diff --git a/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/GraphRepositoryFactoryBean.java b/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/GraphRepositoryFactoryBean.java
index 3d6445083..6bd77dc26 100644
--- a/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/GraphRepositoryFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/GraphRepositoryFactoryBean.java
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ TransactionalRepositoryFactoryBeanSupport<R, T, Long> {
 
         if (neo4jMappingContext == null) {
             Neo4jMappingContext context = new Neo4jMappingContext();
-            context.afterPropertiesSet();
+            context.initialize();
             this.neo4jMappingContext = context;
         }
 
diff --git a/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/support/mapping/Neo4jMappingContext.java b/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/support/mapping/Neo4jMappingContext.java
index 4dc0cb0c2..be84f30c5 100644
--- a/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/support/mapping/Neo4jMappingContext.java
+++ b/spring-data-neo4j/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/support/mapping/Neo4jMappingContext.java
@@ -97,15 +97,6 @@ public class Neo4jMappingContext extends AbstractMappingContext<Neo4jPersistentE
         return tryToResolveAliasAsEntityClassName(alias);
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public void afterPropertiesSet() {
-        try {
-            super.afterPropertiesSet();
-        } catch(Exception e) {
-            e.printStackTrace();
-        }
-    }
-
     private Neo4jPersistentEntity<?> tryToResolveAliasAsEntityClassName(Object alias) {
         if (alias instanceof Class) {
             try {
@@ -147,7 +138,8 @@ public class Neo4jMappingContext extends AbstractMappingContext<Neo4jPersistentE
     private void cacheType(Class<?> type) {
         try {
             final Neo4jPersistentEntityImpl<?> entity = getPersistentEntity(type);
-            if (entity.isNodeEntity()) annotationCheckCache.put(type, NodeEntity.class);
+            if (entity == null) annotationCheckCache.put(type, type);
+            else if (entity.isNodeEntity()) annotationCheckCache.put(type, NodeEntity.class);
             else if (entity.isRelationshipEntity()) annotationCheckCache.put(type, RelationshipEntity.class);
             else annotationCheckCache.put(type, type);
         } catch (InvalidEntityTypeException me) {
diff --git a/spring-data-neo4j/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/MatchClauseUnitTest.java b/spring-data-neo4j/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/MatchClauseUnitTest.java
index 32af047a5..39d029cbb 100644
--- a/spring-data-neo4j/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/MatchClauseUnitTest.java
+++ b/spring-data-neo4j/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/neo4j/repository/query/MatchClauseUnitTest.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class MatchClauseUnitTest {
     public void setUp() {
         context = new Neo4jMappingContext();
         context.setInitialEntitySet(Collections.singleton(Person.class));
-        context.afterPropertiesSet();
+        context.initialize();
         variableContext = new VariableContext();
     }