diff --git a/spec/dummy_app/app/models/no_object.rb b/spec/dummy_app/app/models/no_object.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..04444649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/dummy_app/app/models/no_object.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+# Demonstrates a table that omits the `object` column.
+class NoObject < ActiveRecord::Base
+  has_paper_trail(
+    class_name: "NoObjectVersion",
+    meta: { metadatum: 42 }
+  )
+  validates :letter, length: { is: 1 }, presence: true
+end
diff --git a/spec/dummy_app/app/versions/no_object_version.rb b/spec/dummy_app/app/versions/no_object_version.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b5beb90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/dummy_app/app/versions/no_object_version.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+# Demonstrates a table that omits the `object` column.
+class NoObjectVersion < ::PaperTrail::Version
+  self.table_name = "no_object_versions"
+end
diff --git a/spec/dummy_app/db/migrate/20110208155312_set_up_test_tables.rb b/spec/dummy_app/db/migrate/20110208155312_set_up_test_tables.rb
index 81e6b314..d102aa90 100644
--- a/spec/dummy_app/db/migrate/20110208155312_set_up_test_tables.rb
+++ b/spec/dummy_app/db/migrate/20110208155312_set_up_test_tables.rb
@@ -124,6 +124,24 @@ class SetUpTestTables < (
     end
     add_index :post_versions, %i[item_type item_id]
 
+    # Uses custom versions table `no_object_versions`.
+    create_table :no_objects, force: true do |t|
+      t.string :letter, null: false, limit: 1
+      t.timestamps null: false, limit: 6
+    end
+
+    # This table omits the `object` column.
+    create_table :no_object_versions, force: true do |t|
+      t.string   :item_type, null: false
+      t.integer  :item_id,   null: false
+      t.string   :event,     null: false
+      t.string   :whodunnit
+      t.datetime :created_at, limit: 6
+      t.text     :object_changes, limit: TEXT_BYTES
+      t.integer  :metadatum
+    end
+    add_index :no_object_versions, %i[item_type item_id]
+
     if ENV["DB"] == "postgres"
       create_table :json_versions, force: true do |t|
         t.string   :item_type, null: false
diff --git a/spec/models/no_object_spec.rb b/spec/models/no_object_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dfd442f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/no_object_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require "spec_helper"
+
+RSpec.describe NoObject, versioning: true do
+  it "still creates version records" do
+    n = described_class.create!(letter: "A")
+    a = n.versions.last.attributes
+    expect(a).not_to include "object"
+    expect(a["event"]).to eq "create"
+    expect(a["object_changes"]).to start_with("---")
+    expect(a["metadatum"]).to eq(42)
+
+    n.update!(letter: "B")
+    a = n.versions.last.attributes
+    expect(a).not_to include "object"
+    expect(a["event"]).to eq "update"
+    expect(a["object_changes"]).to start_with("---")
+    expect(a["metadatum"]).to eq(42)
+
+    n.destroy!
+    a = n.versions.last.attributes
+    expect(a).not_to include "object"
+    expect(a["event"]).to eq "destroy"
+    expect(a["object_changes"]).to be_nil
+    expect(a["metadatum"]).to eq(42)
+  end
+
+  describe "reify" do
+    it "raises error" do
+      n = NoObject.create!(letter: "A")
+      v = n.versions.last
+      expect { v.reify }.to(
+        raise_error(
+          ::RuntimeError,
+          "reify can't be called without an object column"
+        )
+      )
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "where_object" do
+    it "raises error" do
+      n = NoObject.create!(letter: "A")
+      expect {
+        n.versions.where_object(foo: "bar")
+      }.to(
+        raise_error(
+          ::RuntimeError,
+          "where_object can't be called without an object column"
+        )
+      )
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/paper_trail/model_spec.rb b/spec/paper_trail/model_spec.rb
index bcd49c63..627e190b 100644
--- a/spec/paper_trail/model_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/paper_trail/model_spec.rb
@@ -877,55 +877,4 @@ RSpec.describe(::PaperTrail, versioning: true) do
       expect(widget.versions.empty?).to(eq(true))
     end
   end
-
-  context "without the object column" do
-    # rubocop:disable RSpec/BeforeAfterAll
-    before :all do
-      ActiveRecord::Migration.remove_column :versions, :object
-      PaperTrail::Version.reset_column_information
-    end
-    after :all do
-      ActiveRecord::Migration.add_column :versions, :object, :text
-      PaperTrail::Version.reset_column_information
-    end
-    # rubocop:enable RSpec/BeforeAfterAll
-
-    it "versions are created" do
-      song = Song.create length: 4
-      version = song.versions.last.attributes
-      expect(version).not_to include "object"
-      expect(version["event"]).to eq "create"
-      expect(version["object_changes"]).to start_with("---")
-
-      song.update length: 5
-      version = song.versions.last.attributes
-      expect(version).not_to include "object"
-      expect(version["event"]).to eq "update"
-      expect(version["object_changes"]).to start_with("---")
-
-      song.destroy
-      version = song.versions.last.attributes
-      expect(version).not_to include "object"
-      expect(version["event"]).to eq "destroy"
-      expect(version["object_changes"]).to eq nil
-    end
-
-    it "reify doesn't work" do
-      song = Song.create length: 4
-      song.update length: 5
-
-      expect do
-        song.versions.first.reify
-      end.to raise_error "reify can't be called without an object column"
-    end
-
-    it "where_object doesn't work" do
-      song = Song.create length: 4
-      song.update length: 5
-
-      expect do
-        song.versions.where_object length: 4
-      end.to raise_error "where_object can't be called without an object column"
-    end
-  end
 end