diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness.rb
index 88eab8d..4a09111 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness.rb
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ require 'validates_timeliness/active_record/multiparameter_attributes'
 require 'validates_timeliness/action_view/instance_tag'
 
 module ValidatesTimeliness
-  
+
   mattr_accessor :default_timezone
-  self.default_timezone = :utc 
+  self.default_timezone = :utc
 
   mattr_accessor :use_time_zones
   self.use_time_zones = false
@@ -25,18 +25,18 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     end
 
     def load_error_messages
+      defaults = YAML::load(IO.read(LOCALE_PATH))['en']
+      ValidatesTimeliness::Validator.error_value_formats = defaults['validates_timeliness']['error_value_formats'].symbolize_keys
+
       if defined?(I18n)
         I18n.load_path.unshift(LOCALE_PATH)
         I18n.reload!
       else
-        defaults = YAML::load(IO.read(LOCALE_PATH))['en']
         errors = defaults['activerecord']['errors']['messages'].inject({}) {|h,(k,v)| h[k.to_sym] = v.gsub(/\{\{\w*\}\}/, '%s');h }
         ::ActiveRecord::Errors.default_error_messages.update(errors)
-
-        ValidatesTimeliness::Validator.error_value_formats = defaults['validates_timeliness']['error_value_formats'].symbolize_keys
       end
     end
-    
+
     def setup_for_rails
       self.default_timezone = ::ActiveRecord::Base.default_timezone
       self.use_time_zones = ::ActiveRecord::Base.time_zone_aware_attributes rescue false
diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
index 0928c3c..9d007ad 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 module ValidatesTimeliness
 
   class Validator
+    cattr_accessor :error_value_formats
     cattr_accessor :ignore_restriction_errors
     self.ignore_restriction_errors = false
 
     RESTRICTION_METHODS = {
       :equal_to     => :==,
-      :before       => :<, 
-      :after        => :>, 
+      :before       => :<,
+      :after        => :>,
       :on_or_before => :<=,
       :on_or_after  => :>=,
-      :between      => lambda {|v, r| (r.first..r.last).include?(v) } 
+      :between      => lambda {|v, r| (r.first..r.last).include?(v) }
     }
 
     VALID_OPTIONS = [
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       @type = @configuration.delete(:type)
       validate_options(@configuration)
     end
-      
+
     def call(record, attr_name, value)
       raw_value = raw_value(record, attr_name) || value
 
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     def raw_value(record, attr_name)
       record.send("#{attr_name}_before_type_cast") rescue nil
     end
-   
+
     def validate_restrictions(record, attr_name, value)
       if configuration[:with_time] || configuration[:with_date]
         value = combine_date_and_time(value, record)
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     end
 
     def interpolation_values(option, restriction)
-      format = self.class.error_value_formats[type]
+      format = self.class.error_value_format_for(type)
       restriction = [restriction] unless restriction.is_a?(Array)
 
       if defined?(I18n)
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
         comparator.call(value, restriction)
       end
     end
-    
+
     def add_error(record, attr_name, message, interpolate=nil)
       if defined?(I18n)
         custom = custom_error_messages[message]
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
 
     def custom_error_messages
       @custom_error_messages ||= configuration.inject({}) {|msgs, (k, v)|
-        if md = /(.*)_message$/.match(k.to_s) 
+        if md = /(.*)_message$/.match(k.to_s)
           msgs[md[1].to_sym] = v
         end
         msgs
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     end
 
     def implied_type
-      @implied_type ||= configuration[:with_date] || configuration[:with_time] ? :datetime : type 
+      @implied_type ||= configuration[:with_date] || configuration[:with_time] ? :datetime : type
     end
 
     # class methods
@@ -161,18 +162,14 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
         end
       end
 
-      def error_value_formats
+      def error_value_format_for(type)
         if defined?(I18n)
-          I18n.t('validates_timeliness.error_value_formats')
+          I18n.t(type, :default => error_value_formats[type], :scope => 'validates_timeliness.error_value_formats')
         else
-          @@error_value_formats
+          error_value_formats[type]
         end
       end
 
-      def error_value_formats=(formats)
-        @@error_value_formats = formats
-      end
-
       def evaluate_option_value(value, type, record)
         case value
         when Time, Date
diff --git a/spec/validator_spec.rb b/spec/validator_spec.rb
index 92297da..e5518dc 100644
--- a/spec/validator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/validator_spec.rb
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Validator do
         validate_with(:birth_date, 1.day.from_now.to_date)
         should_have_no_error(:birth_date, :between)
       end
-      
+
       it "should allow a range for between restriction" do
         configure_validator(:type => :date, :between => (1.day.ago.to_date)..(1.day.from_now.to_date))
         validate_with(:birth_date, 1.day.from_now.to_date)
@@ -566,6 +566,24 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Validator do
         validate_with(:birth_time, '11:59')
         person.errors.on(:birth_time).should match(/after \d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}\Z/)
       end
+
+      if defined?(I18n)
+
+        describe "I18n" do
+          it "should use global default if locale format missing" do
+            I18n.backend.store_translations 'zz', :activerecord => {:errors => {:messages => { :after => 'after {{restriction}}' }}}
+            I18n.locale = :zz
+            configure_validator(:type => :datetime, :after => 1.day.from_now)
+            validate_with(:birth_date_and_time, Time.now)
+            person.errors.on(:birth_date_and_time).should match(/after \d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2} \d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}\Z/)
+          end
+
+          after do
+            I18n.locale = :en
+          end
+        end
+
+      end
     end
 
     describe "custom formats" do
@@ -644,7 +662,7 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Validator do
 
   def error_messages
     return @error_messages if defined?(@error_messages)
-    messages = validator.send(:error_messages)
+    messages = defined?(I18n) ? I18n.t('activerecord.errors.messages') : validator.send(:error_messages)
     @error_messages = messages.inject({}) {|h, (k, v)| h[k] = v.sub(/ (\%s|\{\{\w*\}\}).*/, ''); h }
   end
 end