diff --git a/features/find_definitions.feature b/features/find_definitions.feature
index 63032323c..45cf2c820 100644
--- a/features/find_definitions.feature
+++ b/features/find_definitions.feature
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Feature: Factory girl can find factory definitions correctly
     Given a file named "awesome_factories.rb" with:
     """
     FactoryGirl.define do
-      factory :awesome_category, :parent => :category do
+      factory :awesome_category, :class => Category do
         name "awesome!!!"
       end
     end
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ Feature: Factory girl can find factory definitions correctly
     Given a file named "awesome_factories.rb" with:
     """
     FactoryGirl.define do
-      factory :awesome_category, :parent => :category do
+      factory :another_awesome_category, :class => Category do
         name "awesome!!!"
       end
     end
     """
     When "awesome_factories.rb" is added to Factory Girl's file definitions path as an absolute path
-    And I create a "awesome_category" instance from Factory Girl
+    And I create a "another_awesome_category" instance from Factory Girl
     Then I should find the following for the last category:
       | name       |
       | awesome!!! |
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Feature: Factory girl can find factory definitions correctly
     Given a file named "nested/great_factories.rb" with:
     """
     FactoryGirl.define do
-      factory :great_category, :parent => :category do
+      factory :great_category, :class => Category do
         name "great!!!"
       end
     end
@@ -43,3 +43,20 @@ Feature: Factory girl can find factory definitions correctly
     Then I should find the following for the last category:
       | name     |
       | great!!! |
+
+  Scenario: Find definitions after clearing loaded factories
+    Given a file named "nested/swell_factories.rb" with:
+    """
+    FactoryGirl.define do
+      factory :swell_category, :class => Category do
+        name "swell!!!"
+      end
+    end
+    """
+    When "nested" is added to Factory Girl's file definitions path
+    And I clear out the factories
+    And I find definitions
+    And I create a "swell_category" instance from Factory Girl
+    Then I should find the following for the last category:
+      | name     |
+      | swell!!! |
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/factory_girl_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/factory_girl_steps.rb
index f03c15183..8c1129ec9 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/factory_girl_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/factory_girl_steps.rb
@@ -1,16 +1,26 @@
+module FactoryGirlDefinitionsHelper
+  def append_file_to_factory_girl_definitions_path(path_to_file)
+    FactoryGirl.definition_file_paths ||= []
+    FactoryGirl.definition_file_paths << path_to_file
+  end
+end
+
+World(FactoryGirlDefinitionsHelper)
+
 When /^"([^"]*)" is added to Factory Girl's file definitions path$/ do |file_name|
   new_factory_file = File.join(current_dir, file_name.gsub(".rb", ""))
-  FactoryGirl.definition_file_paths ||= []
-  FactoryGirl.definition_file_paths << new_factory_file
-  FactoryGirl.find_definitions
+
+  append_file_to_factory_girl_definitions_path(new_factory_file)
+
+  When %{I find definitions}
 end
 
 When /^"([^"]*)" is added to Factory Girl's file definitions path as an absolute path$/ do |file_name|
   new_factory_file = File.expand_path(File.join(current_dir, file_name.gsub(".rb", "")))
 
-  FactoryGirl.definition_file_paths ||= []
-  FactoryGirl.definition_file_paths << new_factory_file
-  FactoryGirl.find_definitions
+  append_file_to_factory_girl_definitions_path(new_factory_file)
+
+  When %{I find definitions}
 end
 
 When /^I create a "([^"]*)" instance from Factory Girl$/ do |factory_name|
@@ -23,3 +33,11 @@
   new_table = Cucumber::Ast::Table.new([headers] + rows)
   Given %{the following person exists:}, new_table
 end
+
+When /^I clear out the factories$/ do
+  FactoryGirl.factories.clear
+end
+
+When /^I find definitions$/ do
+  FactoryGirl.find_definitions
+end
diff --git a/lib/factory_girl/find_definitions.rb b/lib/factory_girl/find_definitions.rb
index 0c6dc9be7..f00d3a3da 100644
--- a/lib/factory_girl/find_definitions.rb
+++ b/lib/factory_girl/find_definitions.rb
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@ class << self
   self.definition_file_paths = %w(factories test/factories spec/factories)
 
   def self.find_definitions #:nodoc:
-    definition_file_paths.each do |path|
-      path = File.expand_path(path)
+    absolute_definition_file_paths = definition_file_paths.map {|path| File.expand_path(path) }
 
-      require("#{path}.rb") if File.exists?("#{path}.rb")
+    absolute_definition_file_paths.uniq.each do |path|
+      load("#{path}.rb") if File.exists?("#{path}.rb")
 
       if File.directory? path
         Dir[File.join(path, '**', '*.rb')].sort.each do |file|
-          require file
+          load file
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/factory_girl/find_definitions_spec.rb b/spec/factory_girl/find_definitions_spec.rb
index 6daec8f80..9de7ccf80 100644
--- a/spec/factory_girl/find_definitions_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/factory_girl/find_definitions_spec.rb
@@ -2,20 +2,20 @@
 
 share_examples_for "finds definitions" do
   before do
-    stub(FactoryGirl).require
+    stub(FactoryGirl).load
     FactoryGirl.find_definitions
   end
   subject { FactoryGirl }
 end
 
-RSpec::Matchers.define :require_definitions_from do |file|
+RSpec::Matchers.define :load_definitions_from do |file|
   match do |given|
-    @has_received = have_received.method_missing(:require, File.expand_path(file))
+    @has_received = have_received.method_missing(:load, File.expand_path(file))
     @has_received.matches?(given)
   end
 
   description do
-    "require definitions from #{file}"
+    "load definitions from #{file}"
   end
 
   failure_message_for_should do
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def self.in_directory_with_files(*files)
   describe "with factories.rb" do
     in_directory_with_files 'factories.rb'
     it_should_behave_like "finds definitions" do
-      it { should require_definitions_from('factories.rb') }
+      it { should load_definitions_from('factories.rb') }
     end
   end
 
@@ -55,14 +55,14 @@ def self.in_directory_with_files(*files)
     describe "with a factories file under #{dir}" do
       in_directory_with_files File.join(dir, 'factories.rb')
       it_should_behave_like "finds definitions" do
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories.rb") }
       end
     end
 
     describe "with a factories file under #{dir}/factories" do
       in_directory_with_files File.join(dir, 'factories', 'post_factory.rb')
       it_should_behave_like "finds definitions" do
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/post_factory.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/post_factory.rb") }
       end
     end
 
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ def self.in_directory_with_files(*files)
       in_directory_with_files File.join(dir, 'factories', 'post_factory.rb'),
                               File.join(dir, 'factories', 'person_factory.rb')
       it_should_behave_like "finds definitions" do
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/post_factory.rb") }
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/person_factory.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/post_factory.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/person_factory.rb") }
       end
     end
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def self.in_directory_with_files(*files)
                               File.join(dir, 'factories', 'a.rb')
       it "should load the files in the right order" do
         @loaded = []
-        stub(FactoryGirl).require { |a| @loaded << File.split(a)[-1] }
+        stub(FactoryGirl).load { |a| @loaded << File.split(a)[-1] }
         FactoryGirl.find_definitions
         @loaded.should == ["a.rb", "b.rb"]
       end
@@ -91,9 +91,9 @@ def self.in_directory_with_files(*files)
                               File.join(dir, 'factories', 'post_factory.rb'),
                               File.join(dir, 'factories', 'person_factory.rb')
       it_should_behave_like "finds definitions" do
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories.rb") }
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/post_factory.rb") }
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/person_factory.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/post_factory.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/person_factory.rb") }
       end
     end
 
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ def self.in_directory_with_files(*files)
       in_directory_with_files File.join(dir, 'factories', 'subdirectory', 'post_factory.rb'),
                               File.join(dir, 'factories', 'subdirectory', 'person_factory.rb')
       it_should_behave_like "finds definitions" do
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/subdirectory/post_factory.rb") }
-        it { should require_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/subdirectory/person_factory.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/subdirectory/post_factory.rb") }
+        it { should load_definitions_from("#{dir}/factories/subdirectory/person_factory.rb") }
       end
     end
   end