diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb
index 4c4856b..b22e8d3 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ module CouchRest
         end
         after_initialize if respond_to?(:after_initialize)
       end
-      
+     
       
       # Temp solution to make the view_by methods available
       def self.method_missing(m, *args, &block)
@@ -85,9 +85,24 @@ module CouchRest
         !@casted_by
       end
       
-      # for compatibility with old-school frameworks
+      ## Compatibility with ActiveSupport and older frameworks
+  
+      # Hack so that CouchRest::Document, which descends from Hash,
+      # doesn't appear to Rails routing as a Hash of options
+      def is_a?(klass)
+        return false if klass == Hash
+        super
+      end
+      alias :kind_of? :is_a?
+
+      def persisted?
+        !new?
+      end
+
       alias :new_record? :new?
       alias :new_document? :new?
+      alias :to_key :id
+      alias :to_param :id
     end    
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/casted_model.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/casted_model.rb
index 6aa9bce..9ef1603 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/casted_model.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/casted_model.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,19 @@ module CouchRest::Model
       @casted_by.nil? ? true : @casted_by.new?
     end
     alias :new_record? :new?
+
+    def persisted?
+      !new?
+    end
+
+    # The to_param method is needed for rails to generate resourceful routes.
+    # In your controller, remember that it's actually the id of the document.
+    def id
+      return nil if base_doc.nil?
+      base_doc.id
+    end
+    alias :to_key :id
+    alias :to_param :id
     
     # Sets the attributes from a hash
     def update_attributes_without_saving(hash)
@@ -51,6 +64,5 @@ module CouchRest::Model
       end
     end
     alias :attributes= :update_attributes_without_saving
-    
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/support/hash.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/support/hash.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d7b8e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/support/hash.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# This file contains various hacks for Rails compatibility.
+class Hash
+  # Hack so that CouchRest::Document, which descends from Hash,
+  # doesn't appear to Rails routing as a Hash of options
+  def self.===(other)
+    return false if self == Hash && other.is_a?(CouchRest::Document)
+    super
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/couchrest_model.rb b/lib/couchrest_model.rb
index 0bd2083..7859c02 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest_model.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest_model.rb
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@ require "couchrest/model/associations"
 
 # Monkey patches applied to couchrest
 require "couchrest/model/support/couchrest"
+require "couchrest/model/support/hash"
 
 # Base libraries
 require "couchrest/model/casted_model"
 require "couchrest/model/base"
 
 # Add rails support *after* everything has loaded
-require "couchrest/model/support/rails" if defined?(Rails)
 
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/base_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/base_spec.rb
index ecee222..a79110a 100644
--- a/spec/couchrest/base_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/couchrest/base_spec.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,60 @@ describe "Model Base" do
       @obj.should == { 'couchrest-type' => 'Basic' }
     end
   end
-  
+ 
+  describe "ActiveModel compatability" do
+
+    before(:each) do 
+      @obj = Basic.new(nil)
+    end
+
+    describe "#to_key" do
+      context "when the document is new" do
+        it "returns nil" do
+          @obj.to_key.should be_nil
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when the document is not new" do
+        it "returns id" do
+          @obj.save
+          @obj.to_key.should eql(@obj['_id'])
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "#to_param" do
+      context "when the document is new" do
+        it "returns nil" do
+          @obj.to_param.should be_nil
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when the document is not new" do
+        it "returns id" do
+          @obj.save
+          @obj.to_param.should eql(@obj['_id'])
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "#persisted?" do
+      context "when the document is new" do
+        it "returns false" do
+          @obj.persisted?.should == false
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when the document is not new" do
+        it "returns id" do
+          @obj.save
+          @obj.persisted?.should == true 
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+
+  end
   
   describe "update attributes without saving" do
     before(:each) do