diff --git a/lib/model_stubbing.rb b/lib/model_stubbing.rb
index 22c55d4..6b47ef7 100644
--- a/lib/model_stubbing.rb
+++ b/lib/model_stubbing.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 require 'model_stubbing/definition'
 require 'model_stubbing/model'
 require 'model_stubbing/stub'
+require 'model_stubbing/stub_proxy'
 
 module ModelStubbing
   # Gets a hash of all current definitions.
diff --git a/lib/model_stubbing/model.rb b/lib/model_stubbing/model.rb
index 79c2ccc..7e5d11b 100644
--- a/lib/model_stubbing/model.rb
+++ b/lib/model_stubbing/model.rb
@@ -112,16 +112,7 @@ def connection
 
   protected
     def method_missing(model_name, stub_name, *args)
-      named_model = @definition.models[model_name]
-      if named_model.nil?
-        raise "No #{model_name.inspect} model found when calling #{model_name}(#{stub_name})"
-      end
-      stub = named_model.stubs[stub_name]
-      if stub.nil?
-        raise "No #{stub_name.inspect} stub found in the #{model_name.inspect} model when calling #{model_name}(#{stub_name})"
-      else
-        stub
-      end
+      StubProxy.new(@definition, model_name, stub_name)
     end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/model_stubbing/stub.rb b/lib/model_stubbing/stub.rb
index 85b36ca..328b687 100644
--- a/lib/model_stubbing/stub.rb
+++ b/lib/model_stubbing/stub.rb
@@ -47,7 +47,13 @@ def record(attributes = {})
         ModelStubbing.records[this_record_key] = instantiate(this_record_key, attributes)
       end
     end
-    
+
+    # Same as #record, but does not instantiate stubs.
+    def record_without_stubs
+      this_record_key = record_key(attributes)
+      instantiate(this_record_key, attributes, false)
+    end
+
     def inspect
       "(ModelStubbing::Stub(#{@name.inspect} => #{attributes.inspect}))"
     end
@@ -69,7 +75,7 @@ def insert(attributes = {})
     def with(attributes)
       @attributes.inject({}) do |attr, (key, value)|
         attr_value = attributes[key] || value
-        attr_value = attr_value.record if attr_value.is_a?(Stub)
+        attr_value = attr_value.record if (attr_value.is_a?(Stub) || attr_value.is_a?(StubProxy))
         attr.update key => attr_value
       end
     end
@@ -78,7 +84,7 @@ def only(*keys)
       keys = Set.new Array(keys)
       @attributes.inject({}) do |attr, (key, value)|
         if keys.include?(key)
-          attr.update key => (value.is_a?(Stub) ? value.record : value)
+          attr.update key => ((value.is_a?(Stub) || value.is_a?(StubProxy)) ? value.record : value)
         else
           attr
         end
@@ -91,7 +97,7 @@ def except(*keys)
         if keys.include?(key)
           attr
         else
-          attr.update key => (value.is_a?(Stub) ? value.record : value)
+          attr.update key => ((value.is_a?(Stub) || value.is_a?(StubProxy)) ? value.record : value)
         end
       end
     end
@@ -99,9 +105,14 @@ def except(*keys)
     def connection
       @connection ||= @model.connection
     end
-  
+
+    # duck typing with StubProxy
+    def method_name
+      nil
+    end
+
   private
-    def instantiate(this_record_key, attributes)
+    def instantiate(this_record_key, attributes, with_stubs = true)
       case attributes[:id] 
         when :new
           is_new_record = true
@@ -128,26 +139,35 @@ def instantiate(this_record_key, attributes)
       record.stubbed_attributes = stubbed_attributes.merge(:id => record.id)
       stubbed_attributes.each do |key, value|
         meta.send :attr_accessor, key unless record.respond_to?("#{key}=")
-        if value.is_a? Stub
-          # set foreign key
-          record.send("#{stubbed_attributes.column_name_for(key)}=", value.record.id)
-          # set association
-          record.send("#{key}=", value.record)
-        elsif value.is_a? Array
-          records = value.map { |v| v.is_a?(Stub) ? v.record : v }
-          records.compact!
-
-          # when assigning has_many instantiated stubs, temporarily act as new
-          # otherwise AR inserts rows
-          nr, record.new_record = record.new_record?, true
-          record.send("#{key}=", records)
-          record.new_record = nr
-        else
-          duped_value = case value
-            when TrueClass, FalseClass, Fixnum, Float, NilClass, Symbol then value
-            else value.dup
-          end
-          record.send("#{key}=", duped_value)
+        case value
+          when StubProxy, Stub
+            if with_stubs
+              if value.method_name
+                record.send("#{key}=", value.record_without_stubs)
+              else
+                # set foreign key
+                record.send("#{stubbed_attributes.column_name_for(key)}=", value.record_without_stubs.id)
+                # set association
+                record.send("#{key}=", value.record)
+              end
+            end
+          when Array
+            if with_stubs
+              records = value.map { |v| (v.is_a?(Stub) || v.is_a?(StubProxy)) ? v.record : v }
+              records.compact!
+              
+              # when assigning has_many instantiated stubs, temporarily act as new
+              # otherwise AR inserts rows
+              nr, record.new_record = record.new_record?, true
+              record.send("#{key}=", records)
+              record.new_record = nr
+            end
+          else
+            duped_value = case value
+              when TrueClass, FalseClass, Fixnum, Float, NilClass, Symbol then value
+              else value.dup
+            end
+            record.send("#{key}=", duped_value)
         end
       end
       record
@@ -182,7 +202,11 @@ def value_list
       list = inject([]) do |fixtures, (key, value)|
         column_name = column_name_for key
         column      = column_for column_name
-        value       = value.record.id if value.is_a?(Stub)
+        case value
+          when Stub then value = value.record_without_stubs.id
+          when StubProxy
+            value = value.method_name ? value.record : value.record_without_stubs.id
+        end
         quoted      = @stub.connection ? @stub.connection.quote(value, column) : %("#{value.to_s}")
         fixtures << quoted.gsub('[^\]\\n', "\n").gsub('[^\]\\r', "\r")
       end.join(", ")
@@ -191,12 +215,12 @@ def value_list
     def column_name_for(key)
       (@keys ||= {})[key] ||= begin
         value = self[key]
-        if value.is_a? Stub
+        if value.is_a?(Stub) || value.is_a?(StubProxy)
           if defined?(ActiveRecord)
             if reflection = model_class.reflect_on_association(key)
               reflection.primary_key_name
             else
-              raise "No reflection '#{key}' found for #{model_class.name} while guessing column_name"
+              "#{key}_id".sub(/_id_id/, '_id')
             end
           else
             "#{key}_id"
diff --git a/lib/model_stubbing/stub_proxy.rb b/lib/model_stubbing/stub_proxy.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..026887f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/model_stubbing/stub_proxy.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+module ModelStubbing
+  # Used when attaching stubs to other stubs in definitions.  The stub doesn't
+  # actually have to exist until the Definition is being inserted into the database.
+  #
+  #   model Post do
+  #     stub :title => 'foo', :author => users(:default)
+  #   end
+  #
+  # You can also call specific methods from the stub.
+  #
+  #   model Blog do
+  #     stub :latest_post => posts(:default), :latest_post_title => posts(:default).title
+  #   end
+  #
+  class StubProxy
+    attr_reader :method_name, :proxy_definition, :proxy_model_name, :proxy_stub_name
+
+    def initialize(definition, model_name, stub_name, method_name = nil)
+      @proxy_definition  = definition
+      @proxy_model_name  = model_name
+      @proxy_stub_name   = stub_name
+      @method_name       = method_name
+      @model = @stub = nil
+    end
+
+    def record
+      @stub ||= fetch_stub
+      @method_name ? @stub.record_without_stubs.send(@method_name) : @stub.record_without_stubs
+    end
+
+    alias_method :record_without_stubs, :record
+
+    def ==(other)
+      if other.is_a?(StubProxy)
+        other.proxy_definition == @proxy_definition && other.proxy_model_name == @proxy_model_name && other.proxy_stub_name == @proxy_stub_name && other.method_name == @method_name
+      elsif !@method_name && other.is_a?(Stub)
+        other.model.definition == @proxy_definition && other.model.name == @proxy_model_name && @proxy_stub_name == other.name
+      else
+        super
+      end
+    end
+
+    def id
+      method_missing(:id)
+    end
+    
+    def inspect
+      "(ModelStubbing::StubProxy[#{@proxy_model_name}(#{@proxy_stub_name.inspect})#{".#{@method_name}" if @method_name}]"
+    end
+
+  protected
+    def fetch_stub
+      @model = @proxy_definition.models[@proxy_model_name]
+      if @model.nil?
+        raise "No #{@proxy_model_name.inspect} model found when calling #{@proxy_model_name}(#{@proxy_stub_name.inspect})"
+      end
+      @stub = @model.stubs[@proxy_stub_name]
+      if @stub.nil?
+        raise "No #{@proxy_stub_name.inspect} stub found in the #{@proxy_model_name.inspect} model when calling #{@proxy_model_name}(#{@proxy_stub_name})"
+      else
+        @stub
+      end
+    end
+
+    def method_missing(name, *args)
+      if args.empty?
+        @method_name = name.to_sym
+        self
+      else
+        super
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/definition_spec.rb b/spec/definition_spec.rb
index 40cfc89..8076940 100644
--- a/spec/definition_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/definition_spec.rb
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@ module ModelStubbing
   
     it "dups each model" do
       @defn.models.each do |name, model|
-        duped_model = @copy.models[name]
+        duped_model   = @copy.models[name]
         model.should == duped_model
         model.should_not be_equal(duped_model)
         model.stubs.each do |key, stub|
-          duped_stub = @copy.models[name].stubs[key]
+          duped_stub   = @copy.models[name].stubs[key]
           stub.should == duped_stub
           stub.should_not be_equal(duped_stub)
         end
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ module ModelStubbing
   
     it "dups each stub" do
       @defn.stubs.each do |name, stub|
-        duped_stub = @copy.stubs[name]
+        duped_stub   = @copy.stubs[name]
         stub.should == duped_stub
         stub.should_not be_equal(duped_stub)
       end
diff --git a/spec/models.rb b/spec/models.rb
index 7c77e36..1023cdd 100644
--- a/spec/models.rb
+++ b/spec/models.rb
@@ -135,13 +135,13 @@ def User.table_name
     end
     
     model User do
-      stub :admin, :admin => true # inherits from default fixture
+      stub :admin, :admin => true, :edited_post => model_stubbing_posts(:default) # inherits from default fixture
     end
     
     model Post do
       # uses admin user fixture above
-      stub :title => 'initial', :user => all_stubs(:admin_model_stubbing_user), :published_at => current_time + 5.days
-      stub :nice_one, :title => 'nice one', :tags => [all_stubs(:foo_model_stubbing_tag), all_stubs(:bar_model_stubbing_tag)]
+      stub :title => 'initial', :user => model_stubbing_users(:admin), :published_at => current_time + 5.days, :editor_id => model_stubbing_users(:admin).id
+      stub :nice_one, :title => 'nice one', :tags => [model_stubbing_tags(:foo), model_stubbing_tags(:bar)]
     end
   end
   
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index b098274..0210ef4 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -12,4 +12,11 @@
   require 'spec'
 end
 
+begin
+  require 'ruby-debug'
+  Debugger.start
+rescue LoadError
+  # no debugger
+end
+
 require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'models')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/stub_proxy_spec.rb b/spec/stub_proxy_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5502f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/stub_proxy_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'spec_helper')
+
+module ModelStubbing
+  describe StubProxy do
+    before :all do
+      @definition = ModelStubbing.definitions[:default]
+      @model      = @definition.models[:model_stubbing_tags]
+      @stub       = @model.stubs[:foo]
+    end
+
+    describe "with model name and stub name" do
+      before :all do
+        @stub_proxy = StubProxy.new(@definition, @model.name, @stub.name)
+      end
+
+      it "has no #method_name" do
+        @stub_proxy.method_name.should be_nil
+      end
+
+      it "returns @stub.record for #record" do
+        @stub_proxy.record.should == @stub.record
+      end
+
+      it "equals the stub" do
+        @stub_proxy.should == @stub
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "with model name, stub name, and method name" do
+      before :all do
+        @stub_proxy = StubProxy.new(@definition, @model.name, @stub.name)
+        @stub_proxy.name
+      end
+
+      it "has #method_name" do
+        @stub_proxy.method_name.should == :name
+      end
+
+      it "returns @stub.record.name for #record" do
+        @stub_proxy.record.should == @stub.record.name
+      end
+
+      it "does not equal the stub" do
+        @stub_proxy.should_not == @stub
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "missing valid stub name" do
+      before :all do
+        @stub_proxy = StubProxy.new(@definition, @model.name, :abc)
+      end
+
+      it "raises exception with #record" do
+        lambda { @stub_proxy.record }.should raise_error
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "missing valid model name" do
+      before :all do
+        @stub_proxy = StubProxy.new(@definition, :abc, @stub.name)
+      end
+
+      it "raises exception with #record" do
+        lambda { @stub_proxy.record }.should raise_error
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/stub_spec.rb b/spec/stub_spec.rb
index 7e231b2..770eea1 100644
--- a/spec/stub_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/stub_spec.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ module ModelStubbing
       @posts      = @definition.models[:model_stubbing_posts]
       @user       = @users.default
       @post       = @posts.default
+      @editor_id  = StubProxy.new(@definition, @users.name, :admin, :id)
     end
 
     it "is defined in stub file" do
@@ -17,11 +18,11 @@ module ModelStubbing
   
     it "has the default stub's attributes" do
       @user.attributes.should == {:name => 'bob', :admin => false}
-      @post.attributes.should == {:title => 'initial', :user => @users.stubs[:admin], :published_at => @definition.current_time + 5.days}
+      @post.attributes.should == {:title => 'initial', :user => @users.stubs[:admin], :editor_id => @editor_id, :published_at => @definition.current_time + 5.days}
     end
   
     it "#with returns merged attributes" do
-      @post.with(:title => 'fred').should == {:title => 'fred', :user => @users.stubs[:admin].record, :published_at => @definition.current_time + 5.days}
+      @post.with(:title => 'fred').should == {:title => 'fred', :user => @users.stubs[:admin].record, :editor_id => @editor_id.record, :published_at => @definition.current_time + 5.days}
     end
   
     it "#only returns only given keys" do
@@ -29,11 +30,11 @@ module ModelStubbing
     end
   
     it "#except returns other keys" do
-      @post.except(:published_at).should == {:title => 'initial', :user => @users.stubs[:admin].record}
+      @post.except(:published_at).should == {:title => 'initial', :user => @users.stubs[:admin].record, :editor_id => @editor_id.record}
     end
   
     it "merges named stub attributes with default attributes" do
-      @users.stubs[:admin].attributes.should == {:name => 'bob', :admin => true}
+      @users.stubs[:admin].attributes.should == {:name => 'bob', :admin => true, :edited_post => StubProxy.new(@definition, @posts.name, :default)}
     end
   
     it "sets default model stubs in the definition's global stubs" do