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/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'));
+      }
+    });
+
+  });
 });