parent" do
+    before(:each) do
+      @parent = Class.new do
+        include HTTParty
+      end
+
+      @child1 = Class.new(@parent)
+      @child2 = Class.new(@parent)
+    end
+
+    it "does not modify each others inherited attributes" do
+      @child1.default_params :joe => "alive"
+      @child2.default_params :joe => "dead"
+
+      @child1.default_options.should == { :default_params => {:joe => "alive"} }
+      @child2.default_options.should == { :default_params => {:joe => "dead"} }
+
+      @parent.default_options.should == { }
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "#get" do
     it "should be able to get html" do
       stub_http_response_with('google.html')