diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb
index 6d750accb0..ce93b0f270 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/validations.rb
@@ -575,6 +575,8 @@ def validates_length_of(*attrs)
         # Get range option and value.
         option = range_options.first
         option_value = options[range_options.first]
+        key = {:is => :wrong_length, :minimum => :too_short, :maximum => :too_long}[option]
+        custom_message = options[:message] || options[key]
 
         case option
           when :within, :in
@@ -583,9 +585,9 @@ def validates_length_of(*attrs)
             validates_each(attrs, options) do |record, attr, value|
               value = options[:tokenizer].call(value) if value.kind_of?(String)
               if value.nil? or value.size < option_value.begin
-                record.errors.add(attr, :too_short, :default => options[:too_short], :count => option_value.begin)
+                record.errors.add(attr, :too_short, :default => custom_message || options[:too_short], :count => option_value.begin)
               elsif value.size > option_value.end
-                record.errors.add(attr, :too_long, :default => options[:too_long], :count => option_value.end)
+                record.errors.add(attr, :too_long, :default => custom_message || options[:too_long], :count => option_value.end)
               end
             end
           when :is, :minimum, :maximum
@@ -593,13 +595,10 @@ def validates_length_of(*attrs)
 
             # Declare different validations per option.
             validity_checks = { :is => "==", :minimum => ">=", :maximum => "<=" }
-            message_options = { :is => :wrong_length, :minimum => :too_short, :maximum => :too_long }
 
             validates_each(attrs, options) do |record, attr, value|
               value = options[:tokenizer].call(value) if value.kind_of?(String)
               unless !value.nil? and value.size.method(validity_checks[option])[option_value]
-                key = message_options[option]
-                custom_message = options[:message] || options[key]
                 record.errors.add(attr, key, :default => custom_message, :count => option_value) 
               end
             end
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/validations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/validations_test.rb
index 380d8ac260..cbb184131f 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/validations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/validations_test.rb
@@ -958,6 +958,19 @@ def test_validates_length_of_custom_errors_for_maximum_with_message
     assert_equal "boo 5", t.errors["title"]
   end
 
+  def test_validates_length_of_custom_errors_for_in
+    Topic.validates_length_of(:title, :in => 10..20, :message => "hoo {{count}}")
+    t = Topic.create("title" => "uhohuhoh", "content" => "whatever")
+    assert !t.valid?
+    assert t.errors.on(:title)
+    assert_equal "hoo 10", t.errors["title"]
+
+    t = Topic.create("title" => "uhohuhohuhohuhohuhohuhohuhohuhoh", "content" => "whatever")
+    assert !t.valid?
+    assert t.errors.on(:title)
+    assert_equal "hoo 20", t.errors["title"]
+  end
+
   def test_validates_length_of_custom_errors_for_maximum_with_too_long
     Topic.validates_length_of( :title, :maximum=>5, :too_long=>"hoo {{count}}" )
     t = Topic.create("title" => "uhohuhoh", "content" => "whatever")