diff --git a/lib/connectors/memory.js b/lib/connectors/memory.js
index 3490dfe3..04b0ed98 100644
--- a/lib/connectors/memory.js
+++ b/lib/connectors/memory.js
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ Memory.prototype.getCollection = function(model) {
   return model;
 }
 
+Memory.prototype.initCollection = function(model) {
+  this.collection(model, {});
+  this.collectionSeq(model, 1);
+}
+
 Memory.prototype.collection = function(model, val) {
   model = this.getCollection(model);
   if (arguments.length > 1) this.cache[model] = val;
@@ -181,10 +186,7 @@ Memory.prototype.saveToFile = function (result, callback) {
 Memory.prototype.define = function defineModel(definition) {
   this.constructor.super_.prototype.define.apply(this, [].slice.call(arguments));
   var m = definition.model.modelName;
-  if(!this.collection(m)) {
-    this.collection(m, {});
-    this.collectionSeq(m, 1);
-  }
+  if(!this.collection(m)) this.initCollection(m);
 };
 
 Memory.prototype.create = function create(model, data, callback) {
@@ -612,6 +614,16 @@ Memory.prototype.buildNearFilter = function (filter) {
   // noop
 }
 
+Memory.prototype.automigrate = function (models, cb) {
+  if (typeof models === 'function') cb = models, models = [];
+  if (models.length === 0) models = Object.keys(this._models);
+  var self = this;
+  models.forEach(function(m) {
+    self.initCollection(m);
+  });
+  if (cb) cb();
+}
+
 function merge(base, update) {
   if (!base) {
     return update;
diff --git a/lib/dao.js b/lib/dao.js
index 1d308f73..d5277b5e 100644
--- a/lib/dao.js
+++ b/lib/dao.js
@@ -79,7 +79,10 @@ DataAccessObject.applyProperties = function(data) {
 };
 
 DataAccessObject.applyScope = function(cond) {
-  
+  var scope = this.definition.settings.scope;
+  if (typeof scope === 'object') {
+    mergeQuery(cond, scope || {}, this.definition.settings.scoping);
+  }
 };
 
 /**
@@ -330,17 +333,7 @@ DataAccessObject.exists = function exists(id, cb) {
  */
 DataAccessObject.findById = function find(id, cb) {
   if (stillConnecting(this.getDataSource(), this, arguments)) return;
-
-  this.getDataSource().connector.find(this.modelName, id, function (err, data) {
-    var obj = null;
-    if (data) {
-      if (!getIdValue(this, data)) {
-        setIdValue(this, data, id);
-      }
-      obj = new this(data, {applySetters: false, persisted: true});
-    }
-    cb(err, obj);
-  }.bind(this));
+  this.findOne(byIdQuery(this, id), cb);
 };
 
 DataAccessObject.findByIds = function(ids, cond, cb) {
@@ -702,7 +695,7 @@ DataAccessObject.find = function find(query, cb) {
   var self = this;
 
   query = query || {};
-
+  
   try {
     this._normalize(query);
   } catch (err) {
@@ -711,6 +704,8 @@ DataAccessObject.find = function find(query, cb) {
     });
   }
 
+  this.applyScope(query);
+  
   var near = query && geo.nearFilter(query.where);
   var supportsGeo = !!this.getDataSource().connector.buildNearFilter;
 
diff --git a/lib/model.js b/lib/model.js
index 7bb19eb7..7e7a66f2 100644
--- a/lib/model.js
+++ b/lib/model.js
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ ModelBaseClass.prototype._initProperties = function (data, options) {
     }
     if (properties[p]) {
       // Managed property
-      if (applySetters) {
+      if (applySetters || properties[p].id) {
         self[p] = propVal;
       } else {
         self.__data[p] = propVal;
diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index bbde56fc..4e317058 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -56,14 +56,17 @@ function setScopeValuesFromWhere(data, where, targetModel) {
  * Merge query parameters
  * @param {Object} base The base object to contain the merged results
  * @param {Object} update The object containing updates to be merged
+ * @param {Object} spec Optionally specifies parameters to exclude (set to false)
  * @returns {*|Object} The base object
  * @private
  */
-function mergeQuery(base, update) {
+function mergeQuery(base, update, spec) {
   if (!update) {
     return;
   }
+  spec = spec || {};
   base = base || {};
+  
   if (update.where && Object.keys(update.where).length > 0) {
     if (base.where && Object.keys(base.where).length > 0) {
       base.where = {and: [base.where, update.where]};
@@ -73,7 +76,7 @@ function mergeQuery(base, update) {
   }
 
   // Merge inclusion
-  if (update.include) {
+  if (spec.include !== false && update.include) {
     if (!base.include) {
       base.include = update.include;
     } else {
@@ -82,30 +85,36 @@ function mergeQuery(base, update) {
       base.include[update.include] = saved;
     }
   }
-  if (update.collect) {
+  
+  if (spec.collect !== false && update.collect) {
     base.collect = update.collect;
   }
-
+  
+  // Overwrite fields
+  if (spec.fields !== false && update.fields !== undefined) {
+    base.fields = update.fields;
+  }
+  
   // set order
-  if (!base.order && update.order) {
+  if ((!base.order || spec.order === false) && update.order) {
     base.order = update.order;
   }
   
   // overwrite pagination
-  if (update.limit !== undefined) {
+  if (spec.limit !== false && update.limit !== undefined) {
     base.limit = update.limit;
   }
-  if (update.skip !== undefined) {
+  
+  var skip = spec.skip !== false && spec.offset !== false;
+  
+  if (skip && update.skip !== undefined) {
     base.skip = update.skip;
   }
-  if (update.offset !== undefined) {
+  
+  if (skip && update.offset !== undefined) {
     base.offset = update.offset;
   }
-
-  // Overwrite fields
-  if (update.fields !== undefined) {
-    base.fields = update.fields;
-  }
+  
   return base;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/default-scope.test.js b/test/default-scope.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..01d218b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/default-scope.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+// This test written in mocha+should.js
+var should = require('./init.js');
+var async = require('async');
+
+var db, Product, Tool, Widget;
+
+// This test requires a connector that can
+// handle a custom collection or table name
+
+describe('default scope', function () {
+  
+  before(function (done) {
+    db = getSchema();
+
+    Product = db.define('Product', {
+      name: String,
+      kind: String,
+      description: String
+    }, {
+      scope: { order: 'name' },
+    });
+    
+    Tool = db.define('Tool', { 
+        name: String, 
+        kind: String,
+        description: String
+      }, {
+        base: 'Product',
+        scope: { where: { kind: 'tool' }, order: 'name' },
+        mongodb: { collection: 'Product' },
+        memory: { collection: 'Product' }
+    });
+    
+    Widget = db.define('Widget', { 
+        name: String, 
+        kind: String,
+        description: String
+      }, {
+        base: 'Product',
+        scope: { where: { kind: 'widget' }, order: 'name' },
+        mongodb: { collection: 'Product' },
+        memory: { collection: 'Product' }
+    });
+
+    db.automigrate(done);
+  });
+  
+  describe('manipulation', function() {
+    
+    var ids = {};
+    
+    before(function(done) {
+      db.automigrate(done);
+    });
+    
+    it('should return a scoped instance', function() {
+      var p = new Tool({name: 'Product A', kind:'ignored'});
+      p.name.should.equal('Product A');
+      p.kind.should.equal('tool');
+      p.setAttributes({ kind: 'ignored' });
+      p.kind.should.equal('tool');
+      
+      p.setAttribute('kind', 'other'); // currently not enforced
+      p.kind.should.equal('other');
+    });
+    
+    it('should create a scoped instance - tool', function(done) {
+      Tool.create({name: 'Product A', kind: 'ignored'}, function(err, p) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        p.name.should.equal('Product A');
+        p.kind.should.equal('tool');
+        ids.productA = p.id;
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+    
+    it('should create a scoped instance - widget', function(done) {
+      Widget.create({name: 'Product B', kind: 'ignored'}, function(err, p) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        p.name.should.equal('Product B');
+        p.kind.should.equal('widget');
+        ids.productB = p.id;
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  
+    it('should update a scoped instance - updateAttributes', function(done) {
+      Tool.findById(ids.productA, function(err, p) {
+        p.updateAttributes({description: 'A thing...', kind: 'ingored'}, function(err, inst) {
+          should.not.exist(err);
+          p.name.should.equal('Product A');
+          p.kind.should.equal('tool');
+          p.description.should.equal('A thing...');
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  
+    it('should update a scoped instance - save', function(done) {
+      Tool.findById(ids.productA, function(err, p) {
+        p.description = 'Something...';
+        p.kind = 'ignored';
+        p.save(function(err, inst) {
+          should.not.exist(err);
+          p.name.should.equal('Product A');
+          p.kind.should.equal('tool');
+          p.description.should.equal('Something...');
+          Tool.findById(ids.productA, function(err, p) {
+            p.kind.should.equal('tool');
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  
+    it('should update a scoped instance - updateOrCreate', function(done) {
+      var data = {id: ids.productA, description: 'Anything...', kind: 'ingored'};
+      Tool.updateOrCreate(data, function(err, p) {
+          should.not.exist(err);
+          p.name.should.equal('Product A');
+          p.kind.should.equal('tool');
+          p.description.should.equal('Anything...');
+          done();
+      });
+    });
+  
+  });
+  
+  describe('queries', function() {
+    
+    var ids = {};
+    
+    before(function (done) {
+      db.automigrate(function(err) {
+        async.series([
+          function(next) {
+            Tool.create({name: 'Tool Z'}, function(err, inst) {
+              ids.toolZ = inst.id;
+              next();
+            });
+          },
+          function(next) {
+            Widget.create({name: 'Widget Z'}, function(err, inst) {
+              ids.widgetZ = inst.id;
+              next();
+            });
+          },
+          function(next) {
+            Tool.create({name: 'Tool A'}, function(err, inst) {
+              ids.toolA = inst.id;
+              next();
+            });
+          },
+          function(next) {
+            Widget.create({name: 'Widget A'}, function(err, inst) {
+              ids.widgetA = inst.id;
+              next();
+            });
+          }
+        ], done);
+      });
+    });
+    
+    it('should apply default scope - order', function(done) {
+      Product.find(function(err, products) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        products.should.have.length(4);
+        products[0].name.should.equal('Tool A');
+        products[1].name.should.equal('Tool Z');
+        products[2].name.should.equal('Widget A');
+        products[3].name.should.equal('Widget Z');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+    
+    it('should apply default scope - order override', function(done) {
+      Product.find({ order: 'name DESC' }, function(err, products) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        products.should.have.length(4);
+        products[0].name.should.equal('Widget Z');
+        products[1].name.should.equal('Widget A');
+        products[2].name.should.equal('Tool Z');
+        products[3].name.should.equal('Tool A');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+    
+    it('should apply default scope - where + order (tool)', function(done) {
+      Tool.find(function(err, products) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        products.should.have.length(2);
+        products[0].name.should.equal('Tool A');
+        products[1].name.should.equal('Tool Z');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+    
+    it('should apply default scope - where + order (widget)', function(done) {
+      Widget.find({ order: 'name DESC' }, function(err, products) {
+        should.not.exist(err);
+        products.should.have.length(2);
+        products[0].name.should.equal('Widget Z');
+        products[1].name.should.equal('Widget A');
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  
+  });
+  
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/relations.test.js b/test/relations.test.js
index 12e78d68..5315e677 100644
--- a/test/relations.test.js
+++ b/test/relations.test.js
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ describe('relations', function () {
         physician.patients.findById(id, function (err, ch) {
           should.not.exist(err);
           should.exist(ch);
-          ch.id.should.equal(id);
+          ch.id.should.eql(id);
           done();
         });
       }
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ describe('relations', function () {
         physician.patients.findById(id, function (err, ch) {
           should.not.exist(err);
           should.exist(ch);
-          ch.id.should.equal(id);
+          ch.id.should.eql(id);
           ch.name.should.equal('aa');
           done();
         });