diff --git a/lib/ajax-chosen.js b/lib/ajax-chosen.js
index 63d220c..96f0f91 100644
--- a/lib/ajax-chosen.js
+++ b/lib/ajax-chosen.js
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
     return this.each(function() {
       return $(this).next('.chzn-container').find(".search-field > input, .chzn-search > input").bind('keyup', function() {
         var field, msg, success, untrimmed_val, val;
-        untrimmed_val = $(this).attr('value');
-        val = $.trim($(this).attr('value'));
+        untrimmed_val = $(this).val();
+        val = $.trim($(this).val());
         msg = val.length < options.minTermLength ? options.keepTypingMsg : options.lookingForMsg + (" '" + val + "'");
         select.next('.chzn-container').find('.no-results').text(msg);
         if (val === $(this).data('prevVal')) {
@@ -106,12 +106,12 @@
             select.trigger("liszt:updated");
           } else {
             select.data().chosen.no_results_clear();
-            select.data().chosen.no_results(field.attr('value'));
+            select.data().chosen.no_results(field.val());
           }
           if (success != null) {
             success(data);
           }
-          return field.attr('value', untrimmed_val);
+          return field.val(untrimmed_val);
         };
         return this.timer = setTimeout(function() {
           if (chosenXhr) {
diff --git a/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js b/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js
index a22aac0..46861d4 100644
--- a/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js
+++ b/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 (function($){return $.fn.ajaxChosen=function(settings,callback,chosenOptions){var chosenXhr,defaultOptions,options,select;if(settings==null){settings={};}
 if(callback==null){callback={};}
 if(chosenOptions==null){chosenOptions=function(){};}
-defaultOptions={minTermLength:3,afterTypeDelay:500,jsonTermKey:"term",keepTypingMsg:"Keep typing...",lookingForMsg:"Looking for"};select=this;chosenXhr=null;options=$.extend({},defaultOptions,$(select).data(),settings);this.chosen(chosenOptions?chosenOptions:{});return this.each(function(){return $(this).next('.chzn-container').find(".search-field > input, .chzn-search > input").bind('keyup',function(){var field,msg,success,untrimmed_val,val;untrimmed_val=$(this).attr('value');val=$.trim($(this).attr('value'));msg=val.length<options.minTermLength?options.keepTypingMsg:options.lookingForMsg+(" '"+val+"'");select.next('.chzn-container').find('.no-results').text(msg);if(val===$(this).data('prevVal')){return false;}
+defaultOptions={minTermLength:3,afterTypeDelay:500,jsonTermKey:"term",keepTypingMsg:"Keep typing...",lookingForMsg:"Looking for"};select=this;chosenXhr=null;options=$.extend({},defaultOptions,$(select).data(),settings);this.chosen(chosenOptions?chosenOptions:{});return this.each(function(){return $(this).next('.chzn-container').find(".search-field > input, .chzn-search > input").bind('keyup',function(){var field,msg,success,untrimmed_val,val;untrimmed_val=$(this).val();val=$.trim($(this).val());msg=val.length<options.minTermLength?options.keepTypingMsg:options.lookingForMsg+(" '"+val+"'");select.next('.chzn-container').find('.no-results').text(msg);if(val===$(this).data('prevVal')){return false;}
 $(this).data('prevVal',val);if(this.timer){clearTimeout(this.timer);}
 if(val.length<options.minTermLength){return false;}
 field=$(this);if(!(options.data!=null)){options.data={};}
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ success=options.success;options.success=function(data){var items,nbItems,selecte
 selected_values=[];select.find('option').each(function(){if(!$(this).is(":selected")){return $(this).remove();}else{return selected_values.push($(this).val()+"-"+$(this).text());}});select.find('optgroup:empty').each(function(){return $(this).remove();});items=callback(data);nbItems=0;$.each(items,function(i,element){var group,text,value;nbItems++;if(element.group){group=select.find("optgroup[label='"+element.text+"']");if(!group.size()){group=$("<optgroup />");}
 group.attr('label',element.text).appendTo(select);return $.each(element.items,function(i,element){var text,value;if(typeof element==="string"){value=i;text=element;}else{value=element.value;text=element.text;}
 if($.inArray(value+"-"+text,selected_values)===-1){return $("<option />").attr('value',value).html(text).appendTo(group);}});}else{if(typeof element==="string"){value=i;text=element;}else{value=element.value;text=element.text;}
-if($.inArray(value+"-"+text,selected_values)===-1){return $("<option />").attr('value',value).html(text).appendTo(select);}}});if(nbItems){select.trigger("liszt:updated");}else{select.data().chosen.no_results_clear();select.data().chosen.no_results(field.attr('value'));}
+if($.inArray(value+"-"+text,selected_values)===-1){return $("<option />").attr('value',value).html(text).appendTo(select);}}});if(nbItems){select.trigger("liszt:updated");}else{select.data().chosen.no_results_clear();select.data().chosen.no_results(field.val());}
 if(success!=null){success(data);}
-return field.attr('value',untrimmed_val);};return this.timer=setTimeout(function(){if(chosenXhr){chosenXhr.abort();}
+return field.val(untrimmed_val);};return this.timer=setTimeout(function(){if(chosenXhr){chosenXhr.abort();}
 return chosenXhr=$.ajax(options);},options.afterTypeDelay);});});};})(jQuery);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ajax-chosen.coffee b/src/ajax-chosen.coffee
index ae4211f..1fcd512 100644
--- a/src/ajax-chosen.coffee
+++ b/src/ajax-chosen.coffee
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ do ($ = jQuery) ->
           # into the input form that chosen has created
           
           # Retrieve the current value of the input form
-          untrimmed_val = $(@).attr('value')
-          val = $.trim $(@).attr('value')
+          untrimmed_val = $(@).val()
+          val = $.trim $(@).val()
 
           # Depending on how much text the user has typed, let them know
           # if they need to keep typing or if we are looking for their data
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ do ($ = jQuery) ->
             else
               # If there are no results, display the no_results text
               select.data().chosen.no_results_clear()
-              select.data().chosen.no_results field.attr('value')
-            
+              select.data().chosen.no_results field.val()
+
             # Finally, call the user supplied callback (if it exists)
             success(data) if success?
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ do ($ = jQuery) ->
             # call trigger above. Often, this can be very annoying (and can make some
             # searches impossible), so we add the value the user was typing back into
             # the input field.
-            field.attr('value', untrimmed_val)
+            field.val(untrimmed_val)
 
             # Because non-ajax Chosen isn't constantly re-building results, when it
             # DOES rebuild results (during liszt:updated above, it clears the input