diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 435e1d55..0d1f5cb5 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 1.99.4 (2012-01-26 11:06:17) stable
+Version 1.99.4 (2012-01-26 11:12:37) stable
diff --git a/gluon/validators.py b/gluon/validators.py
index 515cbce4..276013da 100644
--- a/gluon/validators.py
+++ b/gluon/validators.py
@@ -539,15 +539,16 @@ class IS_NOT_IN_DB(Validator):
         if value in self.allowed_override:
             return (value, None)
         (tablename, fieldname) = str(self.field).split('.')
-        field = self.dbset.db[tablename][fieldname]
+        table = self.dbset.db[tablename]
+        field = table[fieldname]        
         rows = self.dbset(field == value, ignore_common_filters = self.ignore_common_filters).select(limitby=(0, 1))
         if len(rows) > 0:
             if isinstance(self.record_id, dict):
                 for f in self.record_id:
                     if str(getattr(rows[0], f)) != str(self.record_id[f]):
                         return (value, translate(self.error_message))
-            elif str(rows[0]._id) != str(self.record_id):
-                return (value, translate(self.error_message))
+            elif str(rows[0][table._id.name]) != str(self.record_id):
+                    return (value, translate(self.error_message))
         return (value, None)