diff --git a/lib/spec/expectations/fail_with.rb b/lib/spec/expectations/fail_with.rb
index 66649ccdc..5e01f99df 100644
--- a/lib/spec/expectations/fail_with.rb
+++ b/lib/spec/expectations/fail_with.rb
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ def fail_with(message, expected=nil, target=nil) # :nodoc:
         end
         unless (differ.nil? || expected.nil? || target.nil?)
           if expected.is_a?(String)
-            message << "\nDiff:" << self.differ.diff_as_string(target.to_s, expected)
+            message << "\n\n Diff:" << self.differ.diff_as_string(target.to_s, expected)
+          elsif expected.is_a?(Hash) && target.is_a?(Hash)
+            message << "\n\n Diff:" << self.differ.diff_as_hash(target, expected)
           elsif !target.is_a?(Proc)
-            message << "\nDiff:" << self.differ.diff_as_object(target, expected)
+            message << "\n\n Diff:" << self.differ.diff_as_object(target, expected)
           end
         end
         Kernel::raise(Spec::Expectations::ExpectationNotMetError.new(message))
diff --git a/lib/spec/runner/differs/default.rb b/lib/spec/runner/differs/default.rb
index 73f0dcae6..54e114bb2 100644
--- a/lib/spec/runner/differs/default.rb
+++ b/lib/spec/runner/differs/default.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,37 @@ def diff_as_string(data_new, data_old)
           def diff_as_object(target,expected)
             diff_as_string(PP.pp(target,""), PP.pp(expected,""))
           end
+          
+          def diff_as_hash(target, expected)
+            contains_hash = false
+            contains_array = false
+            
+            extra_expected_keys = expected.keys - target.keys
+            extra_target_keys = target.keys - expected.keys
+            
+            o = "\n"
+            
+            o << "Expected hash contains keys that target hash does not: " << extra_expected_keys.inspect << "\n" if !extra_expected_keys.empty?
+            o << "Target hash contains keys that expected hash does not: " << extra_target_keys.inspect << "\n" if !extra_target_keys.empty?
+            
+            expected.delete_if do |key, value|
+              contains_hash = true if value.is_a?(Hash)
+              contains_array = true if value.is_a?(Array)
+              target[key]  == value
+            end
+            
+            expected.keys.sort { |a,b| a.to_s <=> b.to_s }.each do |key|
+              o << "Expected the key #{key.inspect} to be #{expected[key].inspect}, but was #{target[key].inspect}\n"
+            end
+            
+            o << "\n"
+
+            if contains_hash || contains_array
+              o << diff_as_object(target, expected)
+            else
+              o
+            end
+          end
 
           protected
           def format
diff --git a/spec/spec/expectations/differs/default_spec.rb b/spec/spec/expectations/differs/default_spec.rb
index ba76cbd47..ce59d023c 100644
--- a/spec/spec/expectations/differs/default_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/spec/expectations/differs/default_spec.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,60 @@ def inspect
     diff = @differ.diff_as_object(expected,actual)
     diff.should == expected_diff
   end
+  
+  it "should output a friendly message if comparing simple hashes" do
+    expected = { "foo" => "bar" }
+    actual   = { "foo" => "baz" }
+    
+    expected_diff = <<'EOD'
+
+Expected the key "foo" to be "bar", but was "baz"
+
+EOD
+
+
+    diff = @differ.diff_as_hash(actual, expected)
+    diff.should == expected_diff
+  end
+  
+  
+  it "should output a friendly message if comparing simple hashes that contain different keys" do
+    expected = { "bar" => "foo" }
+    actual   = { "foo" => "baz" }
+
+    expected_diff = <<'EOD'
+
+Expected hash contains keys that target hash does not: ["bar"]
+Target hash contains keys that expected hash does not: ["foo"]
+Expected the key "bar" to be "foo", but was nil
+
+EOD
+
+
+    diff = @differ.diff_as_hash(actual, expected)
+    diff.should == expected_diff
+  end
+  
+  it "should output diff message if the hash is complex (containing Array or Hash)" do
+    expected = { "foo" => "bar", "fizz" => [1, 2, 3] }
+    actual   = { "foo" => "baz", "fizz" => [1, 2] }
+
+    expected_diff = <<'EOD'
+
+Expected the key "fizz" to be [1, 2, 3], but was [1, 2]
+Expected the key "foo" to be "bar", but was "baz"
+
+
+@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
+-{"foo"=>"bar", "fizz"=>[1, 2, 3]}
++{"foo"=>"baz", "fizz"=>[1, 2]}
+EOD
+
+
+    diff = @differ.diff_as_hash(actual, expected)
+    diff.should == expected_diff
+  end
+  
 
   it "should output unified diff message of two objects" do
     expected = Spec::Fixtures::Animal.new "bob", "giraffe"
diff --git a/spec/spec/expectations/fail_with_spec.rb b/spec/spec/expectations/fail_with_spec.rb
index 8908a3d19..519fcce79 100644
--- a/spec/spec/expectations/fail_with_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/spec/expectations/fail_with_spec.rb
@@ -47,19 +47,20 @@
     @differ.should_receive(:diff_as_string).and_return("diff")
     lambda {
       Spec::Expectations.fail_with "the message", "expected", "actual"
-    }.should fail_with("the message\nDiff:diff")
+    }.should fail_with("the message\n\n Diff:diff")
   end
   
   it "should call differ if expected/actual are not strings" do
     @differ.should_receive(:diff_as_object).and_return("diff")
     lambda {
       Spec::Expectations.fail_with "the message", :expected, :actual
-    }.should fail_with("the message\nDiff:diff")
+    }.should fail_with("the message\n\n Diff:diff")
   end
   
   it "should not call differ if expected or actual are procs" do
     @differ.should_not_receive(:diff_as_string)
     @differ.should_not_receive(:diff_as_object)
+    @differ.should_not_receive(:diff_as_hash)
     lambda {
       Spec::Expectations.fail_with "the message", lambda {}, lambda {}
     }.should fail_with("the message")
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.4.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.4.html
index 33f108fc9..772c2c68e 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.4.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.4.html
@@ -255,7 +255,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behavior driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.5.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.5.html
index a8b7ad405..55a830f3b 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.5.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.5.html
@@ -259,7 +259,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behavior driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.6.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.6.html
index 4b8fc0f75..2a1fcba62 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.6.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.6.html
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behaviour driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.7.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.7.html
index 50b6162a8..9ece6c6e3 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.7.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.8.7.html
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behaviour driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.9.1.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.9.1.html
index b1a9c65ef..a752656cb 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.9.1.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatted-1.9.1.html
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behaviour driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatter_spec.rb b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatter_spec.rb
index 7a9ce6f5b..9ea21a673 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/html_formatter_spec.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../../spec_helper'
+# require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../../spec_helper'
 
 begin # See rescue all the way at the bottom
 
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.4.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.4.html
index 9de8cd305..c556bd602 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.4.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.4.html
@@ -255,7 +255,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behavior driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.6.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.6.html
index aa8f74420..c39548f7f 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.6.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.6.html
@@ -261,7 +261,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behaviour driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.7.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.7.html
index 72c44a548..b32a65cd4 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.7.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.8.7.html
@@ -261,7 +261,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behaviour driven development
diff --git a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.9.1.html b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.9.1.html
index fa69dce17..696894932 100644
--- a/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.9.1.html
+++ b/spec/spec/runner/formatter/text_mate_formatted-1.9.1.html
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ <h1>RSpec Code Examples</h1>
       <div class="failure" id="failure_5">
         <div class="message"><pre>expected: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehaviour driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot;,
      got: &quot;RSpec is a\nbehavior driven development\nframework for Ruby\n&quot; (using ==)
-Diff:
+
+ Diff:
 @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
  RSpec is a
 -behaviour driven development