diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/read.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/read.rb
index 4b72fe7d7e5f0d5a9899740546c52ef59b19a231..17f287c1b7a4a7b4af7d43bbd5d3be1ca7c654e6 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/read.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/read.rb
@@ -75,9 +75,8 @@ def _read_attribute(attr_name) # :nodoc:
 
       private
 
-      def attribute(attribute_name)
-        _read_attribute(attribute_name)
-      end
+      alias :attribute :_read_attribute
+
     end
   end
 end