diff --git a/lib/application.js b/lib/application.js
index d59cdc2e..8a93d8ff 100644
--- a/lib/application.js
+++ b/lib/application.js
@@ -221,8 +221,16 @@ app.boot = function(options) {
     app.model(key, obj);
   });
 
-  // attach models to dataSources by type
-  loopback.autoAttach();
+  // try to attach models to dataSources by type
+  try {
+    require('./loopback').autoAttach();
+  } catch(e) {
+    if(e.name === 'AssertionError') {
+      console.warn(e);
+    } else {
+      throw e;
+    }
+  }
 
   // require directories
   var requiredModels = requireDir(path.join(appRootDir, 'models'));
diff --git a/lib/loopback.js b/lib/loopback.js
index 5204ec21..a8b77c42 100644
--- a/lib/loopback.js
+++ b/lib/loopback.js
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ loopback.createDataSource = function (name, options) {
     return ModelCtor;
   };
 
-  if(options && options.defaultForType) {
-    loopback.setDefaultDataSourceForType(options.defaultForType, ds);
+  if(ds.settings && ds.settings.defaultForType) {
+    loopback.setDefaultDataSourceForType(ds.settings.defaultForType, ds);
   }
 
   return ds;
@@ -116,7 +116,9 @@ loopback.createModel = function (name, properties, options) {
   var model = loopback.Model.extend(name, properties, options);
 
   // try to attach
-  loopback.autoAttachModel(model);
+  try {
+    loopback.autoAttachModel(model);
+  } catch(e) {}
 
   return model;
 }
@@ -228,8 +230,9 @@ loopback.autoAttachModel = function(ModelCtor) {
   if(ModelCtor.autoAttach) {
     var ds = loopback.getDefaultDataSourceForType(ModelCtor.autoAttach);
 
-    assert(ds instanceof DataSource, 'cannot autoAttach model "' + ModelCtor.modelName
-    + '". No dataSource found of type ' + ModelCtor.attachTo);
+    assert(ds instanceof DataSource, 'cannot autoAttach model "'
+    + ModelCtor.modelName
+    + '". No dataSource found of type ' + ModelCtor.autoAttach);
 
     ModelCtor.attachTo(ds);
   }