diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
index 67c8f438e2..9392bcb473 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
@@ -367,9 +367,18 @@ module ActiveRecord
       end
 
       def case_insensitive_comparison(table, attribute, column, value)
-        table[attribute].lower.eq(table.lower(value))
+        if can_perform_case_insensitive_comparison_for?(column)
+          table[attribute].lower.eq(table.lower(value))
+        else
+          case_sensitive_comparison(table, attribute, column, value)
+        end
       end
 
+      def can_perform_case_insensitive_comparison_for?(column)
+        true
+      end
+      private :can_perform_case_insensitive_comparison_for?
+
       def current_savepoint_name
         current_transaction.savepoint_name
       end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql/oid/specialized_string.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql/oid/specialized_string.rb
index b2a42e9ebb..2d2fede4e8 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql/oid/specialized_string.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql/oid/specialized_string.rb
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ module ActiveRecord
           def initialize(type)
             @type = type
           end
-
-          def text?
-            false
-          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
index ab970e183a..e8ecaffcab 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
@@ -762,6 +762,24 @@ module ActiveRecord
         def create_table_definition(name, temporary = false, options = nil, as = nil) # :nodoc:
           PostgreSQL::TableDefinition.new native_database_types, name, temporary, options, as
         end
+
+        def can_perform_case_insensitive_comparison_for?(column)
+          @case_insensitive_cache ||= {}
+          @case_insensitive_cache[column.sql_type] ||= begin
+            sql = <<-end_sql
+              SELECT exists(
+                SELECT * FROM pg_proc
+                INNER JOIN pg_cast
+                  ON casttarget::text::oidvector = proargtypes
+                WHERE proname = 'lower'
+                  AND castsource = '#{column.sql_type}'::regtype::oid
+              )
+            end_sql
+            execute_and_clear(sql, "SCHEMA", []) do |result|
+              result.getvalue(0, 0) == 't'
+            end
+          end
+        end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/string.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/string.rb
index cf95e25be0..fbc0af2c5a 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/string.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/string.rb
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ module ActiveRecord
         end
       end
 
-      def text?
-        true
-      end
-
       private
 
       def cast_value(value)
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/value.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/value.rb
index 9027925072..7f384bee68 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/value.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/type/value.rb
@@ -52,10 +52,6 @@ module ActiveRecord
 
       # These predicates are not documented, as I need to look further into
       # their use, and see if they can be removed entirely.
-      def text? # :nodoc:
-        false
-      end
-
       def number? # :nodoc:
         false
       end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations/uniqueness.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations/uniqueness.rb
index ad56f637e3..a766d77e88 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations/uniqueness.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations/uniqueness.rb
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
 
         value = Arel::Nodes::Quoted.new(value)
 
-        comparison = if !options[:case_sensitive] && value && cast_type.text?
+        comparison = if !options[:case_sensitive] && !value.nil?
           # will use SQL LOWER function before comparison, unless it detects a case insensitive collation
           klass.connection.case_insensitive_comparison(table, attribute, column, value)
         else