diff --git a/src/Valitron/Validator.php b/src/Valitron/Validator.php
index 9bb36fc..9df216b 100644
--- a/src/Valitron/Validator.php
+++ b/src/Valitron/Validator.php
@@ -516,7 +516,9 @@ class Validator
     {
         foreach ($rules as $ruleType => $params) {
             if (is_array($params) && !empty($params)) {
-                if (is_array($params[0])) {
+                // differentiate between a single rule taking an array of params
+                // and an array of rules within a single type
+                if (count($params) > 1 && is_array($params[0]) && is_array($params[1])) {
                     foreach ($params as $innerParams) {
                         $this->callRuleWithParams($ruleType, $innerParams);
                     }
diff --git a/tests/Valitron/Validate.php b/tests/Valitron/Validate.php
index d7f8fce..a07b800 100644
--- a/tests/Valitron/Validate.php
+++ b/tests/Valitron/Validate.php
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ class ValidateTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
     public function testAcceptBulkRulesWithMultipleParams()
     {
         $rules = array(
-            'required' => array('nonexistent_field', 'other_missing_field'),
+            'required' => array(array('nonexistent_field', 'other_missing_field')),
             'equals' => array('foo', 'bar'),
             'length' => array('foo', 5)
         );