diff --git a/lib/vulcano/backend.rb b/lib/vulcano/backend.rb
index 0df4269eb..6e119fc66 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/backend.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/backend.rb
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ module Vulcano
     def self.target_config( config )
       conf = config.dup
 
-      return conf if conf[:target].to_s.empty?
+      return conf if conf['target'].to_s.empty?
 
-      uri = URI::parse(conf[:target].to_s)
-      conf[:backend]  = conf[:backend]  || uri.scheme
-      conf[:host]     = conf[:host]     || uri.host
-      conf[:port]     = conf[:port]     || uri.port
-      conf[:user]     = conf[:user]     || uri.user
-      conf[:password] = conf[:password] || uri.password
+      uri = URI::parse(conf['target'].to_s)
+      conf['backend']  = conf['backend']  || uri.scheme
+      conf['host']     = conf['host']     || uri.host
+      conf['port']     = conf['port']     || uri.port
+      conf['user']     = conf['user']     || uri.user
+      conf['password'] = conf['password'] || uri.password
 
       # return the updated config
       conf
diff --git a/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb b/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb
index 2ab65e808..962e2e597 100644
--- a/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb
+++ b/lib/vulcano/backend/specinfra.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module Vulcano::Backends
     def initialize(conf)
       @conf = conf
       @files = {}
-      type = @conf['backend']
+      type = @conf['backend'].to_s
 
       configure_shared_options
 
diff --git a/test/unit/backend_test.rb b/test/unit/backend_test.rb
index e7717afd6..9ab5ba45c 100644
--- a/test/unit/backend_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/backend_test.rb
@@ -13,27 +13,27 @@ describe 'Vulcano::Backend' do
   describe 'target config helper' do
     it 'configures resolves target' do
       org = {
-        target: 'ssh://user:pass@host.com:123'
+        'target' => 'ssh://user:pass@host.com:123',
       }
       res = Vulcano::Backend.target_config(org)
-      res[:backend].must_equal 'ssh'
-      res[:host].must_equal 'host.com'
-      res[:user].must_equal 'user'
-      res[:password].must_equal 'pass'
-      res[:port].must_equal 123
-      res[:target].must_equal org[:target]
-      org.keys.must_equal [:target]
+      res['backend'].must_equal 'ssh'
+      res['host'].must_equal 'host.com'
+      res['user'].must_equal 'user'
+      res['password'].must_equal 'pass'
+      res['port'].must_equal 123
+      res['target'].must_equal org['target']
+      org.keys.must_equal ['target']
     end
 
     it 'resolves a target while keeping existing fields' do
       org = {
-        target: 'ssh://user:pass@host.com:123',
-        backend: rand,
-        host: rand,
-        user: rand,
-        password: rand,
-        port: rand,
-        target: rand,
+        'target' => 'ssh://user:pass@host.com:123',
+        'backend' => rand,
+        'host' => rand,
+        'user' => rand,
+        'password' => rand,
+        'port' => rand,
+        'target' => rand,
       }
       res = Vulcano::Backend.target_config(org)
       res.must_equal org
@@ -41,15 +41,15 @@ describe 'Vulcano::Backend' do
 
     it 'keeps the configuration when incorrect target is supplied' do
       org = {
-        target: 'wrong',
+        'target' => 'wrong',
       }
       res = Vulcano::Backend.target_config(org)
-      res[:backend].must_be_nil
-      res[:host].must_be_nil
-      res[:user].must_be_nil
-      res[:password].must_be_nil
-      res[:port].must_be_nil
-      res[:target].must_equal org[:target]
+      res['backend'].must_be_nil
+      res['host'].must_be_nil
+      res['user'].must_be_nil
+      res['password'].must_be_nil
+      res['port'].must_be_nil
+      res['target'].must_equal org['target']
     end
   end