diff --git a/lib/relation-definition.js b/lib/relation-definition.js
index 18993ff8..704bcfaf 100644
--- a/lib/relation-definition.js
+++ b/lib/relation-definition.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ function RelationDefinition(definition) {
   this.modelThrough = definition.modelThrough;
   this.keyThrough = definition.keyThrough;
   this.multiple = (this.type !== 'belongsTo' && this.type !== 'hasOne');
-  this.mapping = definition.mapping || {};
+  this.properties = definition.properties || {};
   this.scope = definition.scope;
 }
 
@@ -107,19 +107,19 @@ RelationDefinition.prototype.applyScope = function(modelInstance, filter) {
 };
 
 /**
- * Apply the configured mapping to the target object.
+ * Apply the configured properties to the target object.
  * @param {Object} modelInstance
  * @param {Object} target
  */
-RelationDefinition.prototype.applyMapping = function(modelInstance, target) {
-  if (typeof this.mapping === 'function') {
-    var data = this.mapping.call(this, modelInstance);
+RelationDefinition.prototype.applyProperties = function(modelInstance, target) {
+  if (typeof this.properties === 'function') {
+    var data = this.properties.call(this, modelInstance);
     for(var k in data) {
       target[k] = data[k];
     }
-  } else if (typeof this.mapping === 'object') {
-    for(var k in this.mapping) {
-      var key = this.mapping[k];
+  } else if (typeof this.properties === 'object') {
+    for(var k in this.properties) {
+      var key = this.properties[k];
       target[key] = modelInstance[k];
     }
   }
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ RelationDefinition.hasMany = function hasMany(modelFrom, modelTo, params) {
     keyTo: fk,
     modelTo: modelTo,
     multiple: true,
-    mapping: params.mapping,
+    properties: params.properties,
     scope: params.scope
   });
   
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ HasManyThrough.prototype.create = function create(data, done) {
     d[fk1] = modelInstance[definition.keyFrom];
     d[fk2] = to[pk2];
     
-    definition.applyMapping(modelInstance, d);
+    definition.applyProperties(modelInstance, d);
     
     // Then create the through model
     modelThrough.create(d, function (e, through) {
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ HasManyThrough.prototype.add = function (acInst, done) {
 
   data[fk1] = this.modelInstance[pk1];
   data[fk2] = acInst[pk2] || acInst;
-  definition.applyMapping(this.modelInstance, data);
+  definition.applyProperties(this.modelInstance, data);
 
   // Create an instance of the through model
   modelThrough.findOrCreate(filter, data, function(err, ac) {
@@ -662,7 +662,6 @@ RelationDefinition.belongsTo = function (modelFrom, modelTo, params) {
   fn.returns = {arg: relationName, type: 'object', root: true};
 
   modelFrom.prototype['__get__' + relationName] = fn;
-
 };
 
 BelongsTo.prototype.create = function(targetModelData, cb) {
@@ -710,7 +709,7 @@ BelongsTo.prototype.related = function (refresh, params) {
   var pk = this.definition.keyTo;
   var fk = this.definition.keyFrom;
   var modelInstance = this.modelInstance;
-
+  
   if (arguments.length === 1) {
     params = refresh;
     refresh = false;
@@ -842,7 +841,7 @@ RelationDefinition.hasOne = function (modelFrom, modelTo, params) {
     keyFrom: pk,
     keyTo: fk,
     modelTo: modelTo,
-    mapping: params.mapping
+    properties: params.properties
   });
 
   modelFrom.dataSource.defineForeignKey(modelTo.modelName, fk, modelFrom.modelName);
@@ -885,7 +884,7 @@ HasOne.prototype.create = function (targetModelData, cb) {
   query.where[fk] = targetModelData[fk];
   
   this.definition.applyScope(modelInstance, query);
-  this.definition.applyMapping(modelInstance, targetModelData);
+  this.definition.applyProperties(modelInstance, targetModelData);
   
   modelTo.findOne(query, function(err, result) {
     if(err) {
@@ -928,7 +927,7 @@ HasMany.prototype.create = function (targetModelData, cb) {
   targetModelData = targetModelData || {};
   targetModelData[fk] = modelInstance[pk];
   
-  this.definition.applyMapping(modelInstance, targetModelData);
+  this.definition.applyProperties(modelInstance, targetModelData);
   
   modelTo.create(targetModelData, function(err, targetModel) {
     if(!err) {
@@ -953,7 +952,7 @@ HasMany.prototype.build = HasOne.prototype.build = function(targetModelData) {
   targetModelData = targetModelData || {};
   targetModelData[fk] = this.modelInstance[pk];
   
-  this.definition.applyMapping(this.modelInstance, targetModelData);
+  this.definition.applyProperties(this.modelInstance, targetModelData);
   
   return new modelTo(targetModelData);
 };
diff --git a/test/relations.test.js b/test/relations.test.js
index 0ba08a3c..2fae2b9b 100644
--- a/test/relations.test.js
+++ b/test/relations.test.js
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ describe('relations', function () {
     });
   });
   
-  describe('hasMany with mapping', function () {
-    it('can be declared with mapping', function (done) {
-      Book.hasMany(Chapter, { mapping: { type: 'bookType' } });
+  describe('hasMany with properties', function () {
+    it('can be declared with properties', function (done) {
+      Book.hasMany(Chapter, { properties: { type: 'bookType' } });
       db.automigrate(done);
     });
     
@@ -146,14 +146,14 @@ describe('relations', function () {
   });
   
   describe('hasMany with scope', function () {
-    it('can be declared with mapping', function (done) {
+    it('can be declared with properties', function (done) {
       Category.hasMany(Product, {
-        mapping: function(inst) {
+        properties: function(inst) {
           if (!inst.productType) return; // skip
           return { type: inst.productType };
         },
         scope: function(inst, filter) {
-          var m = this.mapping(inst); // re-use mapping
+          var m = this.properties(inst); // re-use properties
           if (m) return { where: m };
         }
       });
@@ -198,13 +198,13 @@ describe('relations', function () {
     // a reference to the parent scope/instance: ctx.instance
     // in order to enforce a (dynamic scope) at runtime
     // a temporary property can be set in the beforeRemoting
-    // handler. Optionally, a dynamic mapping can be declared.
+    // handler. Optionally,properties dynamic properties can be declared.
     //
     // The code below simulates this.
     
-    it('should create record on scope - mapped', function (done) {
+    it('should create record on scope - properties', function (done) {
       Category.findOne(function (err, c) {
-        c.productType = 'tool'; // temporary, for mapping
+        c.productType = 'tool'; // temporary
         c.products.create(function(err, p) {
           p.categoryId.should.equal(c.id);
           p.type.should.equal('tool');
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ describe('relations', function () {
     });
 
     it('can be declared using hasOne method', function () {
-      Supplier.hasOne(Account, { mapping: { name: 'supplierName' } });
+      Supplier.hasOne(Account, { properties: { name: 'supplierName' } });
       Object.keys((new Account()).toObject()).should.include('supplierId');
       (new Supplier()).account.should.be.an.instanceOf(Function);
     });