diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness/spec/rails/matchers/validate_timeliness.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness/spec/rails/matchers/validate_timeliness.rb
index 1d257f1..5e5ac8b 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness/spec/rails/matchers/validate_timeliness.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness/spec/rails/matchers/validate_timeliness.rb
@@ -115,29 +115,28 @@ module Spec
           pass
         end
 
-        def error_message_for(option)
-          msg = @validator.error_messages[option]
-          restriction = @validator.class.send(:evaluate_option_value, @validator.configuration[option], @type, @record)
+        def error_message_for(message)
+          restriction = @validator.class.send(:evaluate_option_value, @validator.configuration[message], @type, @record)
 
-          if restriction 
-            restriction = [restriction] unless restriction.is_a?(Array)
-            restriction.map! {|r| @validator.class.send(:type_cast_value, r, @type) }
-            interpolate = @validator.send(:interpolation_values, option, restriction )
+          if restriction
+            restriction = @validator.class.send(:type_cast_value, restriction, @type)
+            interpolate = @validator.send(:interpolation_values, message, restriction)
+          end
 
-            # get I18n message if defined and has interpolation keys in msg
-            if defined?(I18n) && !@validator.send(:custom_error_messages).include?(option)
-              msg = if defined?(ActiveRecord::Error)
-                ActiveRecord::Error.new(@record, @expected, option, interpolate).message
-              else
-                @record.errors.generate_message(@expected, option, interpolate)
-              end
+          if defined?(I18n)
+            interpolate ||= {}
+            options = interpolate.merge(:default => @validator.send(:custom_error_messages)[message])
+            if defined?(ActiveRecord::Error)
+              ActiveRecord::Error.new(@record, @expected, message, options).message
             else
-              msg = msg % interpolate
+              @record.errors.generate_message(@expected, message, options)
             end
-          end 
-          msg
+          else
+            interpolate ||= nil
+            @validator.error_messages[message] % interpolate
+          end
         end
-        
+
         def format_value(value)
           return value if value.is_a?(String)
           value.strftime(@validator.class.error_value_formats[@type])
diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
index b4de3ee..e17ee6b 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     end
 
     def error_messages
-      @error_messages ||= self.class.default_error_messages.merge(custom_error_messages)
+      @error_messages ||= ::ActiveRecord::Errors.default_error_messages.merge(custom_error_messages)
     end
 
    private
@@ -87,10 +87,9 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       restriction = [restriction] unless restriction.is_a?(Array)
 
       if defined?(I18n)
-        message = I18n.t('activerecord.errors.messages')[option]
-        subs = message.scan(/\{\{([^\}]*)\}\}/)
         interpolations = {}
-        subs.each_with_index {|s, i| interpolations[s[0].to_sym] = restriction[i].strftime(format) }
+        keys = restriction.size == 1 ? [:restriction] : [:earliest, :latest]
+        keys.each_with_index {|key, i| interpolations[key] = restriction[i].strftime(format) }
         interpolations
       else
         restriction.map {|r| r.strftime(format) }
@@ -154,14 +153,6 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     # class methods
     class << self
 
-      def default_error_messages
-        if defined?(I18n)
-          I18n.t('activerecord.errors.messages')
-        else
-          ::ActiveRecord::Errors.default_error_messages
-        end
-      end
-
       def error_value_format_for(type)
         if defined?(I18n)
           # work around for syntax check in vendored I18n for Rails <= 2.3.3