diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration.java
index 7be870f39..059ab56d0 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2014 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2014-2015 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.
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.rest.core.config;
 
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 
 import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
+import org.springframework.data.rest.core.mapping.ResourceMetadata;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.core.projection.ProjectionDefinitions;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
@@ -38,8 +40,32 @@ public class ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration implements ProjectionDefinitions
 	private final Map<ProjectionDefinitionKey, Class<?>> projectionDefinitions;
 	private String parameterName = DEFAULT_PROJECTION_PARAMETER_NAME;
 
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration}.
+	 */
 	public ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration() {
+		this(Collections.<ResourceMetadata> emptySet());
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration} from the given {@link ResourceMetadata} instances.
+	 * 
+	 * @param resourceMetadata must not be {@literal null}.
+	 */
+	public ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration(Iterable<ResourceMetadata> resourceMetadata) {
+
+		Assert.notNull(resourceMetadata, "ResourceMetadata must not be null!");
+
 		this.projectionDefinitions = new HashMap<ProjectionDefinitionKey, Class<?>>();
+
+		for (ResourceMetadata metadata : resourceMetadata) {
+
+			Class<?> projection = metadata.getExcerptProjection();
+
+			if (projection != null) {
+				addProjection(projection);
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -48,7 +74,7 @@ public class ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration implements ProjectionDefinitions
 	 */
 	public String getParameterName() {
 		return parameterName;
-	};
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Configures the request parameter name to be used to accept the projection name to be returned.
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfigurationUnitTests.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfigurationUnitTests.java
index 1868ace77..56784fbd8 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfigurationUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/config/ProjectionDefinitionConfigurationUnitTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2014 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2014-2015 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.
@@ -17,9 +17,14 @@ package org.springframework.data.rest.core.config;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.*;
 
+import java.util.Arrays;
+
+import org.hamcrest.Matchers;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.core.config.ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration.ProjectionDefinitionKey;
+import org.springframework.data.rest.core.mapping.ResourceMetadata;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests for {@link ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration}.
@@ -150,11 +155,22 @@ public class ProjectionDefinitionConfigurationUnitTests {
 				is(typeCompatibleWith(ParentProjection.class)));
 	}
 
-	@Projection(name = "name", types = Integer.class)
-	interface SampleProjection {
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAREST-577
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void registersExcerptProjectionsByDefault() {
 
+		ResourceMetadata metadata = mock(ResourceMetadata.class);
+		doReturn(SampleProjection.class).when(metadata).getExcerptProjection();
+
+		assertThat(new ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration(Arrays.asList(metadata)).getProjectionsFor(Integer.class),
+				Matchers.<String, Class<?>> hasEntry("name", SampleProjection.class));
 	}
 
+	@Projection(name = "name", types = Integer.class)
+	interface SampleProjection {}
+
 	@Projection(types = Integer.class)
 	interface Default {
 
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/RepositoryRestMvcConfiguration.java b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/RepositoryRestMvcConfiguration.java
index c2925979d..ff61cc416 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/RepositoryRestMvcConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/config/RepositoryRestMvcConfiguration.java
@@ -217,8 +217,9 @@ public class RepositoryRestMvcConfiguration extends HateoasAwareSpringDataWebCon
 	@Bean
 	public RepositoryRestConfiguration config() {
 
-		ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration configuration = new ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration();
+		ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration configuration = new ProjectionDefinitionConfiguration(resourceMappings());
 
+		// Register projections found in packages
 		for (Class<?> projection : getProjections(repositories())) {
 			configuration.addProjection(projection);
 		}