diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Table.php b/lib/Doctrine/Table.php
index 96108f0d5..70d958320 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Table.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Table.php
@@ -1145,13 +1145,53 @@ class Doctrine_Table extends Doctrine_Configurable implements Countable
         if (isset($this->identityMap[$id])) {
             $record = $this->identityMap[$id];
         } else {
-            $record = new $this->options['name']($this);
+						$recordName = $this->getClassnameToReturn();
+						$record = new $recordName($this);
             $this->identityMap[$id] = $record;
         }
         $this->data = array();
 
         return $record;
     }
+
+	/**
+	 * Get the classname to return. Most often this is just the options['name']
+	 *
+	 * Check the subclasses option and the inheritanceMap for each subclass to see 
+	 * if all the maps in a subclass is met. If this is the case return that 
+	 * subclass name. If no subclasses match or if there are no subclasses defined 
+	 * return the name of the class for this tables record.
+	 *
+	 * @todo this function could use reflection to check the first time it runs 
+	 * if the subclassing option is not set. 
+	 *
+	 * @return string The name of the class to create
+	 *
+	 */ 
+	public function getClassnameToReturn()
+	{
+		if(!isset($this->options["subclasses"])){
+			return $this->options['name'];
+		}
+		foreach($this->options["subclasses"] as $subclass){
+			$table = $this->conn->getTable($subclass);
+			$inheritanceMap = $table->getOption("inheritanceMap");
+			$nomatch = false;
+			foreach($inheritanceMap as $key => $value){
+				if(!isset($this->data[$key]) || $this->data[$key] != $value){
+					$nomatch = true;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+			if(!$nomatch){
+				return $table->getComponentName();
+			}
+		}
+		return $this->options['name'];
+	}
+
+
+
     /**
      * @param $id                       database row id
      * @throws Doctrine_Find_Exception
diff --git a/manual/codes/Object relational mapping - Relations - Inheritance - Column aggregation.php b/manual/codes/Object relational mapping - Relations - Inheritance - Column aggregation.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 56e56b7d9..000000000
--- a/manual/codes/Object relational mapping - Relations - Inheritance - Column aggregation.php	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-class Entity extends Doctrine_Record { 
-    public function setTableDefinition() {
-        $this->hasColumn("name","string",30);
-        $this->hasColumn("username","string",20);
-        $this->hasColumn("password","string",16);
-        $this->hasColumn("created","integer",11);
-        
-        // this column is used for column 
-        // aggregation inheritance
-        $this->hasColumn("type", "integer", 11);
-    }
-}
-
-class User extends Entity {
-    public function setUp() {
-        $this->setInheritanceMap(array("type"=>1));
-    }
-}
-
-class Group extends Entity {
-    public function setUp() {
-        $this->setInheritanceMap(array("type"=>2));
-    }
-}
-?>
diff --git a/manual/docs/Object relational mapping - Relations - Inheritance - Column aggregation.php b/manual/docs/Object relational mapping - Relations - Inheritance - Column aggregation.php
index 8d399c14c..ee7969fe3 100644
--- a/manual/docs/Object relational mapping - Relations - Inheritance - Column aggregation.php	
+++ b/manual/docs/Object relational mapping - Relations - Inheritance - Column aggregation.php	
@@ -1,8 +1,87 @@
-In the following example we have one database table called 'entity'.
-Users and groups are both entities and they share the same database table.
-<br \><br \>
-The entity table has a column called 'type' which tells whether an entity is a group or a user.
-Then we decide that users are type 1 and groups type 2.
+In the following example we have one database table called 'entity'. Users and groups are both entities and they share the same database table.
+
+The entity table has a column called 'type' which tells whether an entity is a group or a user. Then we decide that users are type 1 and groups type 2.
+
+The only thing we have to do is to create 3 records (the same as before) and add call the Doctrine_Table::setInheritanceMap() method inside the setUp() method.
+
+<code type="php">
+class Entity extends Doctrine_Record { 
+    public function setTableDefinition() {
+        $this->hasColumn("name","string",30);
+        $this->hasColumn("username","string",20);
+        $this->hasColumn("password","string",16);
+        $this->hasColumn("created","integer",11);
+        
+        // this column is used for column 
+        // aggregation inheritance
+        $this->hasColumn("type", "integer", 11);
+    }
+}
+
+class User extends Entity {
+    public function setUp() {
+        $this->setInheritanceMap(array("type"=>1));
+    }
+}
+
+class Group extends Entity {
+    public function setUp() {
+        $this->setInheritanceMap(array("type"=>2));
+    }
+}
+</code>
+
+If we want to be able to fetch a record from the Entity table and automatically get a User record if the Entity we fetched is a user we have to do set the subclasses option in the parent class. The adjusted example:
+
+<code type="php">
+class Entity extends Doctrine_Record { 
+    public function setTableDefinition() {
+        $this->hasColumn("name","string",30);
+        $this->hasColumn("username","string",20);
+        $this->hasColumn("password","string",16);
+        $this->hasColumn("created","integer",11);
+        
+        // this column is used for column 
+        // aggregation inheritance
+        $this->hasColumn("type", "integer", 11);
+				$this->option("subclasses", array("User", "Group");
+    }
+}
+
+class User extends Entity {
+    public function setUp() {
+        $this->setInheritanceMap(array("type"=>1));
+    }
+}
+
+class Group extends Entity {
+    public function setUp() {
+        $this->setInheritanceMap(array("type"=>2));
+    }
+}
+</code>
+
+We can then do the following given the previous table mapping.
+
+<code type="php">
+$user = new User();
+$user->name="Bjarte S. Karlsen";
+$user->username="meus";
+$user->password="rat";
+$user->save();
+
+$group = new Group();
+$group->name="Users";
+$group->username="users";
+$group->password="password";
+$group->save();
+
+$q = Doctrine_Query();
+$user = $q->from("Entity")->where("id=?")->execute(array($user->id))->getFirst();
+
+$q = Doctrine_Query();
+$group = $q->from("Entity")->where("id=?")->execute(array($group->id))->getFirst();
+</code>
+
+The user object is here an instance of User while the group object is an instance of Group.
 
-The only thing we have to do is to create 3 records (the same as before) and add
-call the Doctrine_Table::setInheritanceMap() method inside the setUp() method.
diff --git a/tests/ColumnAggregationInheritanceTestCase.php b/tests/ColumnAggregationInheritanceTestCase.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6df43b9d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ColumnAggregationInheritanceTestCase.php
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ *  $Id$
+ *
+ * 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.phpdoctrine.com>.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Doctrine_ColumnAlias_TestCase
+ *
+ * @package     Doctrine
+ * @author      Bjarte Stien Karlsen <bjartka@pvv.ntnu.no> 
+ * @license     http://www.opensource.org/licenses/lgpl-license.php LGPL
+ * @category    Object Relational Mapping
+ * @link        www.phpdoctrine.com
+ * @since       1.0
+ * @version     $Revision$
+ */
+class Doctrine_ColumnAggregationInheritance_TestCase extends Doctrine_UnitTestCase 
+{
+		protected $otherEntity = null;
+
+    public function prepareData() 
+		{ 
+
+			parent::prepareData();
+			//we create a test entity that is not a user and not a group
+			$entity = new Entity();
+			$entity->name="Other Entity";
+			$entity->type = 2; 
+			$entity->save();
+			$this->otherEntity = $entity;
+		}
+    
+	public function testQueriedClassReturnedIfNoSubclassMatch()
+		{
+			$q = new Doctrine_Query();
+			$entityOther = $q->from("Entity")->where("id=?")->execute(array($this->otherEntity->id))->getFirst();
+			$this->assertTrue($entityOther instanceOf Entity);
+		}
+		
+		public function testSubclassReturnedIfInheritanceMatches()
+		{
+			$q = new Doctrine_Query();
+			$group = $q->from("Entity")->where("id=?")->execute(array(1))->getFirst();
+			$this->assertTrue($group instanceOf Group);
+
+			$q = new Doctrine_Query();
+			$user = $q->from("Entity")->where("id=?")->execute(array(5))->getFirst();
+			$this->assertTrue($user instanceOf User);
+		}
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/classes.php b/tests/classes.php
index 59786c4af..505662c83 100644
--- a/tests/classes.php
+++ b/tests/classes.php
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class Entity extends Doctrine_Record {
         $this->hasColumn('created', 'integer',11);
         $this->hasColumn('updated', 'integer',11);
         $this->hasColumn('email_id', 'integer');
+				$this->option('subclasses',array('User','Group'));
     }
 }
 class FieldNameTest extends Doctrine_Record {
diff --git a/tests/run.php b/tests/run.php
index a24c7b373..24e1a158e 100644
--- a/tests/run.php
+++ b/tests/run.php
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ $test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Query_Having_TestCase());
 $test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Query_From_TestCase());
 $test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Query_JoinCondition_TestCase());
 $test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_ColumnAlias_TestCase());
+$test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_ColumnAggregationInheritance_TestCase());
 $test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Query_Subquery_TestCase());
 
 $test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Query_Join_TestCase());
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ $test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Cache_Sqlite_TestCase());
 //$test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Cache_FileTestCase());
 //$test->addTestCase(new Doctrine_Cache_SqliteTestCase());
 
+
 class MyReporter extends HtmlReporter {
     public function paintHeader() {}
     public function paintFooter()