diff --git a/lib/capybara/helpers.rb b/lib/capybara/helpers.rb
index 23b5df80..0cb81fd9 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/helpers.rb
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ module Capybara
     # @option [Integer] minimum     Count should have been larger than or equal to this value
     #
     def failure_message(description, options={})
-      message = "expected to find #{description}"
+      message = String.new("expected to find #{description}")
       if options[:count]
         message << " #{options[:count]} #{declension('time', 'times', options[:count])}"
       elsif options[:between]
diff --git a/lib/capybara/query.rb b/lib/capybara/query.rb
index 63e8443a..0bb3b363 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/query.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/query.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module Capybara
     def label; selector.label or selector.name; end
 
     def description
-      @description = "#{label} #{locator.inspect}"
+      @description = String.new("#{label} #{locator.inspect}")
       @description << " with text #{options[:text].inspect}" if options[:text]
       @description << selector.description(options)
       @description
diff --git a/lib/capybara/selector.rb b/lib/capybara/selector.rb
index 18ef48d5..a9de1ea5 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/selector.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/selector.rb
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ Capybara.add_selector(:field) do
   end
   filter(:multiple, boolean: true) { |node, value| !(value ^ node[:multiple]) }
   describe do |options|
-    desc, states = "", []
+    desc, states = String.new, []
     desc << " of type #{options[:type].inspect}" if options[:type]
     desc << " with value #{options[:with].to_s.inspect}" if options.has_key?(:with)
     states << 'checked' if options[:checked] || (options.has_key?(:unchecked) && !options[:unchecked])
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ Capybara.add_selector(:fillable_field) do
   filter(:disabled, default: false, boolean: true, skip_if: :all) { |node, value| not(value ^ node.disabled?) }
   filter(:multiple, boolean: true) { |node, value| !(value ^ node[:multiple]) }
   describe do |options|
-    desc = ""
+    desc = String.new
     desc << " that is disabled" if options[:disabled] == true
     desc << " with the multiple attribute" if options[:multiple] == true
     desc << " without the multiple attribute" if options[:multiple] === false
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ Capybara.add_selector(:radio_button) do
   filter(:option)  { |node, value|  node.value == value.to_s }
   filter(:disabled, default: false, boolean: true, skip_if: :all) { |node, value| not(value ^ node.disabled?) }
   describe do |options|
-    desc, states = "", []
+    desc, states = String.new, []
     desc << " with value #{options[:option].inspect}" if options[:option]
     states << 'checked' if options[:checked] || (options.has_key?(:unchecked) && !options[:unchecked])
     states << 'not checked' if options[:unchecked] || (options.has_key?(:checked) && !options[:checked])
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ Capybara.add_selector(:checkbox) do
   filter(:option)  { |node, value|  node.value == value.to_s }
   filter(:disabled, default: false, boolean: true, skip_if: :all) { |node, value| not(value ^ node.disabled?) }
   describe do |options|
-    desc, states = "", []
+    desc, states = String.new, []
     desc << " with value #{options[:option].inspect}" if options[:option]
     states << 'checked' if options[:checked] || (options.has_key?(:unchecked) && !options[:unchecked])
     states << 'not checked' if options[:unchecked] || (options.has_key?(:checked) && !options[:checked])
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ Capybara.add_selector(:select) do
   filter(:disabled, default: false, boolean: true, skip_if: :all) { |node, value| not(value ^ node.disabled?) }
   filter(:multiple, boolean: true) { |node, value| !(value ^ node[:multiple]) }
   describe do |options|
-    desc = ""
+    desc = String.new
     desc << " with options #{options[:options].inspect}" if options[:options]
     desc << " with at least options #{options[:with_options].inspect}" if options[:with_options]
     desc << " with #{options[:selected].inspect} selected" if options[:selected]
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ Capybara.add_selector(:file_field) do
   filter(:disabled, default: false, boolean: true, skip_if: :all) { |node, value| not(value ^ node.disabled?) }
   filter(:multiple, boolean: true) { |node, value| !(value ^ node[:multiple]) }
   describe do |options|
-    desc = ""
+    desc = String.new
     desc << " that is disabled" if options[:disabled] == true
     desc << " that allows multiple files" if options[:multiple] == true
     desc << " that only allows a single file" if options[:multiple] === false