diff --git a/lib/simple_navigation/rendering/renderer/bootstrap.rb b/lib/simple_navigation/rendering/renderer/bootstrap.rb
index ef105d0..ace722d 100644
--- a/lib/simple_navigation/rendering/renderer/bootstrap.rb
+++ b/lib/simple_navigation/rendering/renderer/bootstrap.rb
@@ -6,21 +6,22 @@ def render(item_container)
         config_selected_class = SimpleNavigation.config.selected_class
         SimpleNavigation.config.selected_class = 'active'
         list_content = item_container.items.inject([]) do |list, item|
-          li_options = item.html_options.reject {|k, v| k == :link}
-          icon = li_options.delete(:icon)
+          options = item.send('options')
+          li_options = item.html_options
+          icon = options[:icon]
           dropdown = item_container.dropdown.nil? ? true : item_container.dropdown
           split = item_container.split
-          split = (include_sub_navigation?(item) and li_options.delete(:split)) if li_options.include?(:split)
-          dropdown = (include_sub_navigation?(item) and li_options.delete(:dropdown)) if li_options.include?(:dropdown)
+          split = (include_sub_navigation?(item) and options.delete(:split)) if options.include?(:split)
+          dropdown = (include_sub_navigation?(item) and options.delete(:dropdown)) if options.include?(:dropdown)
           li_content = tag_for(item, item.name, icon, split, dropdown)
           if include_sub_navigation?(item)
             if split
-              lio = li_options.dup
-              lio[:class] = [li_options[:class], 'dropdown-split-left'].flatten.compact.join(' ')
-              list << content_tag(:li, li_content, lio)
-              item.html_options[:link] = nil
-              li_options[:id] = nil
-              li_content = tag_for(item)
+              li_options2 = li_options.dup
+              li_options2[:class] = [options[:class], 'dropdown-split-left'].flatten.compact.join(' ')
+              list << content_tag(:li, li_content, li_options2)
+              item2 = item.dup
+              item2.instance_variable_set(:'@url', '#') # split should not have a url
+              li_content = tag_for(item2)
             end
             item.sub_navigation.dom_class = [item.sub_navigation.dom_class, dropdown ? 'dropdown-menu' : nil, split ? 'pull-right' : nil].flatten.compact.join(' ')
             li_content << render_sub_navigation_for(item)
@@ -49,18 +50,18 @@ def tag_for(item, name = '', icon = nil, split = false, dropdown = false)
         link << content_tag(:i, '', :class => [icon].flatten.compact.join(' ')) unless icon.nil?
         link << name
         if include_sub_navigation?(item)
-          item_options = item.html_options
-          item_options[:link] = Hash.new if item_options[:link].nil?
-          item_options[:link][:class] = Array.new if item_options[:link][:class].nil?
+          item_link_html_opts = item.link_html_options || Hash.new
+          item_link_html_opts[:class] = Array.new if item_link_html_opts[:class].nil?
           unless split
             if dropdown
-              item_options[:link][:class] << 'dropdown-toggle'
-              item_options[:link][:'data-toggle'] = 'dropdown'
-              item_options[:link][:'data-target'] = '#'
+              item_link_html_opts[:class] << 'dropdown-toggle'
+              item_link_html_opts[:'data-toggle'] = 'dropdown'
+              item_link_html_opts[:'data-target'] = '#'
             end
             link << content_tag(:b, '', :class => 'caret')
           end
-          item.html_options = item_options
+          # if html_options was exposed then item.html_options = item_options[:link] would work
+          item.instance_variable_set(:'@link_html_options', item_link_html_opts)
         end
         link_to(link.join(" ").html_safe, url, options_for(item))
       end
diff --git a/simple-navigation-bootstrap.gemspec b/simple-navigation-bootstrap.gemspec
index 535e2f2..27de091 100644
--- a/simple-navigation-bootstrap.gemspec
+++ b/simple-navigation-bootstrap.gemspec
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
 
   # specify any dependencies here; for example:
   s.add_development_dependency "rake"
-  s.add_runtime_dependency "simple-navigation", ">= 3.7.0", "< 4.0.0"
+  s.add_runtime_dependency "simple-navigation", ">= 4.0.0"
   s.add_runtime_dependency "railties", ">= 3.1"
+  # thor dependencies assume the spurious warning messages bug will be fixed 19.5
+  s.add_runtime_dependency "thor", "0.19.1", "!=0.19.2", "!=0.19.3", "!=0.19.4"
 end