diff --git a/lib/torque/animator.js b/lib/torque/animator.js
index ac74952..c8f1800 100644
--- a/lib/torque/animator.js
+++ b/lib/torque/animator.js
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@
     this._t0 = +new Date();
     this.callback = callback;
     this._time = 0.0;
-    _.defaults(this.options, {
-      animationDelay: 0,
-      maxDelta: 0.2,
-      loop: true
-    });
+    this.options = torque.extend({
+        animationDelay: 0,
+        maxDelta: 0.2,
+        loop: true
+    }, this.options);
 
     this.rescale();
 
diff --git a/lib/torque/gmaps/torque.js b/lib/torque/gmaps/torque.js
index 49c15f8..f37407a 100644
--- a/lib/torque/gmaps/torque.js
+++ b/lib/torque/gmaps/torque.js
@@ -10,16 +10,16 @@ function GMapsTorqueLayer(options) {
   this.key = 0;
   this.shader = null;
   this.ready = false;
-  this.options = _.extend({}, options);
-  _.defaults(this.options, {
+  this.options = torque.extend({}, options);
+  this.options = torque.extend({
     provider: 'windshaft',
     renderer: 'point',
     resolution: 2,
     steps: 100,
     visible: true
-  });
+  }, this.options);
   if (options.cartocss) {
-    _.extend(this.options, 
+    torque.extend(this.options,
         torque.common.TorqueLayer.optionsFromCartoCSS(options.cartocss));
   }
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ function GMapsTorqueLayer(options) {
 /**
  * torque layer
  */
-GMapsTorqueLayer.prototype = _.extend({}, 
+GMapsTorqueLayer.prototype = torque.extend({},
   CanvasLayer.prototype,
   torque.GMapsTileLoader.prototype,
   torque.Event,
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ GMapsTorqueLayer.prototype = _.extend({},
     if(this.provider && this.provider.setOptions(options)) {
       this._reloadTiles();
     }
-    _.extend(this.options, options);
+    torque.extend(this.options, options);
 
     // animator options
     if (options.animationDuration) {
@@ -293,12 +293,12 @@ GMapsTorqueLayer.prototype = _.extend({},
 
 
 function GMapsTiledTorqueLayer(options) {
-  this.options = _.extend({}, options);
+  this.options = torque.extend({}, options);
   CanvasTileLayer.call(this, this._loadTile.bind(this), this.drawTile.bind(this));
   this.initialize(options);
 }
 
-GMapsTiledTorqueLayer.prototype = _.extend({}, CanvasTileLayer.prototype, {
+GMapsTiledTorqueLayer.prototype = torque.extend({}, CanvasTileLayer.prototype, {
 
   providers: {
     'sql_api': torque.providers.json,
diff --git a/lib/torque/leaflet/torque.js b/lib/torque/leaflet/torque.js
index 31fcdef..7c82e86 100644
--- a/lib/torque/leaflet/torque.js
+++ b/lib/torque/leaflet/torque.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ L.TorqueLayer = L.CanvasLayer.extend({
     this.key = 0;
     this.prevRenderedKey = 0;
     if (options.cartocss) {
-      _.extend(options, torque.common.TorqueLayer.optionsFromCartoCSS(options.cartocss));
+      torque.extend(options, torque.common.TorqueLayer.optionsFromCartoCSS(options.cartocss));
     }
 
     options.resolution = options.resolution || 2;
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ L.TorqueLayer = L.CanvasLayer.extend({
       this._reloadTiles();
     }
 
-    _.extend(this.options, options);
+    torque.extend(this.options, options);
 
     // animator options
     if (options.animationDuration) {