diff --git a/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb b/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb
index 9a041a09..c2607974 100644
--- a/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb
+++ b/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb
@@ -223,11 +223,11 @@ module PaperTrail
       # Utility method for reifying. Anything executed inside the block will appear like a new record
       def appear_as_new_record
         instance_eval {
-          alias_method :old_new_record?, :new_record?
-          alias_method :new_record?, :present?
+          alias :old_new_record? :new_record?
+          alias :new_record? :present?
         }
         yield
-        instance_eval { alias_method :new_record?, :old_new_record? }
+        instance_eval { alias :new_record? :old_new_record? }
       end
 
       # Mimicks behavior of `touch` method from `ActiveRecord::Persistence`, but generates a version
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ module PaperTrail
             data[:object_changes] = self.class.paper_trail_version_class.object_changes_col_is_json? ? changes_for_paper_trail :
               PaperTrail.serializer.dump(changes_for_paper_trail)
           end
-          version = send(self.class.versions_association_name).build merge_metadata(data)
+          version = send(self.class.versions_association_name).create merge_metadata(data)
           set_transaction_id(version)
           save_associations(version)
         end
@@ -315,7 +315,11 @@ module PaperTrail
 
       def save_associations(version)
         self.class.reflect_on_all_associations(:belongs_to).each do |assoc|
-          PaperTrail::VersionAssociation.create(:version_id => version.id, :foreign_key_name => assoc.foreign_key, :foreign_key_id => self.send(assoc.foreign_key))
+          PaperTrail::VersionAssociation.create(
+            :version_id => version.id,
+            :foreign_key_name => assoc.foreign_key,
+            :foreign_key_id => self.send(assoc.foreign_key)
+          )
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/paper_trail/version_concern.rb b/lib/paper_trail/version_concern.rb
index aca6e8be..3cbc757b 100644
--- a/lib/paper_trail/version_concern.rb
+++ b/lib/paper_trail/version_concern.rb
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ module PaperTrail
         next if assoc.name == model.class.versions_association_name
         version_id_subquery = PaperTrail::VersionAssociation.joins(model.class.version_association_name).
           select("MIN(version_id)").
-          where(:foreign_key_name => assoc.foreign_key).
-          where(:foreign_key_id => model.id).
+          where("foreign_key_name = ?", assoc.foreign_key).
+          where("foreign_key_id = ?", model.id).
           where("#{version_table_name}.item_type = ?", assoc.class_name).
           where("created_at >= ? OR transaction_id = ?", options[:version_at], transaction_id).
           group("item_id").to_sql
@@ -257,17 +257,19 @@ module PaperTrail
 
         # Iterate all the child records to replace them with the previous values
         versions.each do |version|
-          if version.event == 'create'
-            if child = version.item
-              collection.delete child
+          collection << version.reify(options) if version.event == 'destroy'
+          collection.map! do |c|
+            if version.event == 'create'
+              c.mark_for_destruction if version.item && version.item.id == c.id
+              c
+            else
+              child = version.reify(options)
+              c.id == child.id ? child : c
             end
-          else
-            child = version.reify(options)
-            collection.map!{ |c| c.id == child.id ? child : c }
           end
         end
 
-        model.send "#{assoc.name}=", collection
+        model.send(assoc.name).proxy_association.target = collection
       end
     end