diff --git a/docs/x509.rst b/docs/x509.rst
index 9406bd8..aea084f 100644
--- a/docs/x509.rst
+++ b/docs/x509.rst
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@
     Object identifiers (frequently seen abbreviated as OID) identify the type
     of a value (see: :class:`NameAttribute`).
 
-    .. attribute:: value
+    .. attribute:: dotted_string
 
         :type: :class:`str`
 
diff --git a/src/cryptography/x509.py b/src/cryptography/x509.py
index 1b8d635..7f3ace4 100644
--- a/src/cryptography/x509.py
+++ b/src/cryptography/x509.py
@@ -75,24 +75,25 @@
 
 
 class ObjectIdentifier(object):
-    def __init__(self, oid):
-        self._value = oid
+    def __init__(self, dotted_string):
+        self._dotted_string = dotted_string
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         if not isinstance(other, ObjectIdentifier):
             return NotImplemented
 
-        return self._value == other._value
+        return self._dotted_string == other._dotted_string
 
     def __ne__(self, other):
         return not self == other
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return "<ObjectIdentifier(oid={0}, name={1})>".format(
-            self._value, _OID_NAMES.get(self._value, "Unknown OID")
+            self._dotted_string,
+            _OID_NAMES.get(self._dotted_string, "Unknown OID")
         )
 
-    value = utils.read_only_property("_value")
+    dotted_string = utils.read_only_property("_dotted_string")
 
 
 OID_COMMON_NAME = ObjectIdentifier("2.5.4.3")