diff --git a/lib/formtastic/inputs/base/collections.rb b/lib/formtastic/inputs/base/collections.rb
index b2a94035b..1e370c00b 100644
--- a/lib/formtastic/inputs/base/collections.rb
+++ b/lib/formtastic/inputs/base/collections.rb
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ def send_or_call(duck, object)
             object.send(duck)
           end
         end
+        
+        # Avoids an issue where `send_or_call` can be a String and duck can be something simple like
+        # `:first`, which obviously String responds to.
+        def send_or_call_or_object(duck, object)
+          return object if object.is_a?(String) # TODO what about other classes etc?
+          send_or_call(duck, object)
+        end
       
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/formtastic/inputs/check_boxes_input.rb b/lib/formtastic/inputs/check_boxes_input.rb
index c3b319c2e..aaab1c943 100644
--- a/lib/formtastic/inputs/check_boxes_input.rb
+++ b/lib/formtastic/inputs/check_boxes_input.rb
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def disabled?(value)
       def selected_values
         if object.respond_to?(method)
           selected_items = [object.send(method)].compact.flatten
-          [*selected_items.map { |o| send_or_call(value_method, o) }].compact
+          [*selected_items.map { |o| send_or_call_or_object(value_method, o) }].compact
         else
           []
         end
diff --git a/spec/inputs/check_boxes_input_spec.rb b/spec/inputs/check_boxes_input_spec.rb
index dc42438ba..3989fedb1 100644
--- a/spec/inputs/check_boxes_input_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/inputs/check_boxes_input_spec.rb
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@
     before do
       @output_buffer = ''
       mock_everything
-      @fred.stub(:genres) { ['ficton', 'biography'] }
+      @fred.stub(:genres) { ['fiction', 'biography'] }
       
       concat(semantic_form_for(@fred) do |builder|
         concat(builder.input(:genres, :as => :check_boxes, :collection => [['Fiction', 'fiction'], ['Non-fiction', 'non_fiction'], ['Biography', 'biography']]))