diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index c67213a2..22667591 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ GEM
   remote: https://rubygems.org/
   specs:
     RedCloth (4.2.9)
-    aasm (3.0.16)
+    aasm (3.0.17)
     actionmailer (3.2.13)
       actionpack (= 3.2.13)
       mail (~> 2.5.3)
@@ -33,16 +33,18 @@ GEM
     acts_as_list (0.2.0)
       activerecord (>= 3.0)
     arel (3.0.2)
-    aruba (0.5.1)
+    aruba (0.5.2)
       childprocess (~> 0.3.6)
       cucumber (>= 1.1.1)
       rspec-expectations (>= 2.7.0)
+    atomic (1.1.8)
     bcrypt-ruby (3.0.1)
     builder (3.0.4)
-    bullet (4.5.0)
+    bullet (4.6.0)
       uniform_notifier
-    cache_digests (0.2.0)
+    cache_digests (0.3.0)
       actionpack (>= 3.2)
+      thread_safe
     capybara (2.1.0)
       mime-types (>= 1.16)
       nokogiri (>= 1.3.3)
@@ -58,10 +60,10 @@ GEM
       coffee-script-source
       execjs
     coffee-script-source (1.6.2)
-    cucumber (1.2.5)
+    cucumber (1.3.1)
       builder (>= 2.1.2)
       diff-lcs (>= 1.1.3)
-      gherkin (~> 2.11.7)
+      gherkin (~> 2.12.0)
       multi_json (~> 1.3)
     cucumber-rails (1.3.1)
       capybara (>= 1.1.2)
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ GEM
       nokogiri (>= 1.5.0)
       rails (~> 3.0)
     database_cleaner (0.9.1)
-    diff-lcs (1.2.2)
+    diff-lcs (1.2.4)
     erubis (2.7.0)
     execjs (1.4.0)
       multi_json (~> 1.0)
@@ -78,8 +80,8 @@ GEM
     factory_girl_rails (4.2.1)
       factory_girl (~> 4.2.0)
       railties (>= 3.0.0)
-    ffi (1.6.0)
-    gherkin (2.11.8)
+    ffi (1.8.1)
+    gherkin (2.12.0)
       multi_json (~> 1.3)
     hike (1.2.2)
     htmlentities (4.3.1)
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ GEM
       mime-types (~> 1.16)
       treetop (~> 1.4.8)
     metaclass (0.0.1)
-    mime-types (1.22)
+    mime-types (1.23)
     mocha (0.13.3)
       metaclass (~> 0.0.1)
     multi_json (1.7.2)
@@ -135,15 +137,15 @@ GEM
     rspec-expectations (2.13.0)
       diff-lcs (>= 1.1.3, < 2.0)
     rubyzip (0.9.9)
-    safe_yaml (0.9.0)
+    safe_yaml (0.9.1)
     sanitize (2.0.3)
       nokogiri (>= 1.4.4, < 1.6)
-    sass (3.2.7)
+    sass (3.2.8)
     sass-rails (3.2.6)
       railties (~> 3.2.0)
       sass (>= 3.1.10)
       tilt (~> 1.3)
-    selenium-webdriver (2.32.0)
+    selenium-webdriver (2.32.1)
       childprocess (>= 0.2.5)
       multi_json (~> 1.0)
       rubyzip
@@ -165,6 +167,8 @@ GEM
       libv8 (~> 3.11.8.12)
       ref
     thor (0.18.1)
+    thread_safe (0.1.0)
+      atomic
     tilt (1.3.7)
     timecop (0.6.1)
     tolk (1.3.9)
@@ -182,7 +186,7 @@ GEM
     will_paginate (3.0.4)
     xpath (2.0.0)
       nokogiri (~> 1.3)
-    yard (0.8.5.2)
+    yard (0.8.6.1)
 
 PLATFORMS
   ruby
diff --git a/app/models/context.rb b/app/models/context.rb
index bb02b45b..3c4d732c 100644
--- a/app/models/context.rb
+++ b/app/models/context.rb
@@ -14,23 +14,24 @@ class Context < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   # state machine
   include AASM
-  aasm_column :state
-  aasm_initial_state :active
 
-  aasm_state :active
-  aasm_state :closed
-  aasm_state :hidden
+  aasm :column => :state do
+  
+    state :active, :initial => true
+    state :closed
+    state :hidden
 
-  aasm_event :close do
-    transitions :to => :closed, :from => [:active, :hidden], :guard => :no_active_todos?
-  end
+    event :close do
+      transitions :to => :closed, :from => [:active, :hidden], :guard => :no_active_todos?
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :hide do
-    transitions :to => :hidden, :from => [:active, :closed]
-  end
+    event :hide do
+      transitions :to => :hidden, :from => [:active, :closed]
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :activate do
-    transitions :to => :active, :from => [:closed, :hidden]
+    event :activate do
+      transitions :to => :active, :from => [:closed, :hidden]
+    end
   end
 
   attr_protected :user
diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 1cc84500..5428a7fe 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -20,26 +20,24 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
   acts_as_list :scope => 'user_id = #{user_id} AND state = \'#{state}\'', :top_of_list => 0
 
   include AASM
-  aasm_column :state
-  aasm_initial_state :active
 
-  # extend NamePartFinder
-  # include Tracks::TodoList
+  aasm :column => :state do
 
-  aasm_state :active
-  aasm_state :hidden, :enter => :hide_todos, :exit => :unhide_todos
-  aasm_state :completed, :enter => :set_completed_at_date, :exit => :clear_completed_at_date
+    state :active, :initial => true
+    state :hidden, :enter => :hide_todos, :exit => :unhide_todos
+    state :completed, :enter => :set_completed_at_date, :exit => :clear_completed_at_date
 
-  aasm_event :activate do
-    transitions :to => :active,   :from => [:active, :hidden, :completed]
-  end
+    event :activate do
+      transitions :to => :active,   :from => [:active, :hidden, :completed]
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :hide do
-    transitions :to => :hidden,   :from => [:active, :completed]
-  end
+    event :hide do
+      transitions :to => :hidden,   :from => [:active, :completed]
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :complete do
-    transitions :to => :completed, :from => [:active, :hidden]
+    event :complete do
+      transitions :to => :completed, :from => [:active, :hidden]
+    end
   end
 
   attr_protected :user
diff --git a/app/models/recurring_todo.rb b/app/models/recurring_todo.rb
index 444cafa8..31c4e937 100644
--- a/app/models/recurring_todo.rb
+++ b/app/models/recurring_todo.rb
@@ -13,18 +13,17 @@ class RecurringTodo < ActiveRecord::Base
   include IsTaggable
 
   include AASM
-  aasm_column :state
-  aasm_initial_state :active
+  aasm :column => :state do
+    state :active, :initial => true, :before_enter => Proc.new { |t| t.occurences_count = 0 }
+    state :completed, :before_enter => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = Time.zone.now }, :before_exit => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = nil }
 
-  aasm_state :active, :enter => Proc.new { |t| t.occurences_count = 0 }
-  aasm_state :completed, :enter => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = Time.zone.now }, :exit => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = nil }
+    event :complete do
+      transitions :to => :completed, :from => [:active]
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :complete do
-    transitions :to => :completed, :from => [:active]
-  end
-
-  aasm_event :activate do
-    transitions :to => :active, :from => [:completed]
+    event :activate do
+      transitions :to => :active, :from => [:completed]
+    end
   end
 
   validates_presence_of :description
diff --git a/app/models/todo.rb b/app/models/todo.rb
index 9f569b37..5cdeed15 100644
--- a/app/models/todo.rb
+++ b/app/models/todo.rb
@@ -56,43 +56,45 @@ class Todo < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   # state machine
   include AASM
-  aasm_column :state
   aasm_initial_state Proc.new { |t| (t.show_from && t.user && (t.show_from > t.user.date)) ? :deferred : :active}
 
-  aasm_state :active
-  aasm_state :project_hidden
-  aasm_state :completed, :enter => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = Time.zone.now }, :exit => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = nil}
-  aasm_state :deferred, :exit => Proc.new { |t| t[:show_from] = nil }
-  aasm_state :pending
+  aasm :column => :state do    
 
-  aasm_event :defer do
-    transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:active]
-  end
+    state :active
+    state :project_hidden
+    state :completed, :enter => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = Time.zone.now }, :exit => Proc.new { |t| t.completed_at = nil}
+    state :deferred, :after_exit => Proc.new { |t| t[:show_from] = nil}
+    state :pending
 
-  aasm_event :complete do
-    transitions :to => :completed, :from => [:active, :project_hidden, :deferred, :pending]
-  end
+    event :defer do
+      transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:active]
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :activate do
-    transitions :to => :active, :from => [:project_hidden, :deferred]
-    transitions :to => :active, :from => [:completed], :guard => :no_uncompleted_predecessors?
-    transitions :to => :active, :from => [:pending], :guard => :no_uncompleted_predecessors_or_deferral?
-    transitions :to => :pending, :from => [:completed], :guard => :uncompleted_predecessors?
-    transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:pending], :guard => :no_uncompleted_predecessors?
-  end
+    event :complete do
+      transitions :to => :completed, :from => [:active, :project_hidden, :deferred, :pending]
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :hide do
-    transitions :to => :project_hidden, :from => [:active, :deferred, :pending]
-  end
+    event :activate do
+      transitions :to => :active, :from => [:project_hidden, :deferred]
+      transitions :to => :active, :from => [:completed], :guard => :no_uncompleted_predecessors?
+      transitions :to => :active, :from => [:pending], :guard => :no_uncompleted_predecessors_or_deferral?
+      transitions :to => :pending, :from => [:completed], :guard => :uncompleted_predecessors?
+      transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:pending], :guard => :no_uncompleted_predecessors?
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :unhide do
-    transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:project_hidden], :guard => Proc.new{|t| !t.show_from.blank? }
-    transitions :to => :pending, :from => [:project_hidden], :guard => :uncompleted_predecessors?
-    transitions :to => :active, :from => [:project_hidden]
-  end
+    event :hide do
+      transitions :to => :project_hidden, :from => [:active, :deferred, :pending]
+    end
 
-  aasm_event :block do
-    transitions :to => :pending, :from => [:active, :deferred]
+    event :unhide do
+      transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:project_hidden], :guard => Proc.new{|t| !t.show_from.blank? }
+      transitions :to => :pending, :from => [:project_hidden], :guard => :uncompleted_predecessors?
+      transitions :to => :active, :from => [:project_hidden]
+    end
+
+    event :block do
+      transitions :to => :pending, :from => [:active, :deferred]
+    end
   end
 
   attr_protected :user
diff --git a/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
index cf5121f4..fe687ca3 100644
--- a/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/recurring_todos_controller_test.rb
@@ -82,8 +82,9 @@ class RecurringTodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
     # mark as active
     xhr :post, :toggle_check, :id=>1, :_source_view=>""
-    recurring_todo_1.reload
-    assert recurring_todo_1.active?
+    
+    recurring_todo_1 = RecurringTodo.find(1) # reload seems to not work
+    assert recurring_todo_1.active?, "recurring todo should be active but is #{recurring_todo_1.aasm_current_state}"
 
     # by making  active, a new todo should be created from the pattern
     assert_equal todo_count+1, Todo.count
diff --git a/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb
index 4222d981..6d207ade 100644
--- a/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/todos_controller_test.rb
@@ -365,7 +365,8 @@ class TodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     xhr :post, :update, :id => todo.id, :_source_view => 'todo', "project_name"=>"None", "todo"=>{}
 
     assert assigns['project_changed'], "the project of the todo should be changed"
-    assert todo.reload().active?, "todo should be active"
+    todo = Todo.find(todo.id) # reload does not seem to work anymore
+    assert todo.active?, "todo should be active"
   end
 
   def test_change_context_of_todo
@@ -708,7 +709,7 @@ class TodosControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
 
     # mark todo complete
     xhr :post, :toggle_check, :id => @todo.id, :_source_view => 'todo'
-    @todo.reload
+    @todo = Todo.find(@todo.id) #reload does not seem to work anymore
     assert @todo.completed?
 
     # check that there is no active todo