diff --git a/lib/sinatra.rb b/lib/sinatra.rb
index 97a8a9f3..91416589 100644
--- a/lib/sinatra.rb
+++ b/lib/sinatra.rb
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ module Sinatra
       @param_keys = []
       @options = options
       regex = @path.to_s.gsub(PARAM) do
-        @param_keys << $1.intern
+        @param_keys << $1
         "(#{URI_CHAR}+)"
       end
       
@@ -586,9 +586,9 @@ module Sinatra
     end
     
     def params
-      @params ||= @route_params.merge(@request.params).symbolize_keys
+      @params = @route_params.merge(@request.params)
     end
-    
+        
     def stop(*args)
       throw :halt, args
     end
diff --git a/test/app_test.rb b/test/app_test.rb
index 972e7c40..c272a34c 100644
--- a/test/app_test.rb
+++ b/test/app_test.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ context "Sinatra" do
   
   specify "handles events" do
     get '/:name' do
-      'Hello ' + params[:name]
+      'Hello ' + params["name"]
     end
     
     get_it '/Blake'
diff --git a/test/application_test.rb b/test/application_test.rb
index 98bfc331..c0ff3a07 100644
--- a/test/application_test.rb
+++ b/test/application_test.rb
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ context "Looking up a request" do
     
     result.should.not.be.nil
     result.block.should.be block
-    result.params.should.equal :foo => 'bar'
+    result.params.should.equal "foo" => 'bar'
   end
               
 end
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ context "Events in an app" do
   
   specify "get access to request, response, and params" do
     get '/:foo' do
-      params[:foo] + params[:bar]
+      params["foo"] + params["bar"]
     end
     
     get_it '/foo?bar=baz'
diff --git a/test/events_test.rb b/test/events_test.rb
index 781b46db..1ae211e6 100644
--- a/test/events_test.rb
+++ b/test/events_test.rb
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ context "Simple Events" do
   specify "takes params in path" do
     result = invoke_simple('/:foo/:bar', '/a/b')
     result.should.not.be.nil
-    result.params.should.equal :foo => 'a', :bar => 'b'
+    result.params.should.equal "foo" => 'a', "bar" => 'b'
     
     # unscapes
     result = invoke_simple('/:foo/:bar', '/a/blake%20mizerany')
     result.should.not.be.nil
-    result.params.should.equal :foo => 'a', :bar => 'blake mizerany'
+    result.params.should.equal "foo" => 'a', "bar" => 'blake mizerany'
   end
   
   specify "ignores to many /'s" do