diff --git a/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record.rb b/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record.rb
index 9606c0f2..fa6953fd 100644
--- a/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record.rb
+++ b/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ def get_autocomplete_where_clause(model, term, method, options)
         table_name = model.table_name
         is_full_search = options[:full]
         like_clause = (postgres?(model) ? 'ILIKE' : 'LIKE')
-        ["LOWER(#{table_name}.#{method}) #{like_clause} ?", "#{(is_full_search ? '%' : '')}#{term.downcase}%"]
+        cast_to_text = options[:cast_to_text].present? ? ['CAST(', ' AS TEXT)'] : ['','']
+        ["LOWER(#{cast_to_text[0]}#{table_name}.#{method}#{cast_to_text[1]}) #{like_clause} ?", "#{(is_full_search ? '%' : '')}#{term.downcase}%"]
       end
 
       def postgres?(model)
diff --git a/test/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record_test.rb b/test/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record_test.rb
index e56dc705..56d0e3ce 100644
--- a/test/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record_test.rb
+++ b/test/lib/rails3-jquery-autocomplete/orm/active_record_test.rb
@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ class Dog ; end
             mock(self).postgres?(@model) { true }
             assert_equal ["LOWER(table_name.method) ILIKE ?", "query%"], get_autocomplete_where_clause(@model, @term, @method, @options)
           end
+
+          should 'return options for where with CAST as TEXT when field is not string or text' do
+            mock(self).postgres?(@model) { true }
+            @options[:cast_to_text] = true
+            assert_equal ["LOWER(CAST(table_name.method AS TEXT)) ILIKE ?", "query%"], get_autocomplete_where_clause(@model, @term, @method, @options)
+          end
         end
 
         context 'full search' do