diff --git a/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb b/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb
index 366d2ae46..9aa1863cb 100644
--- a/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb
+++ b/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ def create!(*args)
 
     def confirm_node_classes
       [from_node, to_node].each do |node|
-        check = from_node == node ? :_from_class : :_to_class
-        next if self.class.send(check) == :any
-        unless self.class.send(check) == node.class        
-          raise ModelClassInvalidError, "Node class was #{node.class}, expected #{self.class.send(check)}" 
+        type = from_node == node ? :_from_class : :_to_class
+        next if allows_any_class?(type)
+        unless class_as_constant(type) == node.class
+          raise ModelClassInvalidError, "Node class was #{node.class}, expected #{self.class.send(type)}"
         end
       end
     end
@@ -68,5 +68,21 @@ def _create_rel(from_node, to_node, *args)
       set_classname(props)
       from_node.create_rel(type, to_node, props)
     end
+
+    def class_as_constant(type)
+      given_class = self.class.send(type)
+      case
+      when given_class.is_a?(String)
+        given_class.constantize
+      when given_class.is_a?(Symbol)
+        given_class.to_s.constantize
+      else
+        given_class
+      end
+    end
+
+    def allows_any_class?(type)
+      self.class.send(type) == :any || self.class.send(type) == false
+    end
   end
-end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/neo4j/active_rel/property.rb b/lib/neo4j/active_rel/property.rb
index f948d3f6b..e9347e50b 100644
--- a/lib/neo4j/active_rel/property.rb
+++ b/lib/neo4j/active_rel/property.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 module Neo4j::ActiveRel
   module Property
     extend ActiveSupport::Concern
@@ -7,7 +6,7 @@ module Property
     %w[to_node from_node].each do |direction|
       define_method("#{direction}") { instance_variable_get("@#{direction}") }
       define_method("#{direction}=") do |argument|
-        raise FrozenRelError, "Relationship start/end nodes cannot be changed once persisted" if self.persisted?
+        raise FrozenRelError, 'Relationship start/end nodes cannot be changed once persisted' if self.persisted?
         instance_variable_set("@#{direction}", argument)
       end
     end
@@ -15,18 +14,18 @@ module Property
     alias_method :start_node, :from_node
     alias_method :end_node,   :to_node
 
+    # @return [String] a string representing the relationship type that will be created
     def type
       self.class._type
     end
 
-    def initialize(attributes={}, options={})
+    def initialize(attributes = {}, options = {})
       super(attributes, options)
 
       send_props(@relationship_props) unless @relationship_props.nil?
     end
 
     module ClassMethods
-
       # Extracts keys from attributes hash which are relationships of the model
       # TODO: Validate separately that relationships are getting the right values?  Perhaps also store the values and persist relationships on save?
       def extract_association_attributes!(attributes)
@@ -43,10 +42,12 @@ def extract_association_attributes!(attributes)
       alias_method :start_class,  :from_class
       alias_method :end_class,    :to_class
 
+      # @param type [String] sets the relationship type when creating relationships via this class
       def type(type = nil)
         @rel_type = type
       end
 
+      # @return [String] a string representing the relationship type that will be created
       def _type
         @rel_type
       end
@@ -54,15 +55,13 @@ def _type
       def load_entity(id)
         Neo4j::Node.load(id)
       end
-
     end
 
     private
 
-    def load_nodes(start_node=nil, end_node=nil)
+    def load_nodes(start_node = nil, end_node = nil)
       @from_node = RelatedNode.new(end_node)
       @to_node = RelatedNode.new(start_node)
     end
-
   end
-end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/unit/active_rel/persistence_spec.rb b/spec/unit/active_rel/persistence_spec.rb
index e11df86ac..903591c55 100644
--- a/spec/unit/active_rel/persistence_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/active_rel/persistence_spec.rb
@@ -98,25 +98,49 @@ class ThatClass; end
 
         let(:r) { clazz.new(from_node: this_class_node, to_node: that_class_node) }
 
-        it 'does not raise an error' do
+        def model_stubs_and_expectations
           expect(this_class_node).to receive(:class).and_return(ThisClass)
           clazz.any_instance.stub(:_create_rel)
           clazz.any_instance.stub(:init_on_load)
           expect{r.save}.not_to raise_error
         end
 
-        context 'with :any types' do
+        it 'does not raise an error' do
+          model_stubs_and_expectations
+        end
+
+        it 'converts strings to constants' do
+          clazz.from_class 'ThisClass'
+          model_stubs_and_expectations
+        end
+
+        it 'converts symbols to constants' do
+          clazz.from_class :ThisClass
+          model_stubs_and_expectations
+        end
+
+        context 'with :any or false types' do
           before do
             clazz.from_class :any
             clazz.to_class :any
           end
 
-          it 'does not check the classes of the nodes' do
+          def any_stubs_and_expectations
             expect(this_class_node).not_to receive(:class)
             expect(that_class_node).not_to receive(:class)
             clazz.any_instance.stub(:_create_rel)
             clazz.any_instance.stub(:init_on_load)
-            expect{r.save}.not_to raise_error 
+            expect { r.save }.not_to raise_error
+          end
+
+          it 'does not check the classes of the nodes' do
+            any_stubs_and_expectations
+          end
+
+          it 'accepts false instead of :any' do
+            clazz.from_class false
+            clazz.to_class false
+            any_stubs_and_expectations
           end
         end
       end
diff --git a/spec/unit/active_rel/property_spec.rb b/spec/unit/active_rel/property_spec.rb
index c51263bc0..cf4a520e9 100644
--- a/spec/unit/active_rel/property_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/active_rel/property_spec.rb
@@ -55,23 +55,15 @@
           expect(clazz.instance_variable_get(:@to_class)).to eq Object
         end
       end
-
-      context 'when passed invalid classes' do
-        it 'is pending'
-      end
-
-      context 'when passed :any' do
-        it 'is pending'
-      end
     end
   end
 
   describe 'class methods' do
     describe 'extract_relationship_attributes!' do
       it 'returns the from and to keys and values' do
-        expect(clazz.extract_association_attributes!({to_node: 'test', from_node: 'test', name: 'chris'})).to eq(to_node: 'test', from_node: 'test')
-        expect(clazz.extract_association_attributes!({to_node: 'test', name: 'chris'})).to eq(to_node: 'test')
-        expect(clazz.extract_association_attributes!({from_node: 'test', name: 'chris'})).to eq(from_node: 'test')
+        expect(clazz.extract_association_attributes!({ to_node: 'test', from_node: 'test', name: 'chris' })).to eq(to_node: 'test', from_node: 'test')
+        expect(clazz.extract_association_attributes!({ to_node: 'test', name: 'chris' })).to eq(to_node: 'test')
+        expect(clazz.extract_association_attributes!({ from_node: 'test', name: 'chris' })).to eq(from_node: 'test')
       end
     end