diff --git a/lib/sinatra/base.rb b/lib/sinatra/base.rb
index 05da3083..4b22f811 100644
--- a/lib/sinatra/base.rb
+++ b/lib/sinatra/base.rb
@@ -1621,7 +1621,6 @@ module Sinatra
       end
 
       def generate_method(method_name, &block)
-        method_name = method_name.to_sym
         define_method(method_name, &block)
         method = instance_method method_name
         remove_method method_name