diff --git a/lib/bcrypt/password.rb b/lib/bcrypt/password.rb
index ab7c46d..fd19b47 100644
--- a/lib/bcrypt/password.rb
+++ b/lib/bcrypt/password.rb
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def valid_hash?(h)
     # Splits +h+ into version, cost, salt, and hash and returns them in that order.
     def split_hash(h)
       _, v, c, mash = h.split('$')
-      return v, c.to_i, h[0, 29].to_str, mash[-31, 31].to_str
+      return v.to_str, c.to_i, h[0, 29].to_str, mash[-31, 31].to_str
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/bcrypt/password_spec.rb b/spec/bcrypt/password_spec.rb
index 4b2e6c7..648e614 100644
--- a/spec/bcrypt/password_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bcrypt/password_spec.rb
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
   specify "should read the version, cost, salt, and hash" do
     password = BCrypt::Password.new(@hash)
     expect(password.version).to eql("2a")
+    expect(password.version.class).to eq String
     expect(password.cost).to equal(5)
     expect(password.salt).to eql("$2a$05$CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.")
     expect(password.salt.class).to eq String