diff --git a/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb b/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
index 3c6d4da..32f5133 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ module CouchRest
   #     view_by :tags,
   #       :map => 
   #         "function(doc) {
-  #           if (doc.type == 'Article' && doc.tags) {
+  #           if (doc['couchrest-type'] == 'Article' && doc.tags) {
   #             doc.tags.forEach(function(tag){
   #               emit(tag, 1);
   #             });
@@ -50,16 +50,12 @@ module CouchRest
     # instantiates the hash by converting all the keys to strings.
     def initialize keys = {}
       super()
-      if self.class.default
-        self.class.default.each do |k,v|
-          self[k.to_s] = v
-        end
-      end
+      apply_defaults
       keys.each do |k,v|
         self[k.to_s] = v
       end
       unless self['_id'] && self['_rev']
-        init_doc
+        self['couchrest-type'] = self.class.to_s
       end
     end
 
@@ -86,7 +82,8 @@ module CouchRest
       end
 
       def cast field, opts = {}
-        
+        @casts ||= {}
+        @casts[field.to_s] = opts
       end
 
       # Defines methods for reading and writing from fields in the document.
@@ -178,7 +175,7 @@ module CouchRest
       #     view_by :tags,                                                
       #       :map =>                                                     
       #         "function(doc) {                                          
-      #           if (doc.type == 'Post' && doc.tags) {                   
+      #           if (doc['couchrest-type'] == 'Post' && doc.tags) {                   
       #             doc.tags.forEach(function(tag){                       
       #               emit(doc.tag, 1);                                   
       #             });                                                   
@@ -194,7 +191,7 @@ module CouchRest
       # function:
       #  
       #   function(doc) {
-      #     if (doc.type == 'Post' && doc.date) {
+      #     if (doc['couchrest-type'] == 'Post' && doc.date) {
       #       emit(doc.date, null);
       #     }
       #   }
@@ -243,7 +240,7 @@ module CouchRest
           key_emit = doc_keys.length == 1 ? "#{doc_keys.first}" : "[#{doc_keys.join(', ')}]"
           map_function = <<-JAVASCRIPT
           function(doc) {
-            if (doc.type == '#{type}' && #{key_protection}) {
+            if (doc['couchrest-type'] == '#{type}' && #{key_protection}) {
               emit(#{key_emit}, null);
             }
           }
@@ -391,8 +388,12 @@ module CouchRest
       result['ok']
     end
 
-    def init_doc
-      self['type'] = self.class.to_s
+    def apply_defaults
+      if self.class.default
+        self.class.default.each do |k,v|
+          self[k.to_s] = v
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     include ::Extlib::Hook
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
index 42b8f3c..b9ad366 100644
--- a/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,15 @@ class WithTemplate < CouchRest::Model
   key_accessor :preset
 end
 
+class Question < CouchRest::Model
+  key_accessor :q, :a
+end
+
+class Course < CouchRest::Model
+  key_accessor :title
+  cast :questions, :as => [Question]
+end
+
 class Article < CouchRest::Model
   use_database CouchRest.database!('http://localhost:5984/couchrest-model-test')
   unique_id :slug
@@ -24,7 +33,7 @@ class Article < CouchRest::Model
   view_by :tags,
     :map => 
       "function(doc) {
-        if (doc.type == 'Article' && doc.tags) {
+        if (doc['couchrest-type'] == 'Article' && doc.tags) {
           doc.tags.forEach(function(tag){
             emit(tag, 1);
           });
@@ -135,6 +144,37 @@ describe CouchRest::Model do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "getting a model with a subobjects array" do
+    before(:all) do
+      course_doc = {
+        "title" => "Metaphysics 200",
+        "questions" => [
+          {
+            "q" => "Carve the ___ of reality at the ___.",
+            "a" => ["beast","joints"]
+          },{
+            "q" => "Who layed the smack down on Leibniz's Law?",
+            "a" => "Willard Van Orman Quine"
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+      r = Course.database.save course_doc
+      @course = Course.get r['id']
+    end
+    it "should load the course" do
+      @course.title.should == "Metaphysics 200"
+    end
+    it "should instantiate them as such" do
+      @course["questions"][0].a[0].should == "beast"
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "getting a model with a subobject field" do
+    it "should instantiate it as such" do
+      
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "saving a model" do
     before(:all) do
       @obj = Basic.new
@@ -158,7 +198,7 @@ describe CouchRest::Model do
     end
     
     it "should set the type" do
-      @obj['type'].should == 'Basic'
+      @obj['couchrest-type'].should == 'Basic'
     end
   end