diff --git a/lib/factory_girl.rb b/lib/factory_girl.rb
index f026f17..ddf2b33 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl.rb
@@ -51,4 +51,17 @@ module FactoryGirl
   def self.sequence_by_name(name)
     sequences.find(name)
   end
+  
+  def self.attribute_groups
+    @attribute_groups ||= Registry.new
+  end
+
+  def self.register_attribute_group(group)
+    attribute_groups.add(group)
+  end
+
+  def self.attribute_group_by_name(name)
+    attribute_groups.find(name)
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/attribute_group.rb b/lib/factory_girl/attribute_group.rb
index f6e6e57..03a01e7 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/attribute_group.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/attribute_group.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ module FactoryGirl
       @attributes << attribute
     end
     
+    def names
+      [@name]
+    end
+    
     private
     
     def attribute_defined? (name)
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb b/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
index 34a871e..0e3a649 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ module FactoryGirl
   class Factory
     attr_reader :name #:nodoc:
     attr_reader :attributes #:nodoc:
-    attr_reader :attribute_groups #:nodoc:
     
     def factory_name
       puts "WARNING: factory.factory_name is deprecated. Use factory.name instead."
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ module FactoryGirl
       @name       = factory_name_for(name)
       @options    = options
       @attributes = []
-      @attribute_groups = {}
     end
 
     def inherit_from(parent) #:nodoc:
@@ -90,7 +88,7 @@ module FactoryGirl
     end
     
     def define_attribute_group(group)
-      @attribute_groups[group.name.to_sym] = group
+      attribute_groups.add group
     end
 
     def add_callback(name, &block)
@@ -124,13 +122,16 @@ module FactoryGirl
     end
 
     def attribute_group_by_name(name)
-      name=name.to_sym
-      group = @attribute_groups[name]
-      unless @options[:parent].nil?
-        group ||= FactoryGirl.factory_by_name(@options[:parent]).attribute_group_by_name(name)
+      return attribute_groups.find(name) if attribute_groups.registered?(name)
+      
+      parent=@options[:parent]
+      if parent.nil?
+        FactoryGirl::attribute_group_by_name(name)
+      else
+        FactoryGirl.factory_by_name(parent).attribute_group_by_name(name)
       end
-      group
     end
+    
     # Names for this factory, including aliases.
     #
     # Example:
@@ -230,6 +231,9 @@ module FactoryGirl
         options
       end
     end
-
+    
+    def attribute_groups
+      @attribute_groups ||= Registry.new
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/syntax/default.rb b/lib/factory_girl/syntax/default.rb
index 03d20eb..bff3eba 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/syntax/default.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/syntax/default.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ module FactoryGirl
         def sequence(name, start_value = 1, &block)
           FactoryGirl.register_sequence(Sequence.new(name, start_value, &block))
         end
+        
+        def attr_group(name, &block)
+          FactoryGirl.register_attribute_group(AttributeGroup.new(name, &block))
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/attribute_groups_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/attribute_groups_spec.rb
index 2e49177..f2cf407 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/attribute_groups_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/attribute_groups_spec.rb
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ require "acceptance/acceptance_helper"
 
 describe "an instance generated by a factory with multiple attribute groups" do
   before do
-    define_model("User", :name => :string, :admin => :boolean, :gender => :string)
+    define_model("User", :name => :string, :admin => :boolean, :gender => :string, :email => :string)
 
-    FactoryGirl.define do
+    FactoryGirl.define do      
       factory :user do
         name "John"
 
@@ -25,11 +25,26 @@ describe "an instance generated by a factory with multiple attribute groups" do
 
         factory :admin, :attr_groups => [:admin]
         factory :male, :attr_groups => [:male]
-        factory :female, :attr_groups => [:female]
+        factory :female, :attr_groups => [:female] do
+          attr_group :admin do
+            admin true
+            name "Judy"
+          end
+          factory :female_admin_judy, :attr_groups=>[:admin]
+        end
         factory :female_admin, :attr_groups => [:female, :admin]
         factory :female_after_male_admin, :attr_groups => [:male, :female, :admin]
         factory :male_after_female_admin, :attr_groups => [:female, :male, :admin]
       end
+      
+      attr_group :email do
+        email { "#{name}@example.com" }
+      end
+      
+      factory :user_with_email, :class=>User, :attr_groups=>[:email] do
+        name "Bill"
+      end
+      
     end
   end
 
@@ -85,4 +100,17 @@ describe "an instance generated by a factory with multiple attribute groups" do
       it { should be_admin }
     end
   end
+  
+  context "child class with scoped attribute group and inherited attribute group" do
+    subject { FactoryGirl.create(:female_admin_judy) }
+    its(:name) { should == "Judy" }
+    its(:gender) { should == "Female" }
+    it { should be_admin }
+  end
+  
+  context "factory using global attribute group" do
+    subject { FactoryGirl.create(:user_with_email) }
+    its(:name) { should == "Bill" }
+    its(:email) { should == "Bill@example.com"}
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 4354ef4..ce30de9 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
   config.after do
     FactoryGirl.factories.clear
     FactoryGirl.sequences.clear
+    FactoryGirl.attribute_groups.clear
   end
 end