diff --git a/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/IntegrationTestApplicationConfig.java b/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/IntegrationTestApplicationConfig.java
index f9d8e863..8dee2744 100644
--- a/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/IntegrationTestApplicationConfig.java
+++ b/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/IntegrationTestApplicationConfig.java
@@ -64,4 +64,10 @@ public class IntegrationTestApplicationConfig extends AbstractCouchbaseConfigura
 		template.setWriteResultChecking(WriteResultChecking.LOG);
 		return template;
 	}
+
+  //change the name of the field that will hold type information
+	@Override
+	public String typeKey() {
+		return "javaClass";
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseTemplateParserIntegrationTests.java b/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseTemplateParserIntegrationTests.java
index c235f80a..8a8de793 100644
--- a/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseTemplateParserIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/CouchbaseTemplateParserIntegrationTests.java
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@
 
 package org.springframework.data.couchbase.config;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
+import com.couchbase.client.java.document.JsonDocument;
+import com.couchbase.client.java.document.json.JsonObject;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
@@ -26,6 +28,9 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionReader;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanDefinitionReader;
 import org.springframework.core.io.ClassPathResource;
+import org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.CouchbaseTemplate;
+import org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.convert.MappingCouchbaseConverter;
+import org.springframework.data.couchbase.repository.User;
 
 /**
  * @author Michael Nitschinger
@@ -72,4 +77,27 @@ public class CouchbaseTemplateParserIntegrationTests {
 		factory.getBean("cb-template-second");
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Test case for DATACOUCH-134 in xml: field for storing type information can be renamed.
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void testTypeFieldCanBeChosen() {
+		reader.loadBeanDefinitions(new ClassPathResource("configurations/couchbase-typekey.xml"));
+		CouchbaseTemplate template = factory.getBean("couchbaseTemplate", CouchbaseTemplate.class);
+
+		assertTrue(template.getConverter() instanceof MappingCouchbaseConverter);
+		MappingCouchbaseConverter converter = ((MappingCouchbaseConverter) template.getConverter());
+
+		assertEquals("javaXmlClass", converter.getTypeKey());
+
+    User u = new User("specialSaveUser", "John Locke");
+    template.save(u);
+    JsonDocument uJsonDoc = template.getCouchbaseBucket().get("specialSaveUser");
+    template.getCouchbaseBucket().remove("specialSaveUser");
+    assertNotNull(uJsonDoc);
+    JsonObject uJson = uJsonDoc.content();
+    assertNull(uJson.get(MappingCouchbaseConverter.TYPEKEY_DEFAULT));
+    assertEquals("org.springframework.data.couchbase.repository.User", uJson.getString("javaXmlClass"));
+    assertEquals("John Locke", uJson.getString("username"));
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/CouchbaseTemplateTests.java b/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/CouchbaseTemplateTests.java
index 9876ce6d..75b5d632 100644
--- a/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/CouchbaseTemplateTests.java
+++ b/src/integration/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/CouchbaseTemplateTests.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import org.springframework.dao.OptimisticLockingFailureException;
 import org.springframework.data.annotation.Id;
 import org.springframework.data.annotation.Version;
 import org.springframework.data.couchbase.IntegrationTestApplicationConfig;
+import org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.convert.MappingCouchbaseConverter;
 import org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.mapping.Document;
 import org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.mapping.Field;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
@@ -95,7 +96,9 @@ public class CouchbaseTemplateTests {
 		assertNotNull(result);
 		Map<String, Object> resultConv = MAPPER.readValue(result, new TypeReference<Map<String, Object>>() {});
 
-		assertEquals("org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.Beer", resultConv.get("_class"));
+		//DATACOUCH-134: the class holding field can be changed
+		assertNull(resultConv.get(MappingCouchbaseConverter.TYPEKEY_DEFAULT));
+		assertEquals("org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.Beer", resultConv.get("javaClass"));
 		assertEquals(false, resultConv.get("is_active"));
 		assertEquals("The Awesome Stout", resultConv.get("name"));
 	}
diff --git a/src/integration/resources/configurations/couchbase-typekey.xml b/src/integration/resources/configurations/couchbase-typekey.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dfe24e6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/integration/resources/configurations/couchbase-typekey.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
+       xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+       xmlns:couchbase="http://www.springframework.org/schema/data/couchbase"
+       xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/data/couchbase http://www.springframework.org/schema/data/couchbase/spring-couchbase.xsd
+		http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd">
+
+    <couchbase:env/>
+    <couchbase:cluster/>
+    <couchbase:bucket/>
+
+    <!--note that the template needs both converter and translation service if you want to customize converter-->
+    <couchbase:template translation-service-ref="myCustomTranslationService" converter-ref="myCustomConverter"/>
+
+    <bean id="myCustomTranslationService" class="org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.convert.translation.JacksonTranslationService"/>
+
+    <bean id="myCustomConverter" class="org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.convert.MappingCouchbaseConverter">
+            <!--this is a consequence of having to customize the converter-->
+            <!--WARNING this example is incomplete, look at couchbaseMappingContext() in AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration -->
+            <constructor-arg index="0" type="org.springframework.data.mapping.context.MappingContext">
+                    <ref bean="myCustomMappingContext"/>
+            </constructor-arg>
+            <!--this is where you customize the class field in JSON -->
+            <constructor-arg index="1" type="java.lang.String" value="javaXmlClass"/>
+    </bean>
+
+    <!--WARNING this example is incomplete, look at couchbaseMappingContext() in AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration -->
+    <bean id="myCustomMappingContext" class="org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.mapping.CouchbaseMappingContext" />
+
+</beans>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java
index 274638f7..26721d25 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/config/AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration.java
@@ -137,6 +137,18 @@ public abstract class AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration {
     return new CouchbaseTemplate(couchbaseClient(), mappingCouchbaseConverter(), translationService());
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Determines the name of the field that will store the type information for complex types when
+   * using the {@link #mappingCouchbaseConverter()}.
+   * Defaults to {@value MappingCouchbaseConverter#TYPEKEY_DEFAULT}.
+   *
+   * @see MappingCouchbaseConverter#TYPEKEY_DEFAULT
+   * @see MappingCouchbaseConverter#TYPEKEY_SYNCGATEWAY_COMPATIBLE
+   */
+  public String typeKey() {
+    return MappingCouchbaseConverter.TYPEKEY_DEFAULT;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Creates a {@link MappingCouchbaseConverter} using the configured {@link #couchbaseMappingContext}.
    *
@@ -144,7 +156,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractCouchbaseConfiguration {
    */
   @Bean
   public MappingCouchbaseConverter mappingCouchbaseConverter() throws Exception {
-    MappingCouchbaseConverter converter = new MappingCouchbaseConverter(couchbaseMappingContext());
+    MappingCouchbaseConverter converter = new MappingCouchbaseConverter(couchbaseMappingContext(), typeKey());
     converter.setCustomConversions(customConversions());
     return converter;
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/CouchbaseTypeMapper.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/CouchbaseTypeMapper.java
index 93615e11..e2cc10f0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/CouchbaseTypeMapper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/CouchbaseTypeMapper.java
@@ -26,4 +26,6 @@ import org.springframework.data.couchbase.core.mapping.CouchbaseDocument;
  */
 public interface CouchbaseTypeMapper extends TypeMapper<CouchbaseDocument> {
 
+  String getTypeKey();
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper.java
index 004a241a..68fc6d05 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper.java
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ public class DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper extends DefaultTypeMapper<CouchbaseDocum
    */
   public static final String DEFAULT_TYPE_KEY = "_class";
 
+  private final String typeKey;
+
   /**
    * Create a new type mapper with the type key.
    *
@@ -39,6 +41,12 @@ public class DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper extends DefaultTypeMapper<CouchbaseDocum
    */
   public DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper(final String typeKey) {
     super(new CouchbaseDocumentTypeAliasAccessor(typeKey));
+    this.typeKey = typeKey;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public String getTypeKey() {
+    return this.typeKey;
   }
 
   public static final class CouchbaseDocumentTypeAliasAccessor implements TypeAliasAccessor<CouchbaseDocument> {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/MappingCouchbaseConverter.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/MappingCouchbaseConverter.java
index 75919923..a5e33171 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/MappingCouchbaseConverter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/couchbase/core/convert/MappingCouchbaseConverter.java
@@ -64,6 +64,19 @@ import org.springframework.util.CollectionUtils;
 public class MappingCouchbaseConverter extends AbstractCouchbaseConverter
   implements ApplicationContextAware {
 
+  /**
+   * The default "type key", the name of the field that will hold type information.
+   *
+   * @see #TYPEKEY_SYNCGATEWAY_COMPATIBLE
+   */
+  public static final String TYPEKEY_DEFAULT = DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper.DEFAULT_TYPE_KEY;
+
+  /**
+   * A "type key" (the name of the field that will hold type information) that is
+   * compatible with Sync Gateway (which doesn't allows underscores).
+   */
+  public static final String TYPEKEY_SYNCGATEWAY_COMPATIBLE = "javaClass";
+
   /**
    * The overall application context.
    */
@@ -90,13 +103,24 @@ public class MappingCouchbaseConverter extends AbstractCouchbaseConverter
    *
    * @param mappingContext the mapping context to use.
    */
-  @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
   public MappingCouchbaseConverter(final MappingContext<? extends CouchbasePersistentEntity<?>,
-    CouchbasePersistentProperty> mappingContext) {
+      CouchbasePersistentProperty> mappingContext) {
+    this(mappingContext, TYPEKEY_DEFAULT);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new {@link MappingCouchbaseConverter} that will store class name for
+   * complex types in the <i>typeKey</i> attribute.
+   *
+   * @param mappingContext the mapping context to use.
+   * @param typeKey the attribute name to use to store complex types class name.
+   */
+  public MappingCouchbaseConverter(final MappingContext<? extends CouchbasePersistentEntity<?>,
+    CouchbasePersistentProperty> mappingContext, final String typeKey) {
     super(new DefaultConversionService());
 
     this.mappingContext = mappingContext;
-    typeMapper = new DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper(DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper.DEFAULT_TYPE_KEY);
+    typeMapper = new DefaultCouchbaseTypeMapper(typeKey != null ? typeKey : TYPEKEY_DEFAULT);
     spELContext = new SpELContext(CouchbaseDocumentPropertyAccessor.INSTANCE);
   }
 
@@ -105,6 +129,13 @@ public class MappingCouchbaseConverter extends AbstractCouchbaseConverter
     return mappingContext;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @return the name of the field that will hold type information.
+   */
+  public String getTypeKey() {
+    return typeMapper.getTypeKey();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public <R> R read(final Class<R> clazz, final CouchbaseDocument source) {
     return read(ClassTypeInformation.from(clazz), source, null);