diff --git a/activeresource/lib/active_resource/base.rb b/activeresource/lib/active_resource/base.rb
index 915021a7b3..d31db9f0ba 100644
--- a/activeresource/lib/active_resource/base.rb
+++ b/activeresource/lib/active_resource/base.rb
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ def collection_path(prefix_options = {}, query_options = nil)
       # Returns the new resource instance.
       #
       def build(attributes = {})
-        attrs = connection.get("#{new_element_path}").merge(attributes)
+        attrs = self.format.decode(connection.get("#{new_element_path}").body).merge(attributes)
         self.new(attrs)
       end
 
@@ -850,11 +850,11 @@ def find_every(options)
               instantiate_collection(get(from, options[:params]))
             when String
               path = "#{from}#{query_string(options[:params])}"
-              instantiate_collection(connection.get(path, headers) || [])
+              instantiate_collection(format.decode(connection.get(path, headers).body) || [])
             else
               prefix_options, query_options = split_options(options[:params])
               path = collection_path(prefix_options, query_options)
-              instantiate_collection( (connection.get(path, headers) || []), prefix_options )
+              instantiate_collection( (format.decode(connection.get(path, headers).body) || []), prefix_options )
             end
           rescue ActiveResource::ResourceNotFound
             # Swallowing ResourceNotFound exceptions and return nil - as per
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ def find_one(options)
             instantiate_record(get(from, options[:params]))
           when String
             path = "#{from}#{query_string(options[:params])}"
-            instantiate_record(connection.get(path, headers))
+            instantiate_record(format.decode(connection.get(path, headers).body))
           end
         end
 
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ def find_one(options)
         def find_single(scope, options)
           prefix_options, query_options = split_options(options[:params])
           path = element_path(scope, prefix_options, query_options)
-          instantiate_record(connection.get(path, headers), prefix_options)
+          instantiate_record(format.decode(connection.get(path, headers).body), prefix_options)
         end
 
         def instantiate_collection(collection, prefix_options = {})
diff --git a/activeresource/lib/active_resource/connection.rb b/activeresource/lib/active_resource/connection.rb
index b7befe110d..c587225e24 100644
--- a/activeresource/lib/active_resource/connection.rb
+++ b/activeresource/lib/active_resource/connection.rb
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def ssl_options=(opts={})
     # Executes a GET request.
     # Used to get (find) resources.
     def get(path, headers = {})
-      with_auth { format.decode(request(:get, path, build_request_headers(headers, :get, self.site.merge(path))).body) }
+      with_auth { request(:get, path, build_request_headers(headers, :get, self.site.merge(path))) }
     end
 
     # Executes a DELETE request (see HTTP protocol documentation if unfamiliar).
diff --git a/activeresource/lib/active_resource/custom_methods.rb b/activeresource/lib/active_resource/custom_methods.rb
index dd3e35dfc7..9879f8cded 100644
--- a/activeresource/lib/active_resource/custom_methods.rb
+++ b/activeresource/lib/active_resource/custom_methods.rb
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class << self
         #
         #   Person.find(:all, :from => :active)
         def get(custom_method_name, options = {})
-          connection.get(custom_method_collection_url(custom_method_name, options), headers)
+          format.decode(connection.get(custom_method_collection_url(custom_method_name, options), headers).body)
         end
 
         def post(custom_method_name, options = {}, body = '')
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def custom_method_collection_url(method_name, options = {})
 
     module InstanceMethods
       def get(method_name, options = {})
-        connection.get(custom_method_element_url(method_name, options), self.class.headers)
+        self.class.format.decode(connection.get(custom_method_element_url(method_name, options), self.class.headers).body)
       end
 
       def post(method_name, options = {}, body = nil)
diff --git a/activeresource/test/cases/authorization_test.rb b/activeresource/test/cases/authorization_test.rb
index 1a7c9ec8a4..a6797643e1 100644
--- a/activeresource/test/cases/authorization_test.rb
+++ b/activeresource/test/cases/authorization_test.rb
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def test_authorization_header_if_credentials_supplied_and_auth_type_is_digest
   end
 
   def test_get
-    david = @authenticated_conn.get("/people/2.xml")
+    david = decode(@authenticated_conn.get("/people/2.xml"))
     assert_equal "David", david["name"]
   end
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ def test_head
   def test_get_with_digest_auth_handles_initial_401_response_and_retries
     @authenticated_conn.auth_type = :digest
     response = @authenticated_conn.get("/people/2.xml")
-    assert_equal "David", response["name"]
+    assert_equal "David", decode(response)["name"]
   end
 
   def test_post_with_digest_auth_handles_initial_401_response_and_retries
@@ -190,11 +190,11 @@ def test_head_with_digest_auth_handles_initial_401_response_and_retries
   def test_get_with_digest_auth_caches_nonce
     @authenticated_conn.auth_type = :digest
     response = @authenticated_conn.get("/people/2.xml")
-    assert_equal "David", response["name"]
+    assert_equal "David", decode(response)["name"]
 
     # There is no mock for this request with a non-cached nonce.
     response = @authenticated_conn.get("/people/1.xml")
-    assert_equal "Matz", response["name"]
+    assert_equal "Matz", decode(response)["name"]
   end
 
   def test_retry_on_401_only_happens_with_digest_auth
@@ -241,4 +241,8 @@ def request_digest_auth_header(uri, response)
     def response_digest_auth_header
       %Q(Digest realm="RailsTestApp", qop="auth", algorithm=MD5, nonce="#{@nonce}", opaque="ef6dfb078ba22298d366f99567814ffb")
     end
+
+    def decode(response)
+      @authenticated_conn.format.decode(response.body)
+    end
 end
diff --git a/activeresource/test/connection_test.rb b/activeresource/test/connection_test.rb
index 1b4b61899d..fe80cdf2e5 100644
--- a/activeresource/test/connection_test.rb
+++ b/activeresource/test/connection_test.rb
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def test_timeout_accessor
   end
 
   def test_get
-    matz = @conn.get("/people/1.xml")
+    matz = decode(@conn.get("/people/1.xml"))
     assert_equal "Matz", matz["name"]
   end
 
@@ -131,23 +131,23 @@ def test_head
   end
 
   def test_get_with_header
-    david = @conn.get("/people/2.xml", @header)
+    david = decode(@conn.get("/people/2.xml", @header))
     assert_equal "David", david["name"]
   end
 
   def test_get_collection
-    people = @conn.get("/people.xml")
+    people = decode(@conn.get("/people.xml"))
     assert_equal "Matz", people[0]["name"]
     assert_equal "David", people[1]["name"]
   end
 
   def test_get_collection_single
-    people = @conn.get("/people_single_elements.xml")
+    people = decode(@conn.get("/people_single_elements.xml"))
     assert_equal "Matz", people[0]["name"]
   end
 
   def test_get_collection_empty
-    people = @conn.get("/people_empty_elements.xml")
+    people = decode(@conn.get("/people_empty_elements.xml"))
     assert_equal [], people
   end
 
@@ -250,4 +250,8 @@ def assert_response_raises(klass, code)
     def handle_response(response)
       @conn.__send__(:handle_response, response)
     end
+
+    def decode(response)
+      @conn.format.decode(response.body)
+    end
 end