diff --git a/lib/model-builder.js b/lib/model-builder.js
index 63f79a8c..e18aac89 100644
--- a/lib/model-builder.js
+++ b/lib/model-builder.js
@@ -394,6 +394,8 @@ ModelBuilder.prototype.define = function defineClass(className, properties, sett
           DataType = List;
         } else if (DataType === Date) {
           DataType = DateType;
+        } else if (DataType === Boolean) {
+          DataType = BooleanType;
         } else if (typeof DataType === 'string') {
           DataType = modelBuilder.resolveType(DataType);
         }
@@ -472,7 +474,29 @@ ModelBuilder.prototype.define = function defineClass(className, properties, sett
 
 // DataType for Date
 function DateType(arg) {
-  return new Date(arg);
+  var d = new Date(arg);
+  if (isNaN(d.getTime())) {
+    throw new Error('Invalid date: ' + arg);
+  }
+  return d;
+}
+
+// Relax the Boolean coercision
+function BooleanType(arg) {
+  if (typeof arg === 'string') {
+    switch (arg) {
+      case 'true':
+      case '1':
+        return true;
+      case 'false':
+      case '0':
+        return false;
+    }
+  }
+  if (arg == null) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return Boolean(arg);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/include.test.js b/test/include.test.js
index e760508c..fa811438 100644
--- a/test/include.test.js
+++ b/test/include.test.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe('include', function () {
           should.not.exist(owner);
         } else {
           should.exist(owner);
-          owner.id.should.equal(p.ownerId);
+          owner.id.should.eql(p.ownerId);
         }
       });
       done();
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ describe('include', function () {
 
         u.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('posts');
         u.__cachedRelations.posts.forEach(function (p) {
-          p.userId.should.equal(u.id);
+          p.userId.should.eql(u.id);
         });
       });
       done();
@@ -68,11 +68,11 @@ describe('include', function () {
           should.not.exist(user);
         } else {
           should.exist(user);
-          user.id.should.equal(p.ownerId);
+          user.id.should.eql(p.ownerId);
           user.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('posts');
           user.should.have.property('posts');
           user.__cachedRelations.posts.forEach(function (pp) {
-            pp.userId.should.equal(user.id);
+            pp.userId.should.eql(user.id);
           });
         }
       });
@@ -105,15 +105,15 @@ describe('include', function () {
           should.not.exist(user);
         } else {
           should.exist(user);
-          user.id.should.equal(p.ownerId);
+          user.id.should.eql(p.ownerId);
           user.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('posts');
           user.__cachedRelations.posts.forEach(function (pp) {
             pp.should.have.property('id');
-            pp.userId.should.equal(user.id);
+            pp.userId.should.eql(user.id);
             pp.should.have.property('author');
             pp.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('author');
             var author = pp.__cachedRelations.author;
-            author.id.should.equal(user.id);
+            author.id.should.eql(user.id);
           });
         }
       });
@@ -246,10 +246,10 @@ describe('include', function () {
         user.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('posts');
         user.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('passports');
         user.__cachedRelations.posts.forEach(function (p) {
-          p.userId.should.equal(user.id);
+          p.userId.should.eql(user.id);
         });
         user.__cachedRelations.passports.forEach(function (pp) {
-          pp.ownerId.should.equal(user.id);
+          pp.ownerId.should.eql(user.id);
         });
       });
       done();
@@ -284,11 +284,11 @@ describe('include', function () {
           user.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('posts');
           user.__cachedRelations.should.have.property('passports');
           user.__cachedRelations.posts.forEach(function(p) {
-            p.userId.should.equal(user.id);
+            p.userId.should.eql(user.id);
             p.title.should.be.equal('Post A');
           });
           user.__cachedRelations.passports.forEach(function(pp) {
-            pp.ownerId.should.equal(user.id);
+            pp.ownerId.should.eql(user.id);
           });
         });
         done();
diff --git a/test/manipulation.test.js b/test/manipulation.test.js
index 8ee21977..b5af2d11 100644
--- a/test/manipulation.test.js
+++ b/test/manipulation.test.js
@@ -448,4 +448,76 @@ describe('manipulation', function () {
     //     p.name.should.equal('John Resig');
     // });
   });
+
+  describe('property value coercion', function () {
+    it('should coerce boolean types properly', function() {
+      var p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: 'false'});
+      p1.married.should.equal(false);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: 'true'});
+      p1.married.should.equal(true);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: '1'});
+      p1.married.should.equal(true);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: '0'});
+      p1.married.should.equal(false);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: true});
+      p1.married.should.equal(true);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: false});
+      p1.married.should.equal(false);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: 'null'});
+      p1.married.should.equal(true);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: ''});
+      p1.married.should.equal(false);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: 'X'});
+      p1.married.should.equal(true);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: 0});
+      p1.married.should.equal(false);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: 1});
+      p1.married.should.equal(true);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: null});
+      p1.should.have.property('married', null);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', married: undefined});
+      p1.should.have.property('married', undefined);
+
+    });
+
+    it('should coerce boolean types properly', function() {
+      var p1 = new Person({name: 'John', dob: '2/1/2015'});
+      p1.dob.should.eql(new Date('2/1/2015'));
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', dob: '2/1/2015'});
+      p1.dob.should.eql(new Date('2/1/2015'));
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', dob: '12'});
+      p1.dob.should.eql(new Date('12'));
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', dob: 12});
+      p1.dob.should.eql(new Date(12));
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', dob: null});
+      p1.should.have.property('dob', null);
+
+      p1 = new Person({name: 'John', dob: undefined});
+      p1.should.have.property('dob', undefined);
+
+      try {
+        p1 = new Person({name: 'John', dob: 'X'});
+        throw new Error('new Person() should have thrown');
+      } catch (e) {
+        e.should.be.eql(new Error('Invalid date: X'));
+      }
+    });
+
+  });
 });