diff --git a/src/definitions/modules/rating.js b/src/definitions/modules/rating.js
index 9e7117888..de9a322a4 100644
--- a/src/definitions/modules/rating.js
+++ b/src/definitions/modules/rating.js
@@ -66,14 +66,7 @@ $.fn.rating = function(parameters) {
           else {
             module.disable();
           }
-          if(settings.initialRating) {
-            module.debug('Setting initial rating');
-            module.setRating(settings.initialRating);
-          }
-          if( $module.data(metadata.rating) ) {
-            module.debug('Rating found in metadata');
-            module.setRating( $module.data(metadata.rating) );
-          }
+          module.set.rating( module.get.initialRating() );
           module.instantiate();
         },
 
@@ -100,11 +93,12 @@ $.fn.rating = function(parameters) {
         setup: {
           layout: function() {
             var
-              maxRating = $module.data(metadata.maxRating) || settings.maxRating
+              maxRating = module.get.maxRating(),
+              html      = $.fn.rating.settings.templates.icon(maxRating)
             ;
             module.debug('Generating icon html dynamically');
             $module
-              .html($.fn.rating.settings.templates.icon(maxRating))
+              .html(html)
             ;
             module.refresh();
           }
@@ -139,7 +133,7 @@ $.fn.rating = function(parameters) {
           click: function() {
             var
               $activeIcon   = $(this),
-              currentRating = module.getRating(),
+              currentRating = module.get.rating(),
               rating        = $icon.index($activeIcon) + 1,
               canClear      = (settings.clearable == 'auto')
                ? ($icon.length === 1)
@@ -149,22 +143,14 @@ $.fn.rating = function(parameters) {
               module.clearRating();
             }
             else {
-              module.setRating( rating );
+              module.set.rating( rating );
             }
           }
         },
 
         clearRating: function() {
           module.debug('Clearing current rating');
-          module.setRating(0);
-        },
-
-        getRating: function() {
-          var
-            currentRating = $icon.filter('.' + className.active).length
-          ;
-          module.verbose('Current rating retrieved', currentRating);
-          return currentRating;
+          module.set.rating(0);
         },
 
         bind: {
@@ -203,29 +189,55 @@ $.fn.rating = function(parameters) {
           ;
         },
 
-        setRating: function(rating) {
-          var
-            ratingIndex = (rating - 1 >= 0)
-              ? (rating - 1)
-              : 0,
-            $activeIcon = $icon.eq(ratingIndex)
-          ;
-          $module
-            .removeClass(className.selected)
-          ;
-          $icon
-            .removeClass(className.selected)
-            .removeClass(className.active)
-          ;
-          if(rating > 0) {
-            module.verbose('Setting current rating to', rating);
-            $activeIcon
-              .prevAll()
-              .andSelf()
-                .addClass(className.active)
+        get: {
+          initialRating: function() {
+            if($module.data(metadata.rating) !== undefined) {
+              $module.removeData(metadata.rating);
+              return $module.data(metadata.rating);
+            }
+            return settings.initialRating;
+          },
+          maxRating: function() {
+            if($module.data(metadata.maxRating) !== undefined) {
+              $module.removeData(metadata.maxRating);
+              return $module.data(metadata.maxRating);
+            }
+            return settings.maxRating;
+          },
+          rating: function() {
+            var
+              currentRating = $icon.filter('.' + className.active).length
+            ;
+            module.verbose('Current rating retrieved', currentRating);
+            return currentRating;
+          }
+        },
+
+        set: {
+          rating: function(rating) {
+            var
+              ratingIndex = (rating - 1 >= 0)
+                ? (rating - 1)
+                : 0,
+              $activeIcon = $icon.eq(ratingIndex)
             ;
+            $module
+              .removeClass(className.selected)
+            ;
+            $icon
+              .removeClass(className.selected)
+              .removeClass(className.active)
+            ;
+            if(rating > 0) {
+              module.verbose('Setting current rating to', rating);
+              $activeIcon
+                .prevAll()
+                .andSelf()
+                  .addClass(className.active)
+              ;
+            }
+            settings.onRate.call(element, rating);
           }
-          settings.onRate.call(element, rating);
         },
 
         setting: function(name, value) {