diff --git a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/PersistentProperty.java b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/PersistentProperty.java
index 66cf12f0c..3ba7bee40 100644
--- a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/PersistentProperty.java
+++ b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/PersistentProperty.java
@@ -54,6 +54,14 @@ public interface PersistentProperty<P extends PersistentProperty<P>> {
 
 	Association<P> getAssociation();
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns whether the type of the {@link PersistentProperty} is actually to be regarded as {@link PersistentEntity}
+	 * in turn.
+	 * 
+	 * @return
+	 */
+	boolean isEntity();
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns whether the property is the ID property of the owning {@link PersistentEntity}.
 	 * 
diff --git a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java
index 9815dd53c..736edd374 100644
--- a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java
+++ b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java
@@ -165,6 +165,24 @@ public abstract class AbstractMappingContext<E extends MutablePersistentEntity<?
 		return addPersistentEntity(type);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.data.mapping.context.MappingContext#getPersistentEntity(org.springframework.data.mapping.PersistentProperty)
+	 */
+	public E getPersistentEntity(P persistentProperty) {
+
+		if (persistentProperty == null) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		try {
+			read.lock();
+			return persistentEntities.get(persistentProperty.getTypeInformation());
+		} finally {
+			read.unlock();
+		}
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * (non-Javadoc)
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.mapping.context.MappingContext#getPersistentPropertyPath(java.lang.Class, java.lang.String)
@@ -260,7 +278,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMappingContext<E extends MutablePersistentEntity<?
 
 			// Inform listeners
 			if (null != applicationEventPublisher) {
-				applicationEventPublisher.publishEvent(new MappingContextEvent<E, P>(entity, typeInformation));
+				applicationEventPublisher.publishEvent(new MappingContextEvent<E, P>(entity));
 			}
 
 			return entity;
diff --git a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/MappingContext.java b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/MappingContext.java
index 889e7c689..d62430c5a 100644
--- a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/MappingContext.java
+++ b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/MappingContext.java
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-/* Copyright 2004-2005 the original author or authors.
+/*
+ * Copyright 2011-2012 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,32 +18,20 @@ package org.springframework.data.mapping.context;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
 
-import org.springframework.data.mapping.PropertyPath;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.PersistentEntity;
 import org.springframework.data.mapping.PersistentProperty;
+import org.springframework.data.mapping.PropertyPath;
 import org.springframework.data.util.TypeInformation;
 import org.springframework.validation.Validator;
 
 /**
- * <p>
  * This interface defines the overall context including all known PersistentEntity instances and methods to obtain
- * instances on demand
- * </p>
- * <p/>
- * <p>
- * This interface is used internally to establish associations between entities and also at runtime to obtain entities
- * by name
- * </p>
- * <p/>
- * <p>
- * The generic type parameters T & R are used to specify the mapped form of a class (example Table) and property
- * (example Column) respectively.
- * </p>
- * <p/>
+ * instances on demand. it is used internally to establish associations between entities and also at runtime to obtain
+ * entities by name.
  * 
- * @author Graeme Rocher
- * @author Jon Brisbin
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Jon Brisbin
+ * @author Graeme Rocher
  */
 public interface MappingContext<E extends PersistentEntity<?, P>, P extends PersistentProperty<P>> {
 
@@ -69,6 +58,15 @@ public interface MappingContext<E extends PersistentEntity<?, P>, P extends Pers
 	 */
 	E getPersistentEntity(TypeInformation<?> type);
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns the {@link PersistentEntity} mapped by the given {@link PersistentProperty}.
+	 * 
+	 * @param persistentProperty
+	 * @return the {@link PersistentEntity} mapped by the given {@link PersistentProperty} or null if no
+	 *         {@link PersistentEntity} exists for it or the {@link PersistentProperty} does not refer to an entity.
+	 */
+	E getPersistentEntity(P persistentProperty);
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns all {@link PersistentProperty}s for the given path expression based on the given {@link PropertyPath}.
 	 * 
diff --git a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/AbstractPersistentProperty.java b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/AbstractPersistentProperty.java
index fea40007f..6afbed9db 100644
--- a/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/AbstractPersistentProperty.java
+++ b/spring-data-commons-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/AbstractPersistentProperty.java
@@ -175,7 +175,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractPersistentProperty<P extends PersistentProperty<P>
 		return getType().isArray();
 	}
 
-	protected boolean isEntity() {
+	/*
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.data.mapping.PersistentProperty#isEntity()
+	 */
+	public boolean isEntity() {
 
 		TypeInformation<?> actualType = information.getActualType();
 		boolean isComplexType = actualType == null ? false : !simpleTypeHolder.isSimpleType(actualType.getType());