diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_and_belongs_to_many_association.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_and_belongs_to_many_association.rb
index 6ca287a4e330d4042fb968cedb397fbf31f03dc9..3329a4af8eb2460f2901a1d19d34c2ca60911537 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_and_belongs_to_many_association.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_and_belongs_to_many_association.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ class HasAndBelongsToManyAssociation < AssociationCollection #:nodoc:
       attr_reader :join_table
 
       def initialize(owner, reflection)
-        @join_table_name = reflection.options[:join_table]
-        @join_table      = Arel::Table.new(@join_table_name)
+        @join_table = Arel::Table.new(reflection.options[:join_table])
         super
       end