diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
index 12d9522..6a16590 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       return if (@allow_nil && raw_value.nil?) || (@allow_blank && raw_value.blank?)
 
       @timezone_aware = record.class.timeliness_attribute_timezone_aware?(attr_name)
-      value = parse(value) if value.is_a?(String)
+      value = parse(raw_value) if value.is_a?(String) || options[:format]
       value = type_cast_value(value, @type)
 
       return record.errors.add(attr_name, :"invalid_#{@type}") if value.blank?
diff --git a/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb b/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb
index 0523904..08ce3e9 100644
--- a/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb
@@ -99,18 +99,28 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Validator do
   end
 
   describe ":format option" do
+    class PersonWithFormatOption
+      include TestModel
+      self.model_attributes = :birth_date, :birth_time, :birth_datetime
+      validates_date :birth_date, :format => 'dd-mm-yyyy'
+    end
+
+    let(:person) { PersonWithFormatOption.new }
+
     before(:all) do
       ValidatesTimeliness.use_plugin_parser = true
     end
 
     it "should be valid when value matches format" do
-      Person.validates_date :birth_date, :format => 'dd-mm-yyyy'
-      valid!(:birth_date, '11-12-1913')
+      person.birth_date = '11-12-1913'
+      person.valid?
+      person.errors[:birth_date].should be_empty
     end
 
     it "should not be valid when value does not match format" do
-      Person.validates_date :birth_date, :format => 'dd/mm/yyyy'
-      invalid!(:birth_date, '1913-12-11', 'is not a valid date')
+      person.birth_date = '1913-12-11'
+      person.valid?
+      person.errors[:birth_date].should include('is not a valid date')
     end
 
     after(:all) do