diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
index 07c2bc44d9..c6af682d28 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
       # Returns a bind substitution value given a +column+ and list of current
       # +binds+
       def substitute_at(column, index)
-        Arel.sql '?'
+        Arel::Nodes::BindParam.new '?'
       end
 
       # REFERENTIAL INTEGRITY ====================================
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql2_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql2_adapter.rb
index 321d500da2..5ab9c24999 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql2_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql2_adapter.rb
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
       end
 
       def substitute_at(column, index)
-        Arel.sql "\0"
+        Arel::Nodes::BindParam.new "\0"
       end
 
       # CONNECTION MANAGEMENT ====================================
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
index 9f21bcb0c9..3925a9634e 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
@@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
       end
 
       def substitute_at(column, index)
-        Arel.sql("$#{index + 1}")
+        Arel::Nodes::BindParam.new "$#{index + 1}"
       end
 
       class Result < ActiveRecord::Result