diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 10c6c4905..4cb9810f9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ coverage/*
 vendor/bundle
 .idea
 
+SOLUTION.md
diff --git a/lib/ransack/nodes/value.rb b/lib/ransack/nodes/value.rb
index 6313defb7..669d55c26 100644
--- a/lib/ransack/nodes/value.rb
+++ b/lib/ransack/nodes/value.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ def hash
       end
 
       def cast(type)
+        # Convert type to symbol if it's a string to ensure proper case matching
+        type = type.to_sym if type.is_a?(String)
+        
         case type
         when :date
           cast_to_date(value)
diff --git a/spec/ransack/nodes/value_spec.rb b/spec/ransack/nodes/value_spec.rb
index 1b5b7b251..99524301e 100644
--- a/spec/ransack/nodes/value_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ransack/nodes/value_spec.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ module Nodes
             expect(result).to eq(Date.parse(raw_value))
           end
         end
+        
+        # Test that string type also works (for robustness)
+        it "should cast 'date' string type correctly" do
+          result = subject.cast('date')
+
+          expect(result).to be_a_kind_of(Date)
+          expect(result).to eq(Date.parse(raw_value))
+        end
       end
 
       context "with a timestamp value" do
diff --git a/spec/ransack/predicate_spec.rb b/spec/ransack/predicate_spec.rb
index cf84e200d..4ae0e5d32 100644
--- a/spec/ransack/predicate_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ransack/predicate_spec.rb
@@ -473,6 +473,27 @@ module Ransack
           expect(@s.result.to_sql).to match /#{field} NOT IN \('a', 'b'\)/
         end
       end
+
+      describe "with date type and formatter" do
+        before do
+          Ransack.configure do |c|
+            c.add_predicate 'lteq_eod',
+                           arel_predicate: 'lteq',
+                           formatter: proc { |value|
+                             # This should receive a Date object, not a String
+                             raise "Expected Date, got #{value.class}" unless value.is_a?(Date)
+                             value.end_of_day
+                           },
+                           type: :date
+          end
+        end
+
+        it 'passes a Date object to the formatter, not a String' do
+          @s.life_start_lteq_eod = '2022-05-23'
+          # If the formatter receives a Date object, it won't raise an error
+          expect { @s.result.to_sql }.not_to raise_error
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     private