diff --git a/bin/jekyll2 b/bin/jekyll2
index eba186dd..34d040aa 100755
--- a/bin/jekyll2
+++ b/bin/jekyll2
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ command :build do |c|
   c.description = 'Build your site with the option of auto-renegeration'
   c.option '-w', '--watch', 'Watch for changes and rebuild'
   c.action do |args, options|
-    Jekyll::BuildCommand.process(options)
+    Jekyll::BuildCommand.process(options.__hash__)
   end
 end
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ command :serve do |c|
                     :baseurl => '/',
                     :serving => true
 
-    Jekyll::BuildCommand.process(options)
-    Jekyll::ServeCommand.process(options)
+    Jekyll::BuildCommand.process(options.__hash__)
+    Jekyll::ServeCommand.process(options.__hash__)
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/jekyll.rb b/lib/jekyll.rb
index 058fd762..98f99402 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll.rb
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ module Jekyll
   #
   # Returns the final configuration Hash.
   def self.configuration(override)
+    # Convert any symbol keys to strings and remove the old key/values
+    override.keys.each { |k| override[k.to_s] = override.delete(k) }
+
     # _config.yml may override default source location, but until
     # then, we need to know where to look for _config.yml
     source = override['source'] || Jekyll::DEFAULTS['source']
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb
index d5a0e570..6c8a1254 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/build.rb
@@ -2,21 +2,16 @@ module Jekyll
 
   class BuildCommand < Command
     def self.process(options)
-      opts = {}
-      options.__hash__.map do |k,v|
-        opts[k.to_s] = v
-      end
+      options = Jekyll.configuration(options)
+      site = Jekyll::Site.new(options)
 
-      opts = Jekyll.configuration(opts)
-      site = Jekyll::Site.new(opts)
+      source = options['source']
+      destination = options['destination']
 
-      source = opts['source']
-      destination = opts['destination']
-
-      if opts['watch']
-        self.watch(site, opts)
+      if options['watch']
+        self.watch(site, options)
       else
-        self.build(site, opts)
+        self.build(site, options)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb
index 665a26cf..df717bea 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/commands/serve.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module Jekyll
       require 'webrick'
       include WEBrick
 
-      destination = options.destination
+      destination = options['destination']
 
       FileUtils.mkdir_p(destination)
 
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ module Jekyll
       mime_types.store 'js', 'application/javascript'
 
       s = HTTPServer.new(
-        :Port => options.port,
-        :BindAddress => options.host,
+        :Port => options['port'],
+        :BindAddress => options['host'],
         :MimeTypes => mime_types
       )
 
-      s.mount(options.baseurl, HTTPServlet::FileHandler, destination)
+      s.mount(options['baseurl'], HTTPServlet::FileHandler, destination)
       t = Thread.new { s.start }
       trap("INT") { s.shutdown }
       t.join()