diff --git a/lib/webrat/core/field.rb b/lib/webrat/core/field.rb
index 8555b8e..10502b3 100644
--- a/lib/webrat/core/field.rb
+++ b/lib/webrat/core/field.rb
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ module Webrat
       if collection_name?
         super
       else
-        checkbox_with_same_name = @form.field(name, CheckboxField)
+        checkbox_with_same_name = @form.field_named(name, CheckboxField)
 
         if checkbox_with_same_name.to_param.blank?
           super
diff --git a/lib/webrat/core/form.rb b/lib/webrat/core/form.rb
index c9cc668..aff5cd6 100644
--- a/lib/webrat/core/form.rb
+++ b/lib/webrat/core/form.rb
@@ -10,15 +10,10 @@ module Webrat
       @element  = element
       @fields   = nil
     end
-
-    def field(locator, *field_types)
-      field_with_id(locator, *field_types)    ||
-      field_named(locator, *field_types)  ||
-      field_labeled(locator, *field_types) ||
-      nil
-    end
     
     def field_by_element(element, *field_types)
+      return nil if element.nil?
+      
       if Webrat.configuration.parse_with_nokogiri?
         expected_path = element.path
       else
@@ -63,11 +58,6 @@ module Webrat
     def submit
       @session.request_page(form_action, form_method, params)
     end
-
-    def field_with_id(id, *field_types)
-      possible_fields = fields_by_type(field_types)
-      possible_fields.detect { |possible_field| possible_field.matches_id?(id) }
-    end
     
     def field_named(name, *field_types)
       possible_fields = fields_by_type(field_types)
diff --git a/lib/webrat/core/locators.rb b/lib/webrat/core/locators.rb
index ea8361c..7d635e8 100644
--- a/lib/webrat/core/locators.rb
+++ b/lib/webrat/core/locators.rb
@@ -46,12 +46,26 @@ module Webrat
       end
     end
     
-    def find_field_with_id(id, *field_types) #:nodoc:
+    def field_by_element(element, *field_types)
       forms.detect_mapped do |form|
-        form.field_with_id(id, *field_types)
+        form.field_by_element(element, *field_types)
       end
     end
     
+    def find_field_with_id(id, *field_types) #:nodoc:
+      field_elements = Webrat::XML.css_search(dom, "button", "input", "textarea", "select")
+      
+      field_element = field_elements.detect do |field_element|
+        if id.is_a?(Regexp)
+          Webrat::XML.attribute(field_element, "id") =~ id
+        else
+          Webrat::XML.attribute(field_element, "id") == id.to_s
+        end
+      end
+      
+      field_by_element(field_element)
+    end
+    
     def find_select_option(option_text, id_or_name_or_label) #:nodoc:
       if id_or_name_or_label
         field = field(id_or_name_or_label, SelectField)