diff --git a/lib/statesman/adapters/active_record.rb b/lib/statesman/adapters/active_record.rb
index 9fa42438..50beaa3d 100644
--- a/lib/statesman/adapters/active_record.rb
+++ b/lib/statesman/adapters/active_record.rb
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ def create(from, to, metadata = {})
         @last_transition = nil
       end
 
-      def history
-        if transitions_for_parent.loaded?
+      def history(force_reload: false)
+        if transitions_for_parent.loaded? && !force_reload
           # Workaround for Rails bug which causes infinite loop when sorting
           # already loaded result set. Introduced in rails/rails@b097ebe
           transitions_for_parent.to_a.sort_by(&:sort_key)
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def history
 
       def last(force_reload: false)
         if force_reload
-          @last_transition = history.last
+          @last_transition = history(force_reload: true).last
         else
           @last_transition ||= history.last
         end
diff --git a/lib/statesman/adapters/memory.rb b/lib/statesman/adapters/memory.rb
index 840071b3..e749bd51 100644
--- a/lib/statesman/adapters/memory.rb
+++ b/lib/statesman/adapters/memory.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ module Statesman
   module Adapters
     class Memory
       attr_reader :transition_class
-      attr_reader :history
       attr_reader :parent_model
 
       # We only accept mode as a parameter to maintain a consistent interface
@@ -32,6 +31,10 @@ def last(*)
         @history.sort_by(&:sort_key).last
       end
 
+      def history(*)
+        @history
+      end
+
       private
 
       def next_sort_key
diff --git a/lib/statesman/adapters/mongoid.rb b/lib/statesman/adapters/mongoid.rb
index efc3c74f..ac5ace0f 100644
--- a/lib/statesman/adapters/mongoid.rb
+++ b/lib/statesman/adapters/mongoid.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def create(from, to, metadata = {})
         @last_transition = nil
       end
 
-      def history
+      def history(*)
         transitions_for_parent.asc(:sort_key)
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/statesman/adapters/active_record_spec.rb b/spec/statesman/adapters/active_record_spec.rb
index 682e71cb..bdad345f 100644
--- a/spec/statesman/adapters/active_record_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/statesman/adapters/active_record_spec.rb
@@ -234,17 +234,35 @@
           described_class.new(MyActiveRecordModelTransition, model, observer)
         end
 
-        before { alternate_adapter.create(:y, :z, []) }
-
         it "still returns the cached value" do
+          alternate_adapter.create(:y, :z, [])
+
           expect_any_instance_of(MyActiveRecordModel).
             to receive(:my_active_record_model_transitions).never
           expect(adapter.last.to_state).to eq("y")
         end
 
-        context "when explitly not using the cache" do
-          it "still returns the cached value" do
-            expect(adapter.last(force_reload: true).to_state).to eq("z")
+        context "when explicitly not using the cache" do
+          context "when the transitions are in memory" do
+            before do
+              model.my_active_record_model_transitions.load
+              alternate_adapter.create(:y, :z, [])
+            end
+
+            it "reloads the value" do
+              expect(adapter.last(force_reload: true).to_state).to eq("z")
+            end
+          end
+
+          context "when the transitions are not in memory" do
+            before do
+              model.my_active_record_model_transitions.reset
+              alternate_adapter.create(:y, :z, [])
+            end
+
+            it "reloads the value" do
+              expect(adapter.last(force_reload: true).to_state).to eq("z")
+            end
           end
         end
       end
diff --git a/spec/statesman/adapters/mongoid_spec.rb b/spec/statesman/adapters/mongoid_spec.rb
index ca797ca1..71041e67 100644
--- a/spec/statesman/adapters/mongoid_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/statesman/adapters/mongoid_spec.rb
@@ -48,5 +48,35 @@
         end
       end
     end
+
+    context "when a new transition has been created elsewhere" do
+      let(:alternate_adapter) do
+        described_class.new(MyMongoidModelTransition, model, observer)
+      end
+
+      context "when explicitly not using the cache" do
+        context "when the transitions are in memory" do
+          before do
+            model.my_mongoid_model_transitions.entries
+            alternate_adapter.create(:y, :z)
+          end
+
+          it "reloads the value" do
+            expect(adapter.last(force_reload: true).to_state).to eq("z")
+          end
+        end
+
+        context "when the transitions are not in memory" do
+          before do
+            model.my_mongoid_model_transitions.reset
+            alternate_adapter.create(:y, :z)
+          end
+
+          it "reloads the value" do
+            expect(adapter.last(force_reload: true).to_state).to eq("z")
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 end