diff --git a/lib/dynamoid/criteria/chain.rb b/lib/dynamoid/criteria/chain.rb
index 50e8fc0..47952e0 100644
--- a/lib/dynamoid/criteria/chain.rb
+++ b/lib/dynamoid/criteria/chain.rb
@@ -247,12 +247,15 @@ def index_query
         end
       end
 
+      # Comparison Operator for evaluating Key Conditions.
+      #
+      # @return [Hash] a hash with the comparison operator for the query.
       def range_hash(key)
-        val = query[key]
+        val = query[key.to_sym]
 
-        return { :range_value => query[key] } if query[key].is_a?(Range)
+        return { :range_value => val } if val.is_a?(Range)
 
-        case key.split('.').last
+        case key.to_s.split('.').last
         when 'gt'
           { :range_greater_than => val.to_f }
         when 'lt'
diff --git a/spec/dynamoid/criteria/chain_spec.rb b/spec/dynamoid/criteria/chain_spec.rb
index 199793c..96e25d9 100644
--- a/spec/dynamoid/criteria/chain_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/dynamoid/criteria/chain_spec.rb
@@ -20,15 +20,15 @@
   end
 
   it 'makes string symbol for query keys' do
-    @chain.query = {'name' => 'Josh'}
+    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh'}
     @chain.send(:index).should == User.indexes[[:name]]
   end
 
   it 'finds matching index for a range query' do
-    @chain.query = {"created_at.gt" => @time - 1.day}
+    @chain.query = {"created_at.gt".to_sym => @time - 1.day}
     @chain.send(:index).should == User.indexes[[:created_at]]
 
-    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.lt" => @time - 1.day}
+    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.lt".to_sym => @time - 1.day}
     @chain.send(:index).should == User.indexes[[:created_at, :name]]
   end
 
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@
     @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', :email => 'josh@joshsymonds.com'}
     @chain.send(:index_query).should == {:hash_value => 'josh@joshsymonds.com.Josh'}
 
-    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', 'created_at.gt' => @time}
+    # All keys are converted to_sym in the where method, so we should pass them in query as Symbols.
+    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', 'created_at.gt'.to_sym => @time}
     @chain.send(:index_query).should == {:hash_value => 'Josh', :range_greater_than => @time.to_f}
   end
 
@@ -66,10 +67,10 @@
   end
 
   it 'returns records with an index for a ranged query' do
-    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.gt" => @time - 1.day}
+    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.gt".to_sym => @time - 1.day}
     @chain.send(:records_with_index).should == @user
 
-    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.lt" => @time + 1.day}
+    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.lt".to_sym => @time + 1.day}
     @chain.send(:records_with_index).should == @user
   end
 
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@
   end
 
   it "doesn't crash if it finds a nil id in the index" do
-    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.gt" => @time - 1.day}
+    @chain.query = {:name => 'Josh', "created_at.gt".to_sym => @time - 1.day}
     Dynamoid::Adapter.expects(:query).
                       with("dynamoid_tests_index_user_created_ats_and_names", kind_of(Hash)).
                       returns([{ids: nil}, {ids: Set.new([42])}])
@@ -138,6 +139,45 @@
     @chain.send(:range?).should be_false
   end
 
+  context 'range hash' do
+    before do
+      @chain = Dynamoid::Criteria::Chain.new(Message)
+    end
+
+    # All keys from query are converted automatically to_sym in where method.
+
+    it 'uses gt comparator' do
+      @chain.query = { 'time.gt'.to_sym => 2 }
+      @chain.send(:range_hash, 'time.gt').to_a.should == {:range_greater_than => 2.to_f}.to_a
+    end
+
+    it 'uses lt comparator' do
+      @chain.query = { 'time.lt'.to_sym => 2 }
+      @chain.send(:range_hash, 'time.lt').to_a.should == {:range_less_than => 2.to_f}.to_a
+    end
+
+    it 'uses gte comparator' do
+      @chain.query = { 'time.gte'.to_sym => 2 }
+      @chain.send(:range_hash, 'time.gte').to_a.should == {:range_gte => 2.to_f}.to_a
+    end
+
+    it 'uses lte comparator' do
+      @chain.query = { 'time.lte'.to_sym => 2 }
+      @chain.send(:range_hash, 'time.lte').to_a.should == {:range_lte => 2.to_f}.to_a
+    end
+
+    it 'uses begins_with comparator' do
+      @chain.query = { 'time.begins_with'.to_sym => 'test' }
+      @chain.send(:range_hash, 'time.begins_with').to_a.should == {:range_begins_with => 'test'}.to_a
+    end
+
+    it 'tests right convertion from sym to string' do
+      @chain.query = { 'time.begins_with'.to_sym => 'test' }
+      @chain.send(:range_hash, 'time.begins_with').to_a.should == {:range_begins_with => 'test'}.to_a
+    end
+
+  end
+
   context 'range queries' do
     before do
       @tweet1 = Tweet.create(:tweet_id => "x", :group => "one")