diff --git a/lib/fog/core/credentials.rb b/lib/fog/core/credentials.rb
index 68a1602a48..d7f3506bbb 100644
--- a/lib/fog/core/credentials.rb
+++ b/lib/fog/core/credentials.rb
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ module Fog
   #   @ return [String, Symbol] name of the new credential
   def self.credential=(new_credential)
     @credentials = nil
-    @credential = new_credential
+    @credential = new_credential.to_sym
   end
 
   # @return [String, Symbol] The credential to use in Fog
   def self.credential
-    @credential ||= ENV["FOG_CREDENTIAL"] || :default
+    @credential ||= ENV["FOG_CREDENTIAL"].to_sym || :default
   end
 
   # @return [String] The path for configuration_file
diff --git a/tests/core/credential_tests.rb b/tests/core/credential_tests.rb
index cabbf7d270..e3bc5efcae 100644
--- a/tests/core/credential_tests.rb
+++ b/tests/core/credential_tests.rb
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
   tests('credential') do
     returns(:default, "is :default") { Fog.credential }
 
-    returns("foo", "can be set directly") do
+    returns(:foo, "can be set directly") do
       Fog.credential = "foo"
       Fog.credential
     end
 
-    returns("bar", "can be set with environment variable") do
+    returns(:bar, "can be set with environment variable") do
       ENV["FOG_CREDENTIAL"] = "bar"
       Fog.credential
     end