diff --git a/lib/dao.js b/lib/dao.js
index ee49bc94..cff2e52c 100644
--- a/lib/dao.js
+++ b/lib/dao.js
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ DataAccessObject.applyScope = function(query, inst) {
 
 DataAccessObject.applyProperties = function(data, inst) {
   var properties = this.definition.settings.properties;
+  properties = properties || this.definition.settings.attributes;
   if (typeof properties === 'object') {
     util._extend(data, properties);
   } else if (typeof properties === 'function') {
@@ -107,6 +108,10 @@ DataAccessObject.applyProperties = function(data, inst) {
   }
 };
 
+DataAccessObject.lookupModel = function(data) {
+  return this;
+};
+
 /**
  * Create an instance of Model with given data and save to the attached data source. Callback is optional.
  * Example:
@@ -127,8 +132,8 @@ DataAccessObject.create = function (data, callback) {
   if (stillConnecting(this.getDataSource(), this, arguments)) return;
 
   var Model = this;
-  var modelName = Model.modelName;
-
+  var self = this;
+  
   if (typeof data === 'function') {
     callback = data;
     data = {};
@@ -154,6 +159,7 @@ DataAccessObject.create = function (data, callback) {
 
     for (var i = 0; i < data.length; i += 1) {
       (function (d, i) {
+        Model = self.lookupModel(d); // data-specific
         instances.push(Model.create(d, function (err, inst) {
           if (err) {
             errors[i] = err;
@@ -169,11 +175,15 @@ DataAccessObject.create = function (data, callback) {
     function modelCreated() {
       if (--wait === 0) {
         callback(gotError ? errors : null, instances);
-        if(!gotError) instances.forEach(Model.emit.bind('changed'));
+        if(!gotError) {
+          instances.forEach(function(inst) {
+            inst.constructor.emit('changed');
+          });
+        }
       }
     }
   }
-
+  
   var enforced = {};
   var obj;
   var idValue = getIdValue(this, data);
@@ -188,6 +198,9 @@ DataAccessObject.create = function (data, callback) {
   this.applyProperties(enforced, obj);
   obj.setAttributes(enforced);
   
+  Model = this.lookupModel(data); // data-specific
+  if (Model !== obj.constructor) obj = new Model(data);
+  
   data = obj.toObject(true);
   
   // validation required
@@ -198,12 +211,13 @@ DataAccessObject.create = function (data, callback) {
       callback(new ValidationError(obj), obj);
     }
   }, data);
-
+  
   function create() {
     obj.trigger('create', function (createDone) {
       obj.trigger('save', function (saveDone) {
 
         var _idName = idName(Model);
+        var modelName = Model.modelName;
         this._adapter().create(modelName, this.constructor._forDB(obj.toObject(true)), function (err, id, rev) {
           if (id) {
             obj.__data[_idName] = id;
@@ -251,7 +265,7 @@ DataAccessObject.updateOrCreate = DataAccessObject.upsert = function upsert(data
   if (stillConnecting(this.getDataSource(), this, arguments)) {
     return;
   }
-
+  var self = this;
   var Model = this;
   if (!getIdValue(this, data)) {
     return this.create(data, callback);
@@ -265,6 +279,7 @@ DataAccessObject.updateOrCreate = DataAccessObject.upsert = function upsert(data
     update = inst.toObject(false);
     this.applyProperties(update, inst);
     update = removeUndefined(update);
+    Model = this.lookupModel(update);
     this.getDataSource().connector.updateOrCreate(Model.modelName, update, function (err, data) {
       var obj;
       if (data && !(data instanceof Model)) {
@@ -286,6 +301,7 @@ DataAccessObject.updateOrCreate = DataAccessObject.upsert = function upsert(data
       if (inst) {
         inst.updateAttributes(data, callback);
       } else {
+        Model = self.lookupModel(data);
         var obj = new Model(data);
         obj.save(data, callback);
       }
@@ -774,8 +790,9 @@ DataAccessObject.find = function find(query, cb) {
   this.getDataSource().connector.all(this.modelName, query, function (err, data) {
     if (data && data.forEach) {
       data.forEach(function (d, i) {
-        var obj = new self(d, {fields: query.fields, applySetters: false, persisted: true});
-
+        var Model = self.lookupModel(d);
+        var obj = new Model(d, {fields: query.fields, applySetters: false, persisted: true});
+        
         if (query && query.include) {
           if (query.collect) {
             // The collect property indicates that the query is to return the
diff --git a/test/default-scope.test.js b/test/default-scope.test.js
index bb44f859..0d510cff 100644
--- a/test/default-scope.test.js
+++ b/test/default-scope.test.js
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ describe('default scope', function () {
       scopes: { active: { where: { active: true } } }
     });
     
+    Product.lookupModel = function(data) {
+      var m = this.dataSource.models[data.kind];
+      if (m.base === this) return m;
+      return this;
+    };
+    
     Tool = db.define('Tool', Product.definition.properties, {
         base: 'Product',
         scope: { where: { kind: 'Tool' }, order: 'name' },
@@ -94,7 +100,7 @@ describe('default scope', function () {
     
     Thing = db.define('Thing', Product.definition.properties, {
         base: 'Product',
-        properties: propertiesFn,
+        attributes: propertiesFn,
         scope: scopeFn,
         mongodb: { collection: 'Product' },
         memory: { collection: 'Product' }
@@ -206,6 +212,7 @@ describe('default scope', function () {
       Product.findById(ids.toolA, function(err, inst) {
         should.not.exist(err);
         inst.name.should.equal('Tool A');
+        inst.should.be.instanceof(Tool);
         done();
       });
     });
@@ -245,6 +252,13 @@ describe('default scope', function () {
         products[2].name.should.equal('Widget A');
         products[3].name.should.equal('Widget B');
         products[4].name.should.equal('Widget Z');
+        
+        products[0].should.be.instanceof(Product);
+        products[0].should.be.instanceof(Tool);
+        
+        products[2].should.be.instanceof(Product);
+        products[2].should.be.instanceof(Widget);
+        
         done();
       });
     });
@@ -702,11 +716,20 @@ describe('default scope', function () {
         cat.products(function(err, products) {
           should.not.exist(err);
           products.should.have.length(4);
-          products[0].should.be.instanceof(Product);
           products[0].name.should.equal('Thing A');
           products[1].name.should.equal('Tool A');
           products[2].name.should.equal('Widget A');
           products[3].name.should.equal('Widget B');
+          
+          products[0].should.be.instanceof(Product);
+          products[0].should.be.instanceof(Thing);
+          
+          products[1].should.be.instanceof(Product);
+          products[1].should.be.instanceof(Tool);
+          
+          products[2].should.be.instanceof(Product);
+          products[2].should.be.instanceof(Widget);
+          
           done();
         });
       });