diff --git a/lib/ice_cube/parsers/yaml_parser.rb b/lib/ice_cube/parsers/yaml_parser.rb
index a94864de..2e15334d 100644
--- a/lib/ice_cube/parsers/yaml_parser.rb
+++ b/lib/ice_cube/parsers/yaml_parser.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ def initialize(yaml)
       @hash = YAML::load(yaml)
       yaml.match(SERIALIZED_START) do |match|
         start_time = hash[:start_time] || hash[:start_date]
+        hash = FlexibleHash.new(@hash)
         TimeUtil.restore_deserialized_offset start_time, match[:tz]
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/examples/to_yaml_spec.rb b/spec/examples/to_yaml_spec.rb
index 829b64a3..3ff66d39 100644
--- a/spec/examples/to_yaml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/examples/to_yaml_spec.rb
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ module IceCube
 
       symbol_yaml = Schedule.from_hash(symbol_data).to_yaml
       string_yaml = Schedule.from_hash(string_data).to_yaml
-      symbol_yaml.should == string_yaml
+      YAML.load(symbol_yaml).should == YAML.load(string_yaml)
     end
 
   end