diff --git a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeDiscoverer.java b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeDiscoverer.java
index aa95a2f61..7e0dfb2e6 100644
--- a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeDiscoverer.java
+++ b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeDiscoverer.java
@@ -219,6 +219,19 @@ class TypeDiscoverer<S> implements TypeInformation<S> {
 	public Class<S> getType() {
 		return resolveType(type);
 	}
+	
+	/* (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.data.util.TypeInformation#getActualType()
+	 */
+	public TypeInformation<?> getActualType() {
+		if (isMap()) {
+			return getMapValueType();
+		} else if (isCollectionLike()) {
+			return getComponentType();
+		} else {
+			return this;
+		}
+	}
 
 	/* (non-Javadoc)
 		 * @see org.springframework.data.util.TypeInformation#isMap()
diff --git a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeInformation.java b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeInformation.java
index 5af9e2f5c..bf1fc9138 100644
--- a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeInformation.java
+++ b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/util/TypeInformation.java
@@ -64,4 +64,12 @@ public interface TypeInformation<S> {
 	 * @return
 	 */
 	Class<S> getType();
+
+	/**
+	 * Transparently returns the {@link Map} value type if the type is a {@link Map}, returns the component type if the
+	 * type {@link #isCollectionLike()} or the simple type if none of this applies.
+	 * 
+	 * @return
+	 */
+	TypeInformation<?> getActualType();
 }
\ No newline at end of file