diff --git a/lib/sassc/engine.rb b/lib/sassc/engine.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/sassc/engine.rb
+++ b/lib/sassc/engine.rb
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ module SassC
     end
 
     def sass?
-      @options[:syntax] == "sass"
+      @options[:syntax] && @options[:syntax].to_sym == :sass
     end
 
     def load_paths
diff --git a/test/engine_test.rb b/test/engine_test.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/test/engine_test.rb
+++ b/test/engine_test.rb
@@ -102,4 +102,21 @@ SCSS
       }
     end
   end
+
+  def test_sass_variation
+    sass = <<SASS
+$size: 30px
+.foo
+  width: $size
+SASS
+
+    css = <<CSS
+.foo {
+  width: 30px; }
+CSS
+
+    assert_equal css, SassC::Engine.new(sass, syntax: :sass).render
+    assert_equal css, SassC::Engine.new(sass, syntax: "sass").render
+    assert_raises(SassC::SyntaxError) { SassC::Engine.new(sass).render }
+  end
 end
test sass syntax variation, allow to be string or symbol