diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record.rb
index d60a8157..51fb003f 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/order_matcher'
 require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/through_matcher'
 require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/dependent_matcher'
 require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector'
+require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/option_verifier'
 require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/have_db_column_matcher'
 require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/have_db_index_matcher'
 require 'shoulda/matchers/active_record/have_readonly_attribute_matcher'
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb
index 1e4e106c..9c7d0a79 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require 'forwardable'
+
 module Shoulda # :nodoc:
   module Matchers
     module ActiveRecord # :nodoc:
@@ -72,6 +74,9 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
       end
 
       class AssociationMatcher # :nodoc:
+        delegate :reflection, :model_class, :associated_class, :through?,
+          :join_table, to: :reflector
+
         def initialize(macro, name)
           @macro = macro
           @name = name
@@ -160,6 +165,14 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
 
         attr_reader :submatchers, :missing, :subject, :macro, :name, :options
 
+        def reflector
+          @reflector ||= AssociationMatchers::ModelReflector.new(subject, name)
+        end
+
+        def option_verifier
+          @option_verifier ||= AssociationMatchers::OptionVerifier.new(reflector)
+        end
+
         def add_submatcher(matcher)
           @submatchers << matcher
         end
@@ -200,10 +213,6 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
         end
 
-        def reflection
-          @reflection ||= model_class.reflect_on_association(name)
-        end
-
         def macro_correct?
           if reflection.macro == macro
             true
@@ -221,27 +230,15 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           macro == :belongs_to && !class_has_foreign_key?(model_class)
         end
 
-        def model_class
-          subject.class
-        end
-
         def has_foreign_key_missing?
           [:has_many, :has_one].include?(macro) &&
             !through? &&
             !class_has_foreign_key?(associated_class)
         end
 
-        def through?
-          reflection.options[:through]
-        end
-
-        def associated_class
-          reflection.klass
-        end
-
         def class_name_correct?
           if options.key?(:class_name)
-            if options[:class_name].to_s == reflection.klass.to_s
+            if option_verifier.correct_for_string?(:class_name, options[:class_name])
               true
             else
               @missing = "#{name} should resolve to #{options[:class_name]} for class_name"
@@ -254,7 +251,7 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
 
         def conditions_correct?
           if options.key?(:conditions)
-            if options[:conditions].to_s == reflection.options[:conditions].to_s
+            if option_verifier.correct_for_string?(:conditions, options[:conditions])
               true
             else
               @missing = "#{name} should have the following conditions: #{options[:conditions]}"
@@ -276,7 +273,7 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
         end
 
         def validate_correct?
-          if option_correct?(:validate)
+          if option_verifier.correct_for_boolean?(:validate, options[:validate])
             true
           else
             @missing = "#{name} should have :validate => #{options[:validate]}"
@@ -285,7 +282,7 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
         end
 
         def touch_correct?
-          if option_correct?(:touch)
+          if option_verifier.correct_for_boolean?(:touch, options[:touch])
             true
           else
             @missing = "#{name} should have :touch => #{options[:touch]}"
@@ -293,17 +290,9 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
         end
 
-        def option_correct?(key)
-          !options.key?(key) || reflection_set_properly_for?(key)
-        end
-
-        def reflection_set_properly_for?(key)
-          options[key] == !!reflection.options[key]
-        end
-
         def class_has_foreign_key?(klass)
           if options.key?(:foreign_key)
-            reflection.options[:foreign_key] == options[:foreign_key]
+            option_verifier.correct_for?(:foreign_key, options[:foreign_key])
           else
             if klass.column_names.include?(foreign_key)
               true
@@ -314,14 +303,6 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
         end
 
-        def join_table
-          if reflection.respond_to? :join_table
-            reflection.join_table.to_s
-          else
-            reflection.options[:join_table].to_s
-          end
-        end
-
         def foreign_key
           if foreign_key_reflection
             if foreign_key_reflection.respond_to?(:foreign_key)
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/counter_cache_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/counter_cache_matcher.rb
index b04049ad..761e97af 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/counter_cache_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/counter_cache_matcher.rb
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
 
           def matches?(subject)
-            subject = ModelReflector.new(subject, name)
+            self.subject = ModelReflector.new(subject, name)
 
-            if subject.option_set_properly?(counter_cache, :counter_cache)
+            if option_verifier.correct_for_string?(:counter_cache, counter_cache)
               true
             else
               self.missing_option = "#{name} should have #{description}"
@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
 
           private
-          attr_accessor :counter_cache, :name
+
+          attr_accessor :subject, :counter_cache, :name
+
+          def option_verifier
+            @option_verifier ||= OptionVerifier.new(subject)
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/dependent_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/dependent_matcher.rb
index 36146db4..ac5adecd 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/dependent_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/dependent_matcher.rb
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
 
           def matches?(subject)
-            subject = ModelReflector.new(subject, name)
+            self.subject = ModelReflector.new(subject, name)
 
-            if dependent.nil? || subject.option_set_properly?(dependent, :dependent)
+            if option_verifier.correct_for_string?(:dependent, dependent)
               true
             else
               self.missing_option = "#{name} should have #{dependent} dependency"
@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
 
           private
-          attr_accessor :dependent, :name
+
+          attr_accessor :subject, :dependent, :name
+
+          def option_verifier
+            @option_verifier ||= OptionVerifier.new(subject)
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb
index bec28ccc..a4dd58dc 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb
@@ -20,15 +20,24 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
             subject.class
           end
 
-          def option_string(key)
-            reflection.options[key].to_s
+          def associated_class
+            reflection.klass
           end
 
-          def option_set_properly?(option, option_key)
-            option.to_s == option_string(option_key)
+          def through?
+            reflection.options[:through]
+          end
+
+          def join_table
+            if reflection.respond_to? :join_table
+              reflection.join_table.to_s
+            else
+              reflection.options[:join_table].to_s
+            end
           end
 
           private
+
           attr_reader :subject, :name
         end
       end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/option_verifier.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/option_verifier.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..24ae78de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/option_verifier.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+module Shoulda # :nodoc:
+  module Matchers
+    module ActiveRecord # :nodoc:
+      module AssociationMatchers
+        class OptionVerifier
+          delegate :reflection, to: :reflector
+
+          attr_reader :reflector
+
+          def initialize(reflector)
+            @reflector = reflector
+          end
+
+          def correct_for_string?(name, expected_value)
+            correct_for?(:string, name, expected_value)
+          end
+
+          def correct_for_boolean?(name, expected_value)
+            correct_for?(:boolean, name, expected_value)
+          end
+
+          def correct_for_hash?(name, expected_value)
+            correct_for?(:hash, name, expected_value)
+          end
+
+          def actual_value_for(name)
+            method_name = "actual_value_for_#{name}"
+            if respond_to?(method_name, true)
+              __send__(method_name)
+            else
+              reflection.options[name]
+            end
+          end
+
+          private
+
+          attr_reader :reflector
+
+          def correct_for?(*args)
+            expected_value, name, type = args.reverse
+            if expected_value.nil?
+              true
+            else
+              expected_value = type_cast(type, expected_value_for(name, expected_value))
+              actual_value = type_cast(type, actual_value_for(name))
+              expected_value == actual_value
+            end
+          end
+
+          def type_cast(type, value)
+            case type
+              when :string  then value.to_s
+              when :boolean then !!value
+              when :hash    then Hash(value).stringify_keys
+              else               value
+            end
+          end
+
+          def expected_value_for(name, value)
+            value
+          end
+
+          def actual_value_for_class_name
+            reflector.associated_class
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/order_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/order_matcher.rb
index f3c0bc81..fde78a49 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/order_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/order_matcher.rb
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
 
           def matches?(subject)
-            subject = ModelReflector.new(subject, name)
+            self.subject = ModelReflector.new(subject, name)
 
-            if subject.option_set_properly?(order, :order)
+            if option_verifier.correct_for_string?(:order, order)
               true
             else
               self.missing_option = "#{name} should be ordered by #{order}"
@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
 
           private
-          attr_accessor :order, :name
+
+          attr_accessor :subject, :order, :name
+
+          def option_verifier
+            @option_verifier ||= OptionVerifier.new(subject)
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/through_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/through_matcher.rb
index 59e9a79a..c92dea4f 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/through_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/through_matcher.rb
@@ -38,18 +38,23 @@ module Shoulda # :nodoc:
           end
 
           def through_association_correct?
-            if subject.option_set_properly?(through, :through)
+            if option_verifier.correct_for_string?(:through, through)
               true
             else
               self.missing_option =
                 "Expected #{name} to have #{name} through #{through}, " +
-                "but got it through #{subject.option_string(:through)}"
+                "but got it through #{option_verifier.actual_value_for(:through)}"
               false
             end
           end
 
           private
+
           attr_accessor :through, :name, :subject
+
+          def option_verifier
+            @option_verifier ||= OptionVerifier.new(subject)
+          end
         end
       end
     end