diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index f9fef0ab7..2a7bd1855 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 We would like to think our many [contributors](https://github.com/norman/friendly_id/graphs/contributors) for
 suggestions, ideas and improvements to FriendlyId.
 
+## Unreleased
+
+* Avoid using deprecated `update_attributes` (Philip Arndt).
+
 ## 5.3.0 (2019-09-25)
 
 * Record history when scope changes but slug does not ([#916](https://github.com/norman/friendly_id/pull/916))
diff --git a/lib/friendly_id/configuration.rb b/lib/friendly_id/configuration.rb
index 5e3d70220..d835278da 100644
--- a/lib/friendly_id/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/friendly_id/configuration.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class Configuration
     attr_accessor :routes
 
     def initialize(model_class, values = nil)
+      @base           = nil
       @model_class    = model_class
       @defaults       = {}
       @modules        = []
diff --git a/test/history_test.rb b/test/history_test.rb
index debdc4e37..294dfb322 100644
--- a/test/history_test.rb
+++ b/test/history_test.rb
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ def model_class
   test "should not be read only when found by slug" do
     with_instance_of(model_class) do |record|
       refute model_class.friendly.find(record.friendly_id).readonly?
-      assert record.update_attribute :name, 'foo'
-      assert record.update_attributes name: 'foo'
+      assert record.update name: 'foo'
     end
   end
 
@@ -109,10 +108,10 @@ def model_class
       first_record = model_class.create! :name => "foo"
       second_record = model_class.create! :name => 'another'
 
-      second_record.update_attributes :name => 'foo', :slug => nil
+      second_record.update :name => 'foo', :slug => nil
       assert_match(/foo-.*/, second_record.slug)
 
-      first_record.update_attributes :name => 'another', :slug => nil
+      first_record.update :name => 'another', :slug => nil
       assert_match(/another-.*/, first_record.slug)
     end
   end
@@ -230,7 +229,7 @@ def model_class
         record = model_class.create(name: 'paranoid')
         assert FriendlyId::Slug.find_by_slug('paranoid').present?
 
-        record.update_attribute(:deleted_at, Time.now)
+        record.update deleted_at: Time.now
 
         orphan_slug = FriendlyId::Slug.find_by_slug('paranoid')
         assert orphan_slug.present?, 'Orphaned slug should exist'
diff --git a/test/shared.rb b/test/shared.rb
index aabe0b940..213774312 100644
--- a/test/shared.rb
+++ b/test/shared.rb
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ module Slugged
           my_model_class = Class.new(model_class)
           self.class.const_set("Foo", my_model_class)
           with_instance_of my_model_class do |record|
-            record.update_attributes my_model_class.friendly_id_config.slug_column => nil
+            record.update my_model_class.friendly_id_config.slug_column => nil
             record = my_model_class.friendly.find(record.id)
             record.class.validate Proc.new {errors.add(:name, "FAIL")}
             record.save
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ module Core
         test "updating record's other values should not change the friendly_id" do
           with_instance_of model_class do |record|
             old = record.friendly_id
-            record.update_attributes! :active => false
+            record.update! active: false
             assert model_class.friendly.find old
           end
         end
diff --git a/test/simple_i18n_test.rb b/test/simple_i18n_test.rb
index f9a452fa8..4ab6d9bb7 100644
--- a/test/simple_i18n_test.rb
+++ b/test/simple_i18n_test.rb
@@ -91,14 +91,14 @@ def setup
   class RegressionTest < TestCaseClass
     include FriendlyId::Test
 
-    test "should not overwrite other locale's slugs on update_attributes" do
+    test "should not overwrite other locale's slugs on update" do
       transaction do
         journalist = Journalist.create!(:name => "John Smith")
         journalist.set_friendly_id("Juan Fulano", :es)
         journalist.save!
         assert_equal "john-smith", journalist.to_param
         journalist.slug = nil
-        journalist.update_attributes :name => "Johnny Smith"
+        journalist.update :name => "Johnny Smith"
         assert_equal "johnny-smith", journalist.to_param
         I18n.with_locale(:es) do
           assert_equal "juan-fulano", journalist.to_param