diff --git a/src/modules/behavior/form.js b/src/modules/behavior/form.js
index ec52708fe..f523b750b 100755
--- a/src/modules/behavior/form.js
+++ b/src/modules/behavior/form.js
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ $.fn.form = function(fields, parameters) {
             var
               $field        = module.get.field(field.identifier),
               type          = validation.type,
-              value         = $field.val(),
+              value         = $field.val() + '',
 
               bracketRegExp = /\[(.*?)\]/i,
               bracket       = bracketRegExp.exec(type),
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ $.fn.form = function(fields, parameters) {
             ;
             // if bracket notation is used, pass in extra parameters
             if(bracket !== undefined && bracket !== null) {
-              ancillary    = bracket[1];
+              ancillary    = '' + bracket[1];
               functionType = type.replace(bracket[0], '');
               isValid      = $.proxy(settings.rules[functionType], $module)(value, ancillary);
             }
@@ -652,6 +652,7 @@ $.fn.form.settings = {
       return (value != notValue);
     },
     contains: function(value, text) {
+      text = text.replace(/[\-\[\]\/\{\}\(\)\*\+\?\.\\\^\$\|]/g, "\\$&");
       return (value.search(text) !== -1);
     },
     is: function(value, text) {