diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index df87cd4..c6e0e7d 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 source :rubygems
-gemspec
\ No newline at end of file
+gem "activesupport"
+gemspec
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 6446d66..07c212b 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -2,11 +2,21 @@ PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
     settingslogic (2.0.9)
+      activesupport
 
 GEM
   remote: http://rubygems.org/
   specs:
+    activesupport (7.0.4.2)
+      concurrent-ruby (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.2)
+      i18n (>= 1.6, < 2)
+      minitest (>= 5.1)
+      tzinfo (~> 2.0)
+    concurrent-ruby (1.2.2)
     diff-lcs (1.1.3)
+    i18n (1.12.0)
+      concurrent-ruby (~> 1.0)
+    minitest (5.18.0)
     rake (10.0.3)
     rspec (2.12.0)
       rspec-core (~> 2.12.0)
@@ -16,11 +26,17 @@ GEM
     rspec-expectations (2.12.1)
       diff-lcs (~> 1.1.3)
     rspec-mocks (2.12.1)
+    tzinfo (2.0.6)
+      concurrent-ruby (~> 1.0)
 
 PLATFORMS
   ruby
 
 DEPENDENCIES
+  activesupport
   rake
   rspec
   settingslogic!
+
+BUNDLED WITH
+   2.3.12
diff --git a/lib/settingslogic.rb b/lib/settingslogic.rb
index 83055f7..036e41f 100644
--- a/lib/settingslogic.rb
+++ b/lib/settingslogic.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require "yaml"
 require "erb"
 require 'open-uri'
+require 'active_support'
 
 # A simple settings solution using a YAML file. See README for more information.
 class Settingslogic < Hash
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ class << self
     def name # :nodoc:
       self.superclass != Hash && instance.key?("name") ? instance.name : super
     end
-        
+
     # Enables Settings.get('nested.key.name') for dynamic access
     def get(key)
       parts = key.split('.')
@@ -108,8 +109,8 @@ def initialize(hash_or_file = self.class.source, section = nil)
       self.replace hash_or_file
     else
       file_contents = open(hash_or_file).read
-      hash = file_contents.empty? ? {} : YAML.load(ERB.new(file_contents).result).to_hash
-      default_hash = hash[self.class.default_namespace] || {}    
+      hash = file_contents.empty? ? {} : YAML.safe_load(ERB.new(file_contents).result, aliases: true).to_hash
+      default_hash = hash[self.class.default_namespace] || {}
       if self.class.namespace
         hash = hash[self.class.namespace] or return missing_key("Missing setting '#{self.class.namespace}' in #{hash_or_file}")
       end
@@ -176,22 +177,22 @@ def #{key}
       end
     EndEval
   end
-  
+
   def symbolize_keys
-    
+
     inject({}) do |memo, tuple|
-      
+
       k = (tuple.first.to_sym rescue tuple.first) || tuple.first
-            
+
       v = k.is_a?(Symbol) ? send(k) : tuple.last # make sure the value is accessed the same way Settings.foo.bar works
-      
+
       memo[k] = v && v.respond_to?(:symbolize_keys) ? v.symbolize_keys : v #recurse for nested hashes
-      
+
       memo
     end
-    
+
   end
-  
+
   def missing_key(msg)
     return nil if self.class.suppress_errors
 
diff --git a/settingslogic.gemspec b/settingslogic.gemspec
index 4b87f4b..4d55581 100644
--- a/settingslogic.gemspec
+++ b/settingslogic.gemspec
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name        = "settingslogic"
   s.version     = "2.0.9"
   s.platform    = Gem::Platform::RUBY
-  s.authors     = ["Ben Johnson"]
-  s.email       = ["bjohnson@binarylogic.com"]
+  s.authors     = ["Ben Johnson", "Derek Rockwell", "Chris Nelson"]
+  s.email       = ["bjohnson@binarylogic.com", "derek.rockwell@zipnosis.com", "chris.nelson@zipnosis.com"]
   s.homepage    = "http://github.com/binarylogic/settingslogic"
   s.summary     = %q{A simple and straightforward settings solution that uses an ERB enabled YAML file and a singleton design pattern.}
   s.description = %q{A simple and straightforward settings solution that uses an ERB enabled YAML file and a singleton design pattern.}
 
+  s.add_dependency 'activesupport'
+
   s.add_development_dependency 'rake'
   s.add_development_dependency 'rspec'
 
@@ -18,4 +20,4 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.test_files    = `git ls-files -- {test,spec,features}/*`.split("\n")
   s.executables   = `git ls-files -- bin/*`.split("\n").map{ |f| File.basename(f) }
   s.require_paths = ["lib"]
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end