diff --git a/app/models/environment.rb b/app/models/environment.rb
index 4dea8c5..bf9a747 100644
--- a/app/models/environment.rb
+++ b/app/models/environment.rb
@@ -236,17 +236,17 @@ class Environment < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   # Enables a feature identified by its name
   def enable(feature)
-    self.settings["#{feature}_enabled"] = true
+    self.settings["#{feature}_enabled".to_sym] = true
   end
 
   # Disables a feature identified by its name
   def disable(feature)
-    self.settings["#{feature}_enabled"] = false
+    self.settings["#{feature}_enabled".to_sym] = false
   end
 
   # Tells if a feature, identified by its name, is enabled
   def enabled?(feature)
-    self.settings["#{feature}_enabled"] == true
+    self.settings["#{feature}_enabled".to_sym] == true
   end
 
   # enables the features identified by <tt>features</tt>, which is expected to
diff --git a/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb b/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb
index 46e302a..1d17728 100644
--- a/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb
+++ b/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ module ActsAsHavingSettings
         def #{settings_field}
           self[:#{settings_field}] ||= Hash.new
         end
+        before_save :symbolize_settings_keys
+        private
+        def symbolize_settings_keys
+          self[:#{settings_field}] && self[:#{settings_field}].symbolize_keys!
+        end
       CODE
       settings_items(*args)
     end
diff --git a/test/unit/acts_as_having_settings_test.rb b/test/unit/acts_as_having_settings_test.rb
index 696c394..b7449d0 100644
--- a/test/unit/acts_as_having_settings_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/acts_as_having_settings_test.rb
@@ -74,4 +74,10 @@ class ActsAsHavingSettingsTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert_equal true, obj.flag
   end
 
+  should 'symbolize keys when save' do
+    obj = TestClass.new
+    obj.settings.expects(:symbolize_keys!).once
+    assert obj.save
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/test/unit/environment_test.rb b/test/unit/environment_test.rb
index f8d8c86..b1584c8 100644
--- a/test/unit/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/environment_test.rb
@@ -1157,4 +1157,12 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     p2.save!
   end
 
+  should 'always store setting keys as symbol' do
+    env = Environment.default
+    env.settings['string_key'] = 'new value'
+    env.save!; env.reload
+    assert_nil env.settings['string_key']
+    assert_equal env.settings[:string_key], 'new value'
+  end
+
 end
--
libgit2 0.21.2