diff --git a/app/controllers/admins_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admins_controller.rb
index 7bf3f6830..b9af10e9a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admins_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admins_controller.rb
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class AdminsController < Admin::AdminController
   end
 
   def stats
-    @popular_tags = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tagging.joins(:tag).limit(50).count(:group => :tag, :order => 'count(taggings.id) DESC')
+    @popular_tags = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tagging.joins(:tag).limit(50).order('count(taggings.id) DESC').group(:tag).count
 
     case params[:range]
     when "week"
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class AdminsController < Admin::AdminController
       create_hash(model, :range => range)
     end
 
-    @posts_per_day = Post.count(:group => "DATE(created_at)", :conditions => ["created_at >= ?", Date.today - 21.days], :order => "DATE(created_at) ASC")
+    @posts_per_day = Post.where("created_at >= ?", Date.today - 21.days).group("DATE(created_at)").order("DATE(created_at) ASC").count
     @most_posts_within = @posts_per_day.values.max.to_f
 
     @user_count = User.count
diff --git a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
index 4354093bc..ef98e5b14 100644
--- a/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb
@@ -33,13 +33,11 @@ class NotificationsController < ApplicationController
     page = params[:page] || 1
     per_page = params[:per_page] || 25
     @notifications = WillPaginate::Collection.create(page, per_page, Notification.where(conditions).count ) do |pager|
-      result = Notification.find(:all,
-                                 :conditions => conditions,
-                                 :order => 'created_at desc',
-                                 :include => [:target, {:actors => :profile}],
-                                 :limit => pager.per_page,
-                                 :offset => pager.offset
-                                )
+      result = Notification.where(conditions)
+                           .includes(:target, :actors => :profile)
+                           .order('created_at desc')
+                           .limit(pager.per_page)
+                           .offset(pager.offset)
 
       pager.replace(result)
     end
diff --git a/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb b/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb
index c447d9e92..94299bf8f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class TagFollowingsController < ApplicationController
     if name_normalized.nil? || name_normalized.empty?
       render :nothing => true, :status => 403
     else
-      @tag = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tag.find_or_create_by_name(name_normalized)
+      @tag = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tag.find_or_create_by(name: name_normalized)
       @tag_following = current_user.tag_followings.new(:tag_id => @tag.id)
 
       if @tag_following.save
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class TagFollowingsController < ApplicationController
   # DELETE /tag_followings/1.xml
   def destroy
     tag_following = current_user.tag_followings.find_by_tag_id( params['id'] )
-    
+
     if tag_following && tag_following.destroy
       respond_to do |format|
         format.any(:js, :json) { render :nothing => true, :status => 204 }
diff --git a/app/models/conversation.rb b/app/models/conversation.rb
index fee57d81f..ae776cd54 100644
--- a/app/models/conversation.rb
+++ b/app/models/conversation.rb
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ class Conversation < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def receive(user, person)
-    cnv = Conversation.find_or_create_by_guid(self.attributes)
+    cnv = Conversation.find_or_create_by(self.attributes)
 
     self.participants.each do |participant|
-      ConversationVisibility.find_or_create_by_conversation_id_and_person_id(cnv.id, participant.id)
+      ConversationVisibility.find_or_create_by(conversation_id: cnv.id, person_id: participant.id)
     end
 
     self.messages.each do |msg|
diff --git a/app/models/o_embed_cache.rb b/app/models/o_embed_cache.rb
index 9aee6d00b..17e6f073f 100644
--- a/app/models/o_embed_cache.rb
+++ b/app/models/o_embed_cache.rb
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ class OEmbedCache < ActiveRecord::Base
     t.add :data
   end
 
-  def self.find_or_create_by_url(url)
-   cache = OEmbedCache.find_or_initialize_by_url(url)
+  def self.find_or_create_by(opts)
+   cache = OEmbedCache.find_or_initialize_by(opts)
    return cache if cache.persisted?
-   cache.fetch_and_save_oembed_data!
+   cache.fetch_and_save_oembed_data! # make after create callback and drop this method ?
    cache
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/open_graph_cache.rb b/app/models/open_graph_cache.rb
index 8ec435719..e3b78e48a 100644
--- a/app/models/open_graph_cache.rb
+++ b/app/models/open_graph_cache.rb
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ class OpenGraphCache < ActiveRecord::Base
     t.add :url
   end
 
-  def self.find_or_create_by_url(url)
-    cache = OpenGraphCache.find_or_initialize_by_url(url)
+  def self.find_or_create_by(opts)
+    cache = OpenGraphCache.find_or_initialize_by(opts)
     cache.fetch_and_save_opengraph_data! unless cache.persisted?
-    cache if cache.persisted?
+    cache if cache.persisted? # Make this an after create callback and drop this method ?
   end
 
   def fetch_and_save_opengraph_data!
diff --git a/app/models/pod.rb b/app/models/pod.rb
index fb5f35477..dcd23b310 100644
--- a/app/models/pod.rb
+++ b/app/models/pod.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 class Pod < ActiveRecord::Base
-  def self.find_or_create_by_url(url)
-    u = URI.parse(url)
-    pod = self.find_or_initialize_by_host(u.host)
+  def self.find_or_create_by(opts) # Rename this method to not override an AR method
+    u = URI.parse(opts.fetch(:url))
+    pod = self.find_or_initialize_by(host: u.host)
     unless pod.persisted?
       pod.ssl = (u.scheme == 'https')? true : false
       pod.save
diff --git a/app/models/role.rb b/app/models/role.rb
index 40438a035..928035223 100644
--- a/app/models/role.rb
+++ b/app/models/role.rb
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ class Role < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def self.add_admin(person)
-    find_or_create_by_person_id_and_name(person.id, 'admin')
+    find_or_create_by(person_id: person.id, name: 'admin')
   end
 
   def self.add_spotlight(person)
-    find_or_create_by_person_id_and_name(person.id, 'spotlight')
+    find_or_create_by(person_id: person.id, name: 'spotlight')
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/share_visibility.rb b/app/models/share_visibility.rb
index 67f42661a..d2a92e2de 100644
--- a/app/models/share_visibility.rb
+++ b/app/models/share_visibility.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,11 @@ class ShareVisibility < ActiveRecord::Base
 
     if AppConfig.postgres?
       contact_ids.each do |contact_id|
-        ShareVisibility.find_or_create_by_contact_id_and_shareable_id_and_shareable_type(contact_id, share.id, share.class.base_class.to_s)
+        ShareVisibility.find_or_create_by(
+          contact_id: contact_id,
+          shareable_id: share.id,
+          shareable_type: share.class.base_class.to_s
+        )
       end
     else
        new_share_visibilities_data = contact_ids.map do |contact_id|
diff --git a/app/models/status_message.rb b/app/models/status_message.rb
index 5f10f6aef..80a43c62c 100644
--- a/app/models/status_message.rb
+++ b/app/models/status_message.rb
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
   def create_mentions
     ppl = Diaspora::Mentionable.people_from_string(self.raw_message)
     ppl.each do |person|
-      self.mentions.find_or_create_by_person_id(person.id)
+      self.mentions.find_or_create_by(person_id: person.id)
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 2e9168a80..4419058c2 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
 
 
   def invitation_code
-    InvitationCode.find_or_create_by_user_id(self.id)
+    InvitationCode.find_or_create_by(user_id: self.id)
   end
 
   def hidden_shareables
@@ -163,14 +163,14 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   def update_user_preferences(pref_hash)
     if self.disable_mail
-      UserPreference::VALID_EMAIL_TYPES.each{|x| self.user_preferences.find_or_create_by_email_type(x)}
+      UserPreference::VALID_EMAIL_TYPES.each{|x| self.user_preferences.find_or_create_by(email_type: x)}
       self.disable_mail = false
       self.save
     end
 
     pref_hash.keys.each do |key|
       if pref_hash[key] == 'true'
-        self.user_preferences.find_or_create_by_email_type(key)
+        self.user_preferences.find_or_create_by(email_type: key)
       else
         block = self.user_preferences.where(:email_type => key).first
         if block
diff --git a/app/models/user/connecting.rb b/app/models/user/connecting.rb
index e90133330..6eaf55bef 100644
--- a/app/models/user/connecting.rb
+++ b/app/models/user/connecting.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module User::Connecting
   # @param [Aspect] aspect The aspect to add them to.
   # @return [Contact] The newly made contact for the passed in person.
   def share_with(person, aspect)
-    contact = self.contacts.find_or_initialize_by_person_id(person.id)
+    contact = self.contacts.find_or_initialize_by(person_id: person.id)
     return false unless contact.valid?
 
     unless contact.receiving?
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ module User::Connecting
     if notification = Notification.where(:target_id => person.id).first
       notification.update_attributes(:unread=>false)
     end
-    
+
     deliver_profile_update
     register_share_visibilities(contact)
     contact
diff --git a/app/workers/gather_o_embed_data.rb b/app/workers/gather_o_embed_data.rb
index 2f8c90119..cb0ad0819 100644
--- a/app/workers/gather_o_embed_data.rb
+++ b/app/workers/gather_o_embed_data.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module Workers
 
     def perform(post_id, url, retry_count=1)
       post = Post.find(post_id)
-      post.o_embed_cache = OEmbedCache.find_or_create_by_url(url)
+      post.o_embed_cache = OEmbedCache.find_or_create_by(url: url)
       post.save
     rescue ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound
       # User created a post and deleted it right afterwards before we
diff --git a/app/workers/gather_open_graph_data.rb b/app/workers/gather_open_graph_data.rb
index d73954d86..18c97ab8b 100644
--- a/app/workers/gather_open_graph_data.rb
+++ b/app/workers/gather_open_graph_data.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module Workers
 
     def perform(post_id, url, retry_count=1)
       post = Post.find(post_id)
-      post.open_graph_cache = OpenGraphCache.find_or_create_by_url(url)
+      post.open_graph_cache = OpenGraphCache.find_or_create_by(url: url)
       post.save
     rescue ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound
       # User created a post and deleted it right afterwards before we
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
index 89f49be03..b81869cd5 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ end
 
 Given /^I visit alice's invitation code url$/ do
   @alice ||= FactoryGirl.create(:user, :username => 'alice', :getting_started => false)
-  invite_code  = InvitationCode.find_or_create_by_user_id(@alice.id)
+  invite_code  = InvitationCode.find_or_create_by(user_id: @alice.id)
   visit invite_code_path(invite_code)
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/exporter.rb b/lib/diaspora/exporter.rb
index 80f0814f1..6360d635c 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/exporter.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/exporter.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ module Diaspora
                   #}
 
                   xml.post_ids {
-                    aspect.posts.find_all_by_author_id(user_person_id).each do |post|
+                    aspect.posts.where(author_id: user_person_id).each do |post|
                       xml.post_id post.id
                     end
                   }
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ module Diaspora
             }
 
             xml.posts {
-              user.visible_shareables(Post).find_all_by_author_id(user_person_id).each do |post|
+              user.visible_shareables(Post).where(author_id: user_person_id).each do |post|
                 #post.comments.each do |comment|
                 #  post_doc << comment.to_xml
                 #end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/federated/request.rb b/lib/diaspora/federated/request.rb
index 0b0f446b3..a920fba7c 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/federated/request.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/federated/request.rb
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ class Request
   def receive(user, person)
     Rails.logger.info("event=receive payload_type=request sender=#{self.sender} to=#{self.recipient}")
 
-    contact = user.contacts.find_or_initialize_by_person_id(self.sender.id)
+    contact = user.contacts.find_or_initialize_by(person_id: self.sender.id)
     contact.sharing = true
     contact.save
-    
+
     user.share_with(person, user.auto_follow_back_aspect) if user.auto_follow_back && !contact.receiving
 
     self
diff --git a/lib/hydra_wrapper.rb b/lib/hydra_wrapper.rb
index e22d94d7f..f7f3c7c2b 100644
--- a/lib/hydra_wrapper.rb
+++ b/lib/hydra_wrapper.rb
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class HydraWrapper
   def prepare_request request, people_for_receive_url
     request.on_complete do |response|
       # Save the reference to the pod to the database if not already present
-      Pod.find_or_create_by_url response.effective_url
+      Pod.find_or_create_by(url: response.effective_url)
 
       if redirecting_to_https? response
         Person.url_batch_update people_for_receive_url, response.headers_hash['Location']
diff --git a/lib/tasks/migrations.rake b/lib/tasks/migrations.rake
index f0b8498d0..20d7d42d8 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/migrations.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/migrations.rake
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ namespace :migrations do
     puts "found #{evil_tags.count} tags to convert..."
 
     evil_tags.each_with_index do |tag, i|
-      good_tag = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tag.find_or_create_by_name(tag.name.mb_chars.downcase)
+      good_tag = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tag.first_or_create_by(name: tag.name.mb_chars.downcase)
       puts "++ '#{tag.name}' has #{tag.taggings.count} records attached"
 
       taggings = tag.taggings
diff --git a/spec/lib/stream/multi_spec.rb b/spec/lib/stream/multi_spec.rb
index 6b13c046f..bdee98683 100644
--- a/spec/lib/stream/multi_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/stream/multi_spec.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ describe Stream::Multi do
 
   describe "#publisher_prefill" do
     before do
-      @tag = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tag.find_or_create_by_name("cats")
+      @tag = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tag.find_or_create_by(name: "cats")
       @tag_following = alice.tag_followings.create(:tag_id => @tag.id)
 
       @stream = Stream::Multi.new(alice)
diff --git a/spec/models/pod_spec.rb b/spec/models/pod_spec.rb
index 5cee347e9..8a979a21f 100644
--- a/spec/models/pod_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/pod_spec.rb
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Pod do
-  describe '.find_or_create_by_url' do
+  describe '.find_or_create_by' do
     it 'takes a url, and makes one by host' do
-      pod = Pod.find_or_create_by_url('https://joindiaspora.com/maxwell')
+      pod = Pod.find_or_create_by(url: 'https://joindiaspora.com/maxwell')
       pod.host.should == 'joindiaspora.com'
     end
 
     it 'sets ssl boolean(side-effect)' do
-      pod = Pod.find_or_create_by_url('https://joindiaspora.com/maxwell')
+      pod = Pod.find_or_create_by(url: 'https://joindiaspora.com/maxwell')
       pod.ssl.should be_true
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb b/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb
index e01e679e8..5d64d172c 100644
--- a/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ describe User::Connecting do
 
     it 'adds a contact to an aspect' do
       contact = alice.contacts.create(:person => eve.person)
-      alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by_person_id).and_return(contact)
+      alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by).and_return(contact)
 
       lambda {
         alice.share_with(eve.person, alice.aspects.first)
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ describe User::Connecting do
     context 'dispatching' do
       it 'dispatches a request on initial request' do
         contact = alice.contacts.new(:person => eve.person)
-        alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by_person_id).and_return(contact)
+        alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by).and_return(contact)
 
         contact.should_receive(:dispatch_request)
         alice.share_with(eve.person, alice.aspects.first)
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ describe User::Connecting do
         eve.share_with(alice.person, eve.aspects.first)
 
         contact = alice.contact_for(eve.person)
-        alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by_person_id).and_return(contact)
+        alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by).and_return(contact)
 
         contact.should_receive(:dispatch_request)
         alice.share_with(eve.person, alice.aspects.first)
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ describe User::Connecting do
         a2 = alice.aspects.create(:name => "two")
 
         contact = alice.contacts.create(:person => eve.person, :receiving => true)
-        alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by_person_id).and_return(contact)
+        alice.contacts.stub(:find_or_initialize_by).and_return(contact)
 
         contact.should_not_receive(:dispatch_request)
         alice.share_with(eve.person, a2)
diff --git a/spec/workers/gather_o_embed_data_spec.rb b/spec/workers/gather_o_embed_data_spec.rb
index 361502c0e..1593ed4e0 100644
--- a/spec/workers/gather_o_embed_data_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/workers/gather_o_embed_data_spec.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ describe Workers::GatherOEmbedData do
       OEmbedCache.find_by_url(@flickr_photo_url).data.should == expected_data
 
       Workers::GatherOEmbedData.new.perform(@status_message.id, @flickr_photo_url)
-      OEmbedCache.count(:conditions => {:url => @flickr_photo_url}).should == 1
+      OEmbedCache.where(url: @flickr_photo_url).count.should == 1
     end
 
     it 'creates no cache entry for unsupported pages' do
diff --git a/spec/workers/gather_open_graph_data_spec.rb b/spec/workers/gather_open_graph_data_spec.rb
index c7a2a8f2b..dbe53ff81 100644
--- a/spec/workers/gather_open_graph_data_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/workers/gather_open_graph_data_spec.rb
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ describe Workers::GatherOpenGraphData do
       ogc.description.should == @ogsite_description
 
       Workers::GatherOpenGraphData.new.perform(@status_message.id, @ogsite_url)
-      OpenGraphCache.count(:conditions => {:url => @ogsite_url}).should == 1
+      OpenGraphCache.where(url: @ogsite_url).count.should == 1
     end
 
     it 'creates no cache entry for unsupported pages' do