diff --git a/lib/meta_search/helpers/form_builder.rb b/lib/meta_search/helpers/form_builder.rb
index 944da5e..baaf13d 100644
--- a/lib/meta_search/helpers/form_builder.rb
+++ b/lib/meta_search/helpers/form_builder.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'action_view'
 require 'action_view/template'
 module MetaSearch
-  Check = Struct.new(:box, :label)
+  Check = Struct.new(:text, :value, :box, :label)
 
   module Helpers
     module FormBuilder
@@ -124,14 +124,20 @@ def collection_checks(method, collection, value_method, text_method, options = {
           text = choice.send(text_method)
           value = choice.send(value_method)
           check = MetaSearch::Check.new
+          check.text = text
+          check.value = value
+          id = [
+            @object_name, method.to_s,
+            # see FormTagHelper#sanitize_to_id
+            value.to_s.downcase.gsub(']','').gsub(/[^-a-zA-Z0-9:.]/, "_")
+          ].join('_')
           check.box = @template.check_box_tag(
             "#{@object_name}[#{method}][]",
             value,
             [@object.send(method)].flatten.include?(value),
-            options.merge(:id => [@object_name, method.to_s, value.to_s.underscore].join('_'))
+            options.merge(:id => id)
           )
-          check.label = @template.label_tag([@object_name, method.to_s, value.to_s.underscore].join('_'),
-                                        text)
+          check.label = @template.label_tag(id, text)
           if block_given?
             yield check
           else
diff --git a/test/test_view_helpers.rb b/test/test_view_helpers.rb
index b9a1d72..3fdba3e 100644
--- a/test/test_view_helpers.rb
+++ b/test/test_view_helpers.rb
@@ -129,6 +129,12 @@ def setup
       assert @f.checks(:id_in, [['One', 1], ['Two', 2], ['Three', 3]]).all?{|c| c.is_a?(MetaSearch::Check)}
     end
 
+    should "provide direct access to the check box text and value" do
+      check = @f.checks(:id_in, [['One', 1]]).first
+      assert_equal 'One', check.text
+      assert_equal 1, check.value
+    end
+
     should "generate the expected HTML with a block" do
       expected = <<-EXPECTED
 <p>
@@ -154,6 +160,28 @@ def setup
 <% end -%>
       ERB
     end
+
+    context "where the values are strings" do
+      should "generate matching labels and inputs" do
+        expected = <<-EXPECTED
+<p>
+  <label for="search_name_in_mission_data">Mission Data</label>
+  <input id="search_name_in_mission_data" name="search[name_in][]"
+       type="checkbox" value="Mission Data" />
+</p>
+        EXPECTED
+
+        assert_dom_equal expected,
+          render(:to => :string, :inline => <<-ERB)
+<%= @f.checks(:name_in, [['Mission Data', 'Mission Data']]) do |c| -%>
+<p>
+  <%= c.label %>
+  <%= c.box %>
+</p>
+<% end %>
+        ERB
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   context "A form using checks with three choices and a previous selection" do