diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/CrudRepositoryInvoker.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/CrudRepositoryInvoker.java
index f850dc7c4..82fb74c05 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/CrudRepositoryInvoker.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/CrudRepositoryInvoker.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2013-2014 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.
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@
 package org.springframework.data.rest.core.invoke;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 import org.springframework.core.convert.ConversionService;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Pageable;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
 import org.springframework.data.repository.CrudRepository;
+import org.springframework.data.repository.core.CrudMethods;
 import org.springframework.data.repository.core.RepositoryInformation;
 
 /**
@@ -32,6 +34,11 @@ import org.springframework.data.repository.core.RepositoryInformation;
 class CrudRepositoryInvoker extends ReflectionRepositoryInvoker {
 
 	private final CrudRepository<Object, Serializable> repository;
+	private final CrudMethods crudMethods;
+
+	private final boolean customSaveMethod;
+	private final boolean customFindOneMethod;
+	private final boolean customDeleteMethod;
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new {@link CrudRepositoryInvoker} for the given {@link CrudRepository}, {@link RepositoryInformation} and
@@ -46,6 +53,11 @@ class CrudRepositoryInvoker extends ReflectionRepositoryInvoker {
 
 		super(repository, information, conversionService);
 		this.repository = repository;
+		this.crudMethods = information.getCrudMethods();
+
+		this.customSaveMethod = isRedeclaredMethod(crudMethods.getSaveMethod());
+		this.customFindOneMethod = isRedeclaredMethod(crudMethods.getFindOneMethod());
+		this.customDeleteMethod = isRedeclaredMethod(crudMethods.getDeleteMethod());
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -80,8 +92,9 @@ class CrudRepositoryInvoker extends ReflectionRepositoryInvoker {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.rest.core.invoke.RepositoryInvoker#invokeFindOne(java.io.Serializable)
 	 */
 	@Override
-	public Object invokeFindOne(Serializable id) {
-		return repository.findOne(convertId(id));
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	public <T> T invokeFindOne(Serializable id) {
+		return customFindOneMethod ? super.<T> invokeFindOne(id) : (T) repository.findOne(convertId(id));
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -89,8 +102,8 @@ class CrudRepositoryInvoker extends ReflectionRepositoryInvoker {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.rest.core.invoke.ReflectionRepositoryInvoker#invokeSave(java.lang.Object)
 	 */
 	@Override
-	public Object invokeSave(Object entity) {
-		return repository.save(entity);
+	public <T> T invokeSave(T entity) {
+		return customSaveMethod ? super.invokeSave(entity) : repository.save(entity);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -99,6 +112,15 @@ class CrudRepositoryInvoker extends ReflectionRepositoryInvoker {
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void invokeDelete(Serializable id) {
-		repository.delete(convertId(id));
+
+		if (customDeleteMethod) {
+			super.invokeDelete(id);
+		} else {
+			repository.delete(convertId(id));
+		}
+	}
+
+	private boolean isRedeclaredMethod(Method method) {
+		return !method.getDeclaringClass().equals(CrudRepository.class);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/ReflectionRepositoryInvoker.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/ReflectionRepositoryInvoker.java
index 7aeb94f9c..09e5c1768 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/ReflectionRepositoryInvoker.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/ReflectionRepositoryInvoker.java
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class ReflectionRepositoryInvoker implements RepositoryInvoker {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.rest.core.invoke.RepositoryInvoker#invokeSave(java.lang.Object)
 	 */
 	@Override
-	public Object invokeSave(Object object) {
+	public <T> T invokeSave(T object) {
 		return invoke(methods.getSaveMethod(), object);
 	}
 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class ReflectionRepositoryInvoker implements RepositoryInvoker {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.rest.core.invoke.RepositoryInvoker#invokeFindOne(java.io.Serializable)
 	 */
 	@Override
-	public Object invokeFindOne(Serializable id) {
+	public <T> T invokeFindOne(Serializable id) {
 		return invoke(methods.getFindOneMethod(), convertId(id));
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/RepositoryInvoker.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/RepositoryInvoker.java
index db370a339..70ffa05d9 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/RepositoryInvoker.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/invoke/RepositoryInvoker.java
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
  */
 public interface RepositoryInvoker extends RepositoryInvocationInformation {
 
-	Object invokeSave(Object object);
+	<T> T invokeSave(T object);
 
-	Object invokeFindOne(Serializable id);
+	<T> T invokeFindOne(Serializable id);
 
 	Iterable<Object> invokeFindAll(Pageable pageable);
 
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/Order.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/Order.java
index 5e96914ea..c543a15ef 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/Order.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/Order.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2013-2014 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.
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 package org.springframework.data.rest.core.domain.jpa;
 
 import javax.persistence.Entity;
+import javax.persistence.GeneratedValue;
 import javax.persistence.Id;
 import javax.persistence.ManyToOne;
 import javax.persistence.Table;
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ import javax.persistence.Table;
 @Table(name = "ORDERS")
 public class Order {
 
-	private @Id Long id;
+	private @Id @GeneratedValue Long id;
 	private @ManyToOne Person creator;
 
 	public Order(Person creator) {
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/OrderRepository.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/OrderRepository.java
index 9d58b778c..a5496ceb2 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/OrderRepository.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/domain/jpa/OrderRepository.java
@@ -22,4 +22,17 @@ import org.springframework.data.repository.CrudRepository;
  */
 public interface OrderRepository extends CrudRepository<Order, Long> {
 
+	/* 
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.data.repository.CrudRepository#save(java.lang.Object)
+	 */
+	@Override
+	public <S extends Order> S save(S entity);
+
+	/* 
+	 * (non-Javadoc)
+	 * @see org.springframework.data.repository.CrudRepository#findOne(java.io.Serializable)
+	 */
+	@Override
+	public Order findOne(Long id);
 }