diff --git a/lib/uber/inheritable_attr.rb b/lib/uber/inheritable_attr.rb
index a96539a..b6c65b9 100644
--- a/lib/uber/inheritable_attr.rb
+++ b/lib/uber/inheritable_attr.rb
@@ -2,16 +2,20 @@ module Uber
   module InheritableAttr
 
     def inheritable_attr(name, options={})
-      instance_eval <<-RUBY, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1
-        def #{name}=(v)
-          @#{name} = v
-        end
-
-        def #{name}
-          return @#{name} if instance_variable_defined?(:@#{name})
-          @#{name} = InheritableAttribute.inherit_for(self, :#{name}, #{options})
-        end
-      RUBY
+      name = name.to_s
+      variable = "@#{name}"
+      instance_variable_defined?(variable) # validate the name
+      method = name.to_sym
+      options = options.dup
+
+      define_singleton_method(:"#{name}=") do |value|
+        instance_variable_set(variable, value)
+      end
+
+      define_singleton_method(method) do
+        return instance_variable_get(variable) if instance_variable_defined?(variable)
+        instance_variable_set(variable, InheritableAttribute.inherit_for(self, method, options))
+      end
     end
 
     def self.inherit_for(klass, name, options={})