diff --git a/lib/form_helpers.rb b/lib/form_helpers.rb
index adbeab2..6629d11 100644
--- a/lib/form_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/form_helpers.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def live_validations_for(object_name, method)
       private
       
       def live_validation(object_name, method)
-        if validations = self.instance_variable_get("@#{object_name.to_s}").class.live_validations[method] rescue false
+        if validations = self.instance_variable_get("@#{object_name.to_s}").class.live_validations[method.to_sym] rescue false
           field_name = "#{object_name}_#{method}"
           initialize_validator(field_name) +
           validations.map do |type, configuration|
diff --git a/test/form_helpers_test.rb b/test/form_helpers_test.rb
index 1c24fed..065e6ba 100644
--- a/test/form_helpers_test.rb
+++ b/test/form_helpers_test.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ def without_live
     render :inline => "<% form_for(:resource, :url => resources_path) do |f| %><%= f.text_field :name, :live => false %><% end %>" 
   end
 
+  def with_string
+    @resource = Resource.new
+    render :inline => "<% form_for(:resource, :url => resources_path) do |f| %><%= f.text_field 'name' %><% end %>"    
+  end
+
   def name
     @resource = Resource.new
     render_form(:text, :name)
@@ -68,6 +73,14 @@ def test_without_live
     check_form_item :type => 'text', :name => 'name'
   end
 
+  def test_with_string
+    Resource.class_eval do
+      validates_presence_of :name
+    end
+    get :with_string
+    check_form_item :type => 'text', :name => 'name', :script => "var resource_name = new LiveValidation('resource_name');resource_name.add(Validate.Presence, {validMessage: \"\"})"
+  end
+
   def test_presence
     Resource.class_eval do
       validates_presence_of :name