diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index 1aee7f6..f1fa5c3 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -30,17 +30,38 @@ Then, in one of the models you want to validate bank account data with:
     
       # account data validation
       # (really just a shortcut for `validates_with KontoAPI::BankAccountValidator`)
-      # takes any of the following options (the defaults are shown here):
+      # Takes any of the following options (the defaults are shown here):
       #   :account_number_field => :account_number,
       #   :bank_code_field      => :bank_code,
       #   :allow_nil            => true,    <-- don't validate if one of them is nil
       #   :on_timeout           => :ignore  <-- do nothing if a timeout occurs, others:
       #                            :fail    <-- throw a validation error
       #                            :retry   <-- (not supported yet)
+      #
+      # If validations fails, an error within the standard ActiveRecord I18n scopes
+      # will be added to the :account_number_field:
+      # :invalid <-- if it is invalid
+      # :timeout <-- if :on_timeout is set to :fail and the api call timed out
       validates_account_data
     
     end
 
+And if you want to autocomplete the bank name:
+
+    class PaymentData < ActiveRecord::Base
+
+      # bank name autocompletion
+      # takes any of the following options (the defaults are shown here):
+      #   :bank_code_field      => :bank_code,
+      #   :bank_name_field      => :bank_name,
+      #   :always_overwrite     => false,         <-- autocomplete even if bank name already present
+      #   :on_timeout           => :ignore        <-- do nothing if a timeout occurs, others:
+      #                            :retry         <-- (not supported yet)
+      #                             'any string'  <-- use this string as the value
+      autocomplete_bank_name
+    
+    end
+
 Copyright
 ---------
 
diff --git a/lib/kontoapi-rails/orm/active_record_extension.rb b/lib/kontoapi-rails/orm/active_record_extension.rb
index 8bd44b6..32b9ea0 100644
--- a/lib/kontoapi-rails/orm/active_record_extension.rb
+++ b/lib/kontoapi-rails/orm/active_record_extension.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ def self.included(base)
     module ClassMethods
       def validates_bank_account(options={})
         options.symbolize_keys!
+        options.reverse_merge!(
+          :account_number_field => :account_number,
+          :bank_code_field      => :bank_code,
+          :allow_nil            => true,
+          :on_timeout           => :ignore
+        )
         validates_with KontoAPI::BankAccountValidator, options
       end
 
@@ -15,13 +21,24 @@ def autocomplete_bank_name(options={})
         options.symbolize_keys!
         options.reverse_merge!(
           :bank_code_field  => :bank_code,
-          :bank_name_field  => :bank_name
+          :bank_name_field  => :bank_name,
+          :always_overwrite => false
         )
-        #write_inheritable_attribute(:autocomplete_bank_name_options, options)
         define_method :autocomplete_bank_name do
           current_value = send(:"#{options[:bank_name_field]}")
           blz           = send(:"#{options[:bank_code_field]}")
-          self.send(:"#{options[:bank_name_field]}=", KontoAPI::bank_name(blz)) if current_value.blank? && blz.present?
+          begin
+            self.send(:"#{options[:bank_name_field]}=", KontoAPI::bank_name(blz)) if (options[:always_overwrite] || current_value.blank?) && blz.present?
+          rescue Timeout::Error => ex
+            case options[:on_timeout]
+            when String
+              self.send(:"#{options[:bank_name_field]}=", options[:on_timeout])
+            when nil, :ignore
+              # nop
+            when :retry
+              raise 'not implemented yet'
+            end
+          end
         end
         before_save :autocomplete_bank_name
       end
diff --git a/lib/kontoapi-rails/validators/bank_account_validator.rb b/lib/kontoapi-rails/validators/bank_account_validator.rb
index 03c4508..cd78b04 100644
--- a/lib/kontoapi-rails/validators/bank_account_validator.rb
+++ b/lib/kontoapi-rails/validators/bank_account_validator.rb
@@ -3,22 +3,17 @@
 module KontoAPI
   class BankAccountValidator < ActiveModel::Validator
 
-    DEFAULTS = {
-      :account_number_field => :account_number,
-      :bank_code_field      => :bank_code,
-      :allow_nil            => true,
-      :on_timeout           => :ignore
-    }
+    DEFAULTS = 
 
     def validate(record)
-      record_options  = options.reverse_merge(DEFAULTS)
-      account_number  = record.send(:"#{record_options[:account_number_field]}")
-      bank_code       = record.send(:"#{record_options[:bank_code_field]}")
-      record.errors.add(:"#{record_options[:account_number_field]}", :invalid) unless KontoAPI::valid?(account_number, bank_code)
+      account_number  = record.send(:"#{options[:account_number_field]}")
+      bank_code       = record.send(:"#{options[:bank_code_field]}")
+      return true if options[:allow_nil] && (account_number.nil? || bank_code.nil?)
+      record.errors.add(:"#{options[:account_number_field]}", :invalid) unless KontoAPI::valid?(account_number, bank_code)
     rescue Timeout::Error => ex
-      case record_options[:on_timeout]
+      case options[:on_timeout]
       when :fail
-        record.errors.add(:"#{record_options[:account_number_field]}", :timeout)
+        record.errors.add(:"#{options[:account_number_field]}", :timeout)
       when :ignore
         # nop
       when :retry