diff --git a/lib/audited/audit.rb b/lib/audited/audit.rb
index eadd0fb0..b11c25cc 100644
--- a/lib/audited/audit.rb
+++ b/lib/audited/audit.rb
@@ -16,30 +16,38 @@ module Audited
   #
 
   class YAMLIfTextColumnType
-    class << self
-      def load(obj)
-        if text_column?
-          ActiveRecord::Coders::YAMLColumn.new(Object).load(obj)
-        else
-          obj
-        end
-      end
+    def initialize(model)
+      @model = model
+    end
 
-      def dump(obj)
-        if text_column?
-          ActiveRecord::Coders::YAMLColumn.new(Object).dump(obj)
-        else
-          obj
-        end
+    def load(obj)
+      if text_column?
+        ActiveRecord::Coders::YAMLColumn.new(Object).load(obj)
+      else
+        obj
       end
+    end
 
-      def text_column?
-        Audited.audit_class.columns_hash["audited_changes"].type.to_s == "text"
+    def dump(obj)
+      if text_column?
+        ActiveRecord::Coders::YAMLColumn.new(Object).dump(obj)
+      else
+        obj
       end
     end
+
+    private
+
+    def text_column?
+      @model.columns_hash["audited_changes"].type.to_s == "text"
+    end
   end
 
   class Audit < ::ActiveRecord::Base
+    def self.inherited(klass)
+      klass.serialize :audited_changes, YAMLIfTextColumnType.new(klass)
+    end
+
     belongs_to :auditable, polymorphic: true
     belongs_to :user, polymorphic: true
     belongs_to :associated, polymorphic: true
@@ -49,7 +57,7 @@ class Audit < ::ActiveRecord::Base
     cattr_accessor :audited_class_names
     self.audited_class_names = Set.new
 
-    serialize :audited_changes, YAMLIfTextColumnType
+    serialize :audited_changes, YAMLIfTextColumnType.new(self)
 
     scope :ascending, -> { reorder(version: :asc) }
     scope :descending, -> { reorder(version: :desc) }
diff --git a/lib/audited/auditor.rb b/lib/audited/auditor.rb
index d7d674fe..ac1c0de3 100644
--- a/lib/audited/auditor.rb
+++ b/lib/audited/auditor.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ module Auditor #:nodoc:
     CALLBACKS = [:audit_create, :audit_update, :audit_destroy]
 
     module ClassMethods
+      def audit_class
+        audit_class_name&.safe_constantize || Audited.audit_class
+      end
+
       # == Configuration options
       #
       #
@@ -67,20 +71,23 @@ def audited(options = {})
 
         class_attribute :audit_associated_with, instance_writer: false
         class_attribute :audited_options, instance_writer: false
+        class_attribute :audit_class_name, instance_writer: false
+
         attr_accessor :audit_version, :audit_comment
 
         self.audited_options = options
         normalize_audited_options
 
         self.audit_associated_with = audited_options[:associated_with]
+        self.audit_class_name = audited_options[:audit_class_name]
 
         if audited_options[:comment_required]
           validate :presence_of_audit_comment
           before_destroy :require_comment if audited_options[:on].include?(:destroy)
         end
 
-        has_many :audits, -> { order(version: :asc) }, as: :auditable, class_name: Audited.audit_class.name, inverse_of: :auditable
-        Audited.audit_class.audited_class_names << to_s
+        has_many :audits, -> { order(version: :asc) }, as: :auditable, class_name: audit_class.name, inverse_of: :auditable
+        audit_class.audited_class_names << to_s
 
         after_create :audit_create if audited_options[:on].include?(:create)
         before_update :audit_update if audited_options[:on].include?(:update)
@@ -96,8 +103,8 @@ def audited(options = {})
         enable_auditing
       end
 
-      def has_associated_audits
-        has_many :associated_audits, as: :associated, class_name: Audited.audit_class.name
+      def has_associated_audits(audit_class_name: Audited.audit_class.name)
+        has_many :associated_audits, as: :associated, class_name: audit_class_name
       end
     end
 
@@ -159,14 +166,14 @@ def revisions(from_version = 1)
       # Returns nil for versions greater than revisions count
       def revision(version)
         if version == :previous || audits.last.version >= version
-          revision_with Audited.audit_class.reconstruct_attributes(audits_to(version))
+          revision_with audit_class.reconstruct_attributes(audits_to(version))
         end
       end
 
       # Find the oldest revision recorded prior to the date/time provided.
       def revision_at(date_or_time)
         audits = self.audits.up_until(date_or_time)
-        revision_with Audited.audit_class.reconstruct_attributes(audits) unless audits.empty?
+        revision_with audit_class.reconstruct_attributes(audits) unless audits.empty?
       end
 
       # List of attributes that are audited.
@@ -177,7 +184,7 @@ def audited_attributes
 
       # Returns a list combined of record audits and associated audits.
       def own_and_associated_audits
-        Audited.audit_class.unscoped
+        audit_class.unscoped
           .where("(auditable_type = :type AND auditable_id = :id) OR (associated_type = :type AND associated_id = :id)",
             type: self.class.base_class.name, id: id)
           .order(created_at: :desc)
@@ -206,7 +213,7 @@ def revision_with(attributes)
           revision.send :instance_variable_set, "@destroyed", false
           revision.send :instance_variable_set, "@_destroyed", false
           revision.send :instance_variable_set, "@marked_for_destruction", false
-          Audited.audit_class.assign_revision_attributes(revision, attributes)
+          audit_class.assign_revision_attributes(revision, attributes)
 
           # Remove any association proxies so that they will be recreated
           # and reference the correct object for this revision. The only way
@@ -431,7 +438,7 @@ def enable_auditing
       # convenience wrapper around
       # @see Audit#as_user.
       def audit_as(user, &block)
-        Audited.audit_class.as_user(user, &block)
+        audit_class.as_user(user, &block)
       end
 
       def auditing_enabled
diff --git a/lib/audited/rspec_matchers.rb b/lib/audited/rspec_matchers.rb
index 1999068c..675b3f98 100644
--- a/lib/audited/rspec_matchers.rb
+++ b/lib/audited/rspec_matchers.rb
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ def reflection
       def association_exists?
         !reflection.nil? &&
           reflection.macro == :has_many &&
-          reflection.options[:class_name] == Audited.audit_class.name
+          reflection.options[:class_name] == model_class.audit_class.name
       end
     end
   end