diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/associations/association_scope.rb b/lib/active_fedora/associations/association_scope.rb
index 758c3269b..4564eff6d 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/associations/association_scope.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/associations/association_scope.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def add_constraints(scope)
           if reflection.source_macro == :belongs_to
           elsif reflection.source_macro == :has_and_belongs_to_many
           else
-            scope = scope.where( association.send(:find_predicate) => owner.internal_uri)
+            scope = scope.where( ActiveFedora::SolrService.construct_query_for_rel(association.send(:find_predicate) => owner.internal_uri))
           end
 
           
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/relation/finder_methods.rb b/lib/active_fedora/relation/finder_methods.rb
index 2ace45c2e..c3dd66bfb 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/relation/finder_methods.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/relation/finder_methods.rb
@@ -151,9 +151,8 @@ def find_one(pid, cast=nil)
       if where_values.empty?
         load_from_fedora(pid, cast)
       else
-        query = [ActiveFedora::SolrService.construct_query_for_rel(where_values),
-                 ActiveFedora::SolrService.raw_query(SOLR_DOCUMENT_ID, pid)].
-                join(" AND ".freeze)
+        conditions = where_values + [ActiveFedora::SolrService.raw_query(SOLR_DOCUMENT_ID, pid)]
+        query = conditions.join(" AND ".freeze)
         to_enum(:find_each, query, {}).to_a.first
       end
     end
@@ -196,18 +195,27 @@ def find_some(ids, cast)
     # Returns a solr query for the supplied conditions
     # @param[Hash] conditions solr conditions to match
     def create_query(conditions)
-      conditions.kind_of?(Hash) ? create_query_from_hash(conditions) : create_query_from_string(conditions)
+        case conditions
+        when Hash
+          build_query([create_query_from_hash(conditions)])
+        when String
+          build_query([conditions])
+        else
+          build_query(conditions)
+        end
     end
 
-    def create_query_from_hash(conditions)
+    def build_query(conditions)
       clauses = search_model_clause ?  [search_model_clause] : []
-      conditions.each_pair do |key,value|
-        clauses << condition_to_clauses(key, value)
-      end
+      clauses += conditions.reject{|c| c.blank?}
       return "*:*" if clauses.empty?
       clauses.compact.join(" AND ")
     end
 
+    def create_query_from_hash(conditions)
+      conditions.map {|key,value| condition_to_clauses(key, value)}.compact.join(" AND ")
+    end
+
     def condition_to_clauses(key, value)
       unless value.nil?
         # if the key is a property name, turn it into a solr field
@@ -227,15 +235,6 @@ def condition_to_clauses(key, value)
       end
     end
 
-    def create_query_from_string(conditions)
-      model_clause = search_model_clause
-      if model_clause 
-        conditions ? "#{model_clause} AND (#{conditions})" : model_clause
-      else
-        conditions
-      end
-    end
-
     # Return the solr clause that queries for this type of class
     def search_model_clause
       unless @klass == ActiveFedora::Base
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/relation/merger.rb b/lib/active_fedora/relation/merger.rb
index 074eec6cd..3b335e730 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/relation/merger.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/relation/merger.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def initialize(relation, other)
 
       def merge
         # TODO merge order
-        relation.where_values = relation.where_values.merge(other.where_values)
+        relation.where_values += other.where_values
         relation
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/active_fedora/relation/query_methods.rb b/lib/active_fedora/relation/query_methods.rb
index dd0ab2fef..5d6e19702 100644
--- a/lib/active_fedora/relation/query_methods.rb
+++ b/lib/active_fedora/relation/query_methods.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def extending_values=(values)
     end
 
     def where_values
-      @values[:where] ||= {}
+      @values[:where] ||= []
     end
 
     def where_values=(values)
@@ -49,12 +49,18 @@ def where(values)
     end
 
     def where!(values)
-      if values.is_a?(String)
-        self.where_values = values
+      self.where_values += build_where(values)
+      self
+    end
+
+    def build_where(values)
+      return [] if values.blank?
+      case values
+      when Hash
+        [create_query_from_hash(values)]
       else
-        self.where_values = self.where_values.merge(values)
+        [values]
       end
-      self
     end
 
     # Order the returned records by the field and direction provided
diff --git a/spec/integration/scoped_query_spec.rb b/spec/integration/scoped_query_spec.rb
index 63ede8fd6..53174c438 100644
--- a/spec/integration/scoped_query_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/scoped_query_spec.rb
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def to_solr(doc = {})
       end
 
       it "should chain where queries" do
-        ModelIntegrationSpec::Basic.where(ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('bar', type: :string) => 'Peanuts').where(ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('foo', type: :string) => 'bar').where_values.should == {ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('bar', type: :string) => 'Peanuts', ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('foo', type: :string) => 'bar'}
+        ModelIntegrationSpec::Basic.where(ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('bar', type: :string) => 'Peanuts').where("#{ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('foo', type: :string)}:bar").where_values.should == ["#{ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('bar', type: :string)}:Peanuts", "#{ActiveFedora::SolrService.solr_name('foo', type: :string)}:bar"]
       end
 
       it "should chain count" do
diff --git a/spec/unit/query_spec.rb b/spec/unit/query_spec.rb
index e6c6bc5e1..6e3ed0ce0 100644
--- a/spec/unit/query_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/query_spec.rb
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class Basic < ActiveFedora::Base
     end
     it "should allow conditions" do
       mock_result = {'response'=>{'numFound'=>7}}
-      ActiveFedora::SolrService.should_receive(:query).with("#{@model_query} AND (foo:bar)", :rows=>0, :raw=>true).and_return(mock_result)
+      ActiveFedora::SolrService.should_receive(:query).with("#{@model_query} AND foo:bar", :rows=>0, :raw=>true).and_return(mock_result)
       SpecModel::Basic.count(:conditions=>'foo:bar').should == 7
     end