diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 5ef83a59..87d0cfb9 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 2.5.1-stable+timestamp.2013.06.09.16.30.03
+Version 2.5.1-stable+timestamp.2013.06.09.16.41.01
diff --git a/gluon/dal.py b/gluon/dal.py
index 9b303322..b08cf609 100644
--- a/gluon/dal.py
+++ b/gluon/dal.py
@@ -1309,7 +1309,7 @@ class BaseAdapter(ConnectionPool):
         return ftype in ('integer','boolean','double','bigint') or \
             ftype.startswith('decimal')
 
-    def REPLACE(self, first, (second, third)):
+    def REPLACE(self, first, (second, third)):        
         return 'REPLACE(%s,%s,%s)' % (self.expand(first,'string'),
                                       self.expand(second,'string'),
                                       self.expand(third,'string'))
@@ -1356,22 +1356,28 @@ class BaseAdapter(ConnectionPool):
 
     def expand(self, expression, field_type=None):
         if isinstance(expression, Field):
-            return '%s.%s' % (expression.tablename, expression.name)
+            out = '%s.%s' % (expression.tablename, expression.name)
+            if field_type == 'string':
+                out = 'CAST(%s AS %s)' % (out, self.types['text'])
+            return out
         elif isinstance(expression, (Expression, Query)):
             first = expression.first
             second = expression.second
             op = expression.op
             optional_args = expression.optional_args or {}
             if not second is None:
-                return op(first, second, **optional_args)
+                out = op(first, second, **optional_args)
             elif not first is None:
-                return op(first,**optional_args)
+                out = op(first,**optional_args)
             elif isinstance(op, str):
                 if op.endswith(';'):
                     op=op[:-1]
-                return '(%s)' % op
+                out = '(%s)' % op
             else:
-                return op()
+                out = op()
+            if field_type == 'string':
+                out = 'CAST(%s AS %s)' % (out, self.types['text'])
+            return out
         elif field_type:
             return str(self.represent(expression,field_type))
         elif isinstance(expression,(list,tuple)):