diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 5845967..7b5cb0a 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 ---
 language: ruby
+before_install:
+  - gem install bundler
 rvm:
 - ree
+- 1.8.7
 - 1.9.3
 - 2.0.0
 notifications:
diff --git a/AUTHORS.md b/AUTHORS.md
index dc9d92f..d750ca5 100644
--- a/AUTHORS.md
+++ b/AUTHORS.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Redis Session Store authors
 
 - Ben Marini
 - Dan Buch
+- Daniel Alejandro Gaytán Valencia
 - Donald Plummer
 - Edwin Cruz
 - Gonçalo Silva
diff --git a/lib/redis-session-store.rb b/lib/redis-session-store.rb
index 8b4e3be..d127e4f 100644
--- a/lib/redis-session-store.rb
+++ b/lib/redis-session-store.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ class RedisSessionStore < ActionController::Session::AbstractStore
   def initialize(app, options = {})
     super
 
+    options = symbolize_keys(options)
+    options[:redis] = symbolize_keys(options[:redis]) if options[:redis]
+
     redis_options = options[:redis] || {}
 
     @default_options.merge!(:namespace => 'rack:session')
@@ -26,6 +29,14 @@ def initialize(app, options = {})
   end
 
   private
+
+    def symbolize_keys(hash)
+      hash.inject({}) do |options, (key, value)|
+        options[(key.to_sym rescue key) || key] = value
+        options
+      end
+    end
+
     def prefixed(sid)
       "#{@default_options[:key_prefix]}#{sid}"
     end
diff --git a/test/redis_session_store_test.rb b/test/redis_session_store_test.rb
index 3252b97..1443bcb 100644
--- a/test/redis_session_store_test.rb
+++ b/test/redis_session_store_test.rb
@@ -63,6 +63,46 @@ def options
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'when initializing with the redis sub-hash options with string keys' do
+    def options
+      {
+        'key' => random_string,
+        'secret' => random_string,
+        'redis' => {
+          'host' => 'hosty.local',
+          'port' => 16379,
+          'db' => 2,
+          'key_prefix' => 'myapp:session:',
+          'expire_after' => 60 * 120
+        }
+      }
+    end
+
+    it 'creates a redis instance' do
+      store.instance_variable_get(:@redis).wont_equal nil
+    end
+
+    it 'assigns the :host option to @default_options' do
+      default_options[:host].must_equal 'hosty.local'
+    end
+
+    it 'assigns the :port option to @default_options' do
+      default_options[:port].must_equal 16379
+    end
+
+    it 'assigns the :db option to @default_options' do
+      default_options[:db].must_equal 2
+    end
+
+    it 'assigns the :key_prefix option to @default_options' do
+      default_options[:key_prefix].must_equal 'myapp:session:'
+    end
+
+    it 'assigns the :expire_after option to @default_options' do
+      default_options[:expire_after].must_equal 60 * 120
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'when initializing with top-level redis options' do
     def options
       {