diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Tools/ResolveTargetEntityListener.php b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Tools/ResolveTargetEntityListener.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..621214fdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Tools/ResolveTargetEntityListener.php
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+ * A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+ * OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+ * DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+ * THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ * This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many individuals
+ * and is licensed under the LGPL. For more information, see
+ * <http://www.doctrine-project.org>.
+ */
+
+namespace Doctrine\ORM\Tools;
+
+use Doctrine\ORM\Event\LoadClassMetadataEventArgs;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\ClassMetadata;
+
+/**
+ * ResolveTargetEntityListener
+ *
+ * Mechanism to overwrite interfaces or classes specified as association
+ * targets.
+ *
+ * @author Benjamin Eberlei <kontakt@beberlei.de>
+ * @since 2.2
+ */
+class ResolveTargetEntityListener
+{
+    /**
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private $resolveTargetEntities = array();
+
+    /**
+     * Add a target-entity class name to resolve to a new class name.
+     *
+     * @param string $originalEntity
+     * @param string $newEntity
+     * @param array $mapping
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function addResolveTargetEntity($originalEntity, $newEntity, array $mapping)
+    {
+        $mapping['targetEntity'] = ltrim($newEntity, "\\");
+        $this->resolveTargetEntities[ltrim($originalEntity, "\\")] = $mapping;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Process event and resolve new target entity names.
+     *
+     * @param LoadClassMetadataEventArgs $args
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function loadClassMetadata(LoadClassMetadataEventArgs $args)
+    {
+        $cm = $args->getClassMetadata();
+        foreach ($cm->associationMappings as $assocName => $mapping) {
+            if (isset($this->resolveTargetEntities[$mapping['targetEntity']])) {
+                $this->remapAssociation($cm, $mapping);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private function remapAssociation($classMetadata, $mapping)
+    {
+        $newMapping = $this->resolveTargetEntities[$mapping['targetEntity']];
+        $newMapping = array_replace_recursive($mapping, $newMapping);
+        $newMapping['fieldName'] = $mapping['fieldName'];
+        unset($classMetadata->associationMappings[$mapping['fieldName']]);
+
+        switch ($mapping['type']) {
+            case ClassMetadata::MANY_TO_MANY:
+                $classMetadata->mapManyToMany($newMapping);
+                break;
+            case ClassMetadata::MANY_TO_ONE:
+                $classMetadata->mapManyToOne($newMapping);
+                break;
+            case ClassMetadata::ONE_TO_MANY:
+                $classMetadata->mapOneToMany($newMapping);
+                break;
+            case ClassMetadata::ONE_TO_ONE:
+                $classMetadata->mapOneToOne($newMapping);
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Tools/ResolveTargetEntityListenerTest.php b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Tools/ResolveTargetEntityListenerTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b794474a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Tools/ResolveTargetEntityListenerTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools;
+
+use Doctrine\ORM\Events;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\ClassMetadataFactory;
+use Doctrine\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetEntityListener;
+
+require_once __DIR__ . '/../../TestInit.php';
+
+class ResolveTargetEntityListenerTest extends \Doctrine\Tests\OrmTestCase
+{
+    /**
+     * @var EntityManager
+     */
+    private $em = null;
+
+    /**
+     * @var ResolveTargetEntityListener
+     */
+    private $listener = null;
+
+    /**
+     * @var ClassMetadataFactory
+     */
+    private $factory = null;
+
+    public function setUp()
+    {
+        $annotationDriver = $this->createAnnotationDriver();
+
+        $this->em = $this->_getTestEntityManager();
+        $this->em->getConfiguration()->setMetadataDriverImpl($annotationDriver);
+        $this->factory = new ClassMetadataFactory;
+        $this->factory->setEntityManager($this->em);
+        $this->listener = new ResolveTargetEntityListener;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @group DDC-1544
+     */
+    public function testResolveTargetEntityListenerCanResolveTargetEntity()
+    {
+        $evm = $this->em->getEventManager();
+        $this->listener->addResolveTargetEntity(
+            'Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetInterface',
+            'Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetEntity',
+            array()
+        );
+        $this->listener->addResolveTargetEntity(
+            'Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\TargetInterface',
+            'Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\TargetEntity',
+            array()
+        );
+        $evm->addEventListener(Events::loadClassMetadata, $this->listener);
+        $cm = $this->factory->getMetadataFor('Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetEntity');
+        $meta = $cm->associationMappings;
+        $this->assertSame('Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\TargetEntity', $meta['manyToMany']['targetEntity']);
+        $this->assertSame('Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetEntity', $meta['manyToOne']['targetEntity']);
+        $this->assertSame('Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetEntity', $meta['oneToMany']['targetEntity']);
+        $this->assertSame('Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\TargetEntity', $meta['oneToOne']['targetEntity']);
+    }
+}
+
+interface ResolveTargetInterface
+{
+    public function getId();
+}
+
+interface TargetInterface extends ResolveTargetInterface
+{
+}
+
+/**
+ * @Entity
+ */
+class ResolveTargetEntity implements ResolveTargetInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * @Id
+     * @Column(type="integer")
+     * @GeneratedValue(strategy="AUTO")  
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @ManyToMany(targetEntity="Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\TargetInterface")
+     */
+    private $manyToMany;
+
+    /**
+     * @ManyToOne(targetEntity="Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetInterface", inversedBy="oneToMany")
+     */
+    private $manyToOne;
+
+    /**
+     * @OneToMany(targetEntity="Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\ResolveTargetInterface", mappedBy="manyToOne")
+     */
+    private $oneToMany;
+
+    /**
+     * @OneToOne(targetEntity="Doctrine\Tests\ORM\Tools\TargetInterface")
+     * @JoinColumn(name="target_entity_id", referencedColumnName="id")
+     */
+    private $oneToOne;
+
+    public function getId()
+    {
+        return $this->id;
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * @Entity
+ */
+class TargetEntity implements TargetInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * @Id
+     * @Column(type="integer")
+     * @GeneratedValue(strategy="AUTO")  
+     */
+    private $id;
+
+    public function getId()
+    {
+        return $this->id;
+    }
+}