diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index e1357c2..adf6d25 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ end
 
 spec = Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name        = %q{factory_girl}
-  s.version     = "1.1.4"
+  s.version     = "1.1.5"
   s.summary     = %q{factory_girl provides a framework and DSL for defining and
                      using model instance factories.}
   s.description = %q{factory_girl provides a framework and DSL for defining and
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ spec = Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.email   = %q{jferris@thoughtbot.com}
 
   s.platform = Gem::Platform::RUBY
-  s.add_dependency(%q<activesupport>, [">= 1.0"])
 end
 
 Rake::GemPackageTask.new spec do |pkg|
diff --git a/factory_girl.gemspec b/factory_girl.gemspec
index d8f31c2..8b4c184 100644
--- a/factory_girl.gemspec
+++ b/factory_girl.gemspec
@@ -2,15 +2,15 @@
 
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = %q{factory_girl}
-  s.version = "1.1.4"
+  s.version = "1.1.5"
 
   s.required_rubygems_version = Gem::Requirement.new(">= 0") if s.respond_to? :required_rubygems_version=
   s.authors = ["Joe Ferris"]
-  s.date = %q{2008-11-28}
+  s.date = %q{2008-12-11}
   s.description = %q{factory_girl provides a framework and DSL for defining and using factories - less error-prone, more explicit, and  all-around easier to work with than fixtures.}
   s.email = %q{jferris@thoughtbot.com}
   s.extra_rdoc_files = ["README.textile"]
-  s.files = ["Changelog", "LICENSE", "Rakefile", "README.textile", "lib/factory_girl/aliases.rb", "lib/factory_girl/attribute.rb", "lib/factory_girl/attribute_proxy.rb", "lib/factory_girl/factory.rb", "lib/factory_girl/sequence.rb", "lib/factory_girl.rb", "test/aliases_test.rb", "test/attribute_proxy_test.rb", "test/attribute_test.rb", "test/factory_test.rb", "test/integration_test.rb", "test/models.rb", "test/sequence_test.rb", "test/test_helper.rb"]
+  s.files = ["Changelog", "CONTRIBUTION_GUIDELINES.rdoc", "LICENSE", "Rakefile", "README.textile", "lib/factory_girl/aliases.rb", "lib/factory_girl/attribute.rb", "lib/factory_girl/attribute_proxy.rb", "lib/factory_girl/factory.rb", "lib/factory_girl/sequence.rb", "lib/factory_girl.rb", "test/aliases_test.rb", "test/attribute_proxy_test.rb", "test/attribute_test.rb", "test/factory_test.rb", "test/integration_test.rb", "test/models.rb", "test/sequence_test.rb", "test/test_helper.rb"]
   s.has_rdoc = true
   s.rdoc_options = ["--line-numbers", "--inline-source", "--main", "README.textile"]
   s.require_paths = ["lib"]
@@ -23,11 +23,8 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
     s.specification_version = 2
 
     if Gem::Version.new(Gem::RubyGemsVersion) >= Gem::Version.new('1.2.0') then
-      s.add_runtime_dependency(%q<activesupport>, [">= 1.0"])
     else
-      s.add_dependency(%q<activesupport>, [">= 1.0"])
     end
   else
-    s.add_dependency(%q<activesupport>, [">= 1.0"])
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/aliases.rb b/lib/factory_girl/aliases.rb
index 165a6ff..c9bd9c7 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/aliases.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/aliases.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 class Factory
 
-  cattr_accessor :aliases #:nodoc:
+  class << self
+    attr_accessor :aliases #:nodoc:
+  end
   self.aliases = [
     [/(.*)_id/, '\1'],
     [/(.*)/, '\1_id']
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb b/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
index 29b862f..0749c4f 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb
@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 class Factory
   
-  cattr_accessor :factories #:nodoc:
-  self.factories = {}
+  class << self
+    attr_accessor :factories #:nodoc:
 
-  # An Array of strings specifying locations that should be searched for
-  # factory definitions. By default, factory_girl will attempt to require
-  # "factories," "test/factories," and "spec/factories." Only the first
-  # existing file will be loaded.
-  cattr_accessor :definition_file_paths
+    # An Array of strings specifying locations that should be searched for
+    # factory definitions. By default, factory_girl will attempt to require
+    # "factories," "test/factories," and "spec/factories." Only the first
+    # existing file will be loaded.
+    attr_accessor :definition_file_paths
+  end
+
+  self.factories = {}
   self.definition_file_paths = %w(factories test/factories spec/factories)
 
   attr_reader :factory_name
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ class Factory
   end
 
   def initialize (name, options = {}) #:nodoc:
-    options.assert_valid_keys(:class)
+    assert_valid_options(options)
     @factory_name = factory_name_for(name)
     @options      = options
     @attributes   = []
@@ -111,7 +114,7 @@ class Factory
   #       default use the "user" factory.
   def association (name, options = {})
     name    = name.to_sym
-    options = options.symbolize_keys
+    options = symbolize_keys(options)
     association_factory = options[:factory] || name
 
     add_attribute(name) {|a| a.association(association_factory) }
@@ -203,7 +206,7 @@ class Factory
   private
 
   def build_attributes_hash (values, strategy)
-    values = values.symbolize_keys
+    values = symbolize_keys(values)
     passed_keys = values.keys.collect {|key| Factory.aliases_for(key) }.flatten
     @attributes.each do |attribute|
       unless passed_keys.include?(attribute.name)
@@ -225,7 +228,7 @@ class Factory
 
   def class_for (class_or_to_s)
     if class_or_to_s.respond_to?(:to_sym)
-      class_or_to_s.to_s.pluralize.classify.constantize
+      Object.const_get(variable_name_to_class_name(class_or_to_s))
     else
       class_or_to_s
     end
@@ -235,7 +238,7 @@ class Factory
     if class_or_to_s.respond_to?(:to_sym)
       class_or_to_s.to_sym
     else
-      class_or_to_s.to_s.underscore.to_sym
+      class_name_to_variable_name(class_or_to_s).to_sym
     end
   end
 
@@ -243,4 +246,35 @@ class Factory
     !@attributes.detect {|attr| attr.name == name }.nil?
   end
 
+  def assert_valid_options(options)
+    invalid_keys = options.keys - [:class] 
+    unless invalid_keys == []
+      raise ArgumentError, "Unknown arguments: #{invalid_keys.inspect}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Based on ActiveSupport's underscore inflector
+  def class_name_to_variable_name(name)
+    name.to_s.gsub(/::/, '/').
+      gsub(/([A-Z]+)([A-Z][a-z])/,'\1_\2').
+      gsub(/([a-z\d])([A-Z])/,'\1_\2').
+      tr("-", "_").
+      downcase
+  end
+
+  # Based on ActiveSupport's camelize inflector
+  def variable_name_to_class_name(name)
+    name.to_s.
+      gsub(/\/(.?)/) { "::#{$1.upcase}" }.
+      gsub(/(?:^|_)(.)/) { $1.upcase }
+  end
+
+  # From ActiveSupport
+  def symbolize_keys(hash)
+    hash.inject({}) do |options, (key, value)|
+      options[(key.to_sym rescue key) || key] = value
+      options
+    end
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/sequence.rb b/lib/factory_girl/sequence.rb
index eb8689a..cccbe7b 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/sequence.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/sequence.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ class Factory
 
   end
 
-  cattr_accessor :sequences #:nodoc:
+  class << self
+    attr_accessor :sequences #:nodoc:
+  end
   self.sequences = {}
 
   # Defines a new sequence that can be used to generate unique values in a specific format.
diff --git a/test/factory_test.rb b/test/factory_test.rb
index 7f41bf5..8e3bbf7 100644
--- a/test/factory_test.rb
+++ b/test/factory_test.rb
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ class FactoryTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
       end
 
-      should "raise an ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid error for invalid instances" do
+      should "raise an error for invalid instances" do
         assert_raise(ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid) do
           @factory.create(:first_name => nil)
         end
diff --git a/test/integration_test.rb b/test/integration_test.rb
index d264cc7..798a297 100644
--- a/test/integration_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration_test.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class IntegrationTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
 
   def teardown
-    Factory.send(:class_variable_get, "@@factories").clear
+    Factory.factories.clear
   end
 
   context "a generated attributes hash" do