diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness/conversion.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness/conversion.rb
index d6f30d6..b4b707c 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness/conversion.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness/conversion.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
   module Conversion
 
     def type_cast_value(value, type)
+      return nil if value.nil?
+
+      value.in_time_zone if value.acts_like?(:time) && @timezone_aware
       value = case type
       when :time
         dummy_time(value)
@@ -10,8 +13,6 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       when :datetime
         value.to_time
       end
-    rescue
-      nil
     end
 
     def dummy_time(value)
@@ -20,30 +21,25 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       else
         [0,0,0]
       end
-      Time.send(ValidatesTimeliness.default_timezone, *(ValidatesTimeliness.dummy_date_for_time_type + time))
+      values = ValidatesTimeliness.dummy_date_for_time_type + time
+      @timezone_aware ? Time.zone.local(*values) : Time.send(ValidatesTimeliness.default_timezone, *values)
     end
 
-    def evaluate_option_value(value, record, timezone_aware=false)
+    def evaluate_option_value(value, record)
       case value
-      when Time
-        timezone_aware ? value.in_time_zone : value
-      when Date
+      when Time, Date
         value
       when String
-        if ValidatesTimeliness.use_plugin_parser
-          ValidatesTimeliness::Parser.parse(value, :datetime, :timezone_aware => timezone_aware, :strict => false)
-        else
-          timezone_aware ? Time.zone.parse(value) : value.to_time(ValidatesTimeliness.default_timezone)
-        end
+        parse(value)
       when Symbol
         if !record.respond_to?(value) && restriction_shorthand?(value)
           ValidatesTimeliness.restriction_shorthand_symbols[value].call
         else
-          evaluate_option_value(record.send(value), record, timezone_aware)
+          evaluate_option_value(record.send(value), record)
         end
       when Proc
         result = value.arity > 0 ? value.call(record) : value.call
-        evaluate_option_value(result, record, timezone_aware)
+        evaluate_option_value(result, record)
       else
         value
       end
@@ -53,5 +49,15 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       ValidatesTimeliness.restriction_shorthand_symbols.keys.include?(symbol)
     end
 
+    def parse(value)
+      if ValidatesTimeliness.use_plugin_parser
+        ValidatesTimeliness::Parser.parse(value, @type, :timezone_aware => @timezone_aware, :strict => false)
+      else
+        @timezone_aware ? Time.zone.parse(value) : value.to_time(ValidatesTimeliness.default_timezone)
+      end
+    rescue ArgumentError, TypeError
+      nil
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
index 597e781..dc01181 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
@@ -38,17 +38,19 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     end
 
     def validate_each(record, attr_name, value)
-      raw_value = attribute_raw_value(record, attr_name) || value
+      raw_value = record._timeliness_raw_value_for(attr_name) || value
       return if (@allow_nil && raw_value.nil?) || (@allow_blank && raw_value.blank?)
 
-      timezone_aware = record.class.timeliness_attribute_timezone_aware?(attr_name)
-      value = type_cast(value)
+      @timezone_aware = record.class.timeliness_attribute_timezone_aware?(attr_name)
+      value = parse(value) if value.is_a?(String)
+      value = type_cast_value(value, @type)
 
       return record.errors.add(attr_name, :"invalid_#{@type}") if value.blank?
 
       @restrictions_to_check.each do |restriction|
         begin
-          restriction_value = type_cast(evaluate_option_value(options[restriction], record, timezone_aware))
+          restriction_value = type_cast_value(evaluate_option_value(options[restriction], record), @type)
+
           unless value.send(RESTRICTIONS[restriction], restriction_value)
             return record.errors.add(attr_name, restriction, :message => options[:"#{restriction}_message"], :restriction => format_error_value(restriction_value))
           end
@@ -60,18 +62,11 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       end
     end
 
-    def attribute_raw_value(record, attr_name)
-      record._timeliness_raw_value_for(attr_name)
-    end
-
-    def type_cast(value)
-      type_cast_value(value, @type)
-    end
-
     def format_error_value(value)
       format = I18n.t(@type, :scope => 'validates_timeliness.error_value_formats')
       value.strftime(format)
     end
+
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/spec/validates_timeliness/conversion_spec.rb b/spec/validates_timeliness/conversion_spec.rb
index 81449a3..fffc4d6 100644
--- a/spec/validates_timeliness/conversion_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/validates_timeliness/conversion_spec.rb
@@ -126,8 +126,9 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Conversion do
     end
 
     it 'should return Time value is current zone from string time value if timezone aware' do
+      @timezone_aware = true
       value = '2010-01-01 12:00:00'
-      evaluate_option_value(value, person, true).should == Time.zone.local(2010,1,1,12,0,0)
+      evaluate_option_value(value, person).should == Time.zone.local(2010,1,1,12,0,0)
     end
 
     it 'should return Time value in default zone from proc which returns string time' do
@@ -142,9 +143,10 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Conversion do
     end
 
     it 'should return Time value in current zone attribute method symbol which returns string time value if timezone aware' do
+      @timezone_aware = true
       value = '2010-01-01 12:00:00'
       person.birth_time = value
-      evaluate_option_value(:birth_time, person, true).should == Time.zone.local(2010,1,1,12,0,0)
+      evaluate_option_value(:birth_time, person).should == Time.zone.local(2010,1,1,12,0,0)
     end
 
     context "restriction shorthand" do