diff --git a/lib/active_attr/attributes.rb b/lib/active_attr/attributes.rb
index 0c13c9e..65df7c0 100644
--- a/lib/active_attr/attributes.rb
+++ b/lib/active_attr/attributes.rb
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def ==(other)
     #
     # @since 0.2.0
     def attributes
-      attributes_map { |name| send name }
+      attributes_map { |name| attribute name }
     end
 
     # Returns the class name plus its attributes
@@ -90,11 +90,8 @@ def inspect
     #
     # @since 0.2.0
     def read_attribute(name)
-      if respond_to? name
-        send name.to_s
-      else
-        raise UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: #{name}"
-      end
+      @attributes ||= {}
+      @attributes[name.to_s]
     end
     alias_method :[], :read_attribute
 
@@ -112,11 +109,8 @@ def read_attribute(name)
     #
     # @since 0.2.0
     def write_attribute(name, value)
-      if respond_to? "#{name}="
-        send "#{name}=", value
-      else
-        raise UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: #{name}"
-      end
+      @attributes ||= {}
+      @attributes[name.to_s] = value
     end
     alias_method :[]=, :write_attribute
 
@@ -126,16 +120,22 @@ def write_attribute(name, value)
     #
     # @since 0.2.1
     def attribute(name)
-      @attributes ||= {}
-      @attributes[name]
+      if self.class.attribute_names.include? name.to_s
+        read_attribute(name)
+      else
+        raise UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: #{name}"
+      end
     end
 
     # Write an attribute to the attributes hash
     #
     # @since 0.2.1
     def attribute=(name, value)
-      @attributes ||= {}
-      @attributes[name] = value
+      if self.class.attribute_names.include? name.to_s
+        write_attribute(name, value)
+      else
+        raise UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: #{name}"
+      end
     end
 
     # Maps all attributes using the given block
diff --git a/spec/unit/active_attr/attributes_spec.rb b/spec/unit/active_attr/attributes_spec.rb
index 1c322a1..99565f7 100644
--- a/spec/unit/active_attr/attributes_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/active_attr/attributes_spec.rb
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@ def self.name
       end
 
       context "when a getter is overridden" do
-        it "uses the overridden implementation" do
-          model.attributes.should include("last_name" => last_name)
+        it "uses the original value" do
+          model.attributes.should include("last_name" => nil)
         end
       end
     end
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def self.name
       before { model.first_name = "Ben" }
 
       it "includes the class name and all attribute values in alphabetical order by attribute name" do
-        model.inspect.should == %{#<Foo amount: nil, first_name: "Ben", last_name: "#{last_name}">}
+        model.inspect.should == %{#<Foo amount: nil, first_name: "Ben", last_name: nil>}
       end
 
       it "doesn't format the inspection string for attributes if the model does not have any" do
@@ -219,12 +219,53 @@ def self.name
       end
 
       context "when a getter is overridden" do
-        it "uses the overridden implementation" do
-          model.inspect.should include %{last_name: "#{last_name}"}
+        it "uses the original value" do
+          model.inspect.should include %{last_name: nil}
         end
       end
     end
 
+    describe "#attribute" do
+      context "when an attribute is not set" do
+        it "raises when getting an undefined attribute" do
+          expect do
+            model.send(:attribute, :initials)
+          end.to raise_error UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: initials"
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when an attribute is set" do
+        let(:first_name) { "Bob" }
+
+        before { model.write_attribute(:first_name, first_name) }
+
+        it "delegates to read_attribute" do
+          model.should_receive(:read_attribute).with(:first_name).and_return first_name
+          model.send(:attribute, :first_name).should == first_name
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "#attribute=" do
+      context "when an attribute is not set" do
+        it "raises when getting an undefined attribute" do
+          expect do
+            model.send(:attribute=, :initials, nil)
+          end.to raise_error UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: initials"
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when an attribute is set" do
+        let(:first_name) { "Bob" }
+
+        it "delegates to write_attribute" do
+          model.should_receive(:write_attribute).with(:first_name, first_name)
+          model.send(:attribute=, :first_name, first_name)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+
     [:[], :read_attribute].each do |method|
       describe "##{method}" do
         context "when an attribute is not set" do
@@ -248,15 +289,15 @@ def self.name
         end
 
         context "when the getter is overridden" do
-          it "uses the overridden implementation" do
-            model.send(method, :last_name).should == last_name
+          it "uses the original value" do
+            model.send(method, :last_name).should be_nil
           end
         end
 
-        it "raises when getting an undefined attribute" do
+        it "doesn't raise when getting an undefined attribute" do
           expect do
             model.send(method, :initials)
-          end.to raise_error UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: initials"
+          end.to_not raise_error
         end
       end
     end
@@ -284,14 +325,16 @@ def self.name
           expect { model.send(method, :first_name, nil) }.to change { model.attributes["first_name"] }.from("Ben").to(nil)
         end
 
-        it "uses the overridden implementation when the setter is overridden" do
-          model.send(method, :last_name, "poweski").should == "POWESKI"
+        context "when the setter is overridden" do
+          it "uses the original value" do
+            model.send(method, :last_name, "poweski").should == "poweski"
+          end
         end
 
-        it "raises when setting an undefined attribute" do
+        it "doesn't raise when getting an undefined attribute" do
           expect do
             model.send(method, :initials, "BP")
-          end.to raise_error UnknownAttributeError, "unknown attribute: initials"
+          end.to_not raise_error
         end
       end
     end