diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/PropertyValue.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/PropertyValue.java
index 56706871ed..ef755dac9b 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/PropertyValue.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/domain/PropertyValue.java
@@ -145,66 +145,6 @@ public class PropertyValue implements Cloneable, Serializable
         },
         SERIALIZABLE
         {
-            /**
-             * As <code>Serializable</code> persistence is the last resort, being both
-             * more verbose as well as unusable in queries, the value is used to
-             * determine a more appropriate persistent type.  This method defers to
-             * the other, more basic types' version of this method to fulfill the request.
-             */
-            @Override
-            protected ValueType getPersistedType(Serializable value)
-            {
-                if (value == null)
-                {
-                    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Persisted type cannot be determined by null value");
-                }
-                // check the value to determine the most appropriate type to defer to
-                if (value instanceof Boolean)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.BOOLEAN.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if ((value instanceof Integer) || (value instanceof Long))
-                {
-                    return ValueType.LONG.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof Float)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.FLOAT.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof Double)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.DOUBLE.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof String)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.STRING.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof Date)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.DATE.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof ContentData)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.CONTENT.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof NodeRef)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.NODEREF.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof QName)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.QNAME.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else if (value instanceof Path)
-                {
-                    return ValueType.PATH.getPersistedType(value);
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    return this;
-                }
-            }
-
             @Override
             Serializable convert(Serializable value)
             {
@@ -269,7 +209,7 @@ public class PropertyValue implements Cloneable, Serializable
         };
         
         /**
-         * Override if the type gets persisted in a different format
+         * Override if the type gets persisted in a different format.
          * 
          * @param value the actual value that is to be persisted.  May not be null.
          */
@@ -308,6 +248,65 @@ public class PropertyValue implements Cloneable, Serializable
         }
     }
     
+    /**
+     * Determine the actual value type to aid in more concise persistence.
+     * 
+     * @param value the value that is to be persisted
+     * @return Returns the value type equivalent of the 
+     */
+    private static ValueType getActualType(Serializable value)
+    {
+        if (value == null)
+        {
+            return ValueType.NULL;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof Boolean)
+        {
+            return ValueType.BOOLEAN;
+        }
+        else if ((value instanceof Integer) || (value instanceof Long))
+        {
+            return ValueType.LONG;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof Float)
+        {
+            return ValueType.FLOAT;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof Double)
+        {
+            return ValueType.DOUBLE;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof String)
+        {
+            return ValueType.STRING;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof Date)
+        {
+            return ValueType.DATE;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof ContentData)
+        {
+            return ValueType.CONTENT;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof NodeRef)
+        {
+            return ValueType.NODEREF;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof QName)
+        {
+            return ValueType.QNAME;
+        }
+        else if (value instanceof Path)
+        {
+            return ValueType.PATH;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // type is not recognised as belonging to any particular slot
+            return ValueType.SERIALIZABLE;
+        }
+    }
+    
     /** a mapping from a property type <code>QName</code> to the corresponding value type */
     private static Map<QName, ValueType> valueTypesByPropertyType;
     static
@@ -362,7 +361,8 @@ public class PropertyValue implements Cloneable, Serializable
      */
     public PropertyValue(QName typeQName, Serializable value)
     {
-        this.actualType = makeValueType(typeQName);
+        this.actualType = PropertyValue.getActualType(value);
+//        this.actualType = makeValueType(typeQName);
         if (value == null)
         {
             setPersistedValue(ValueType.NULL, null);
@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ public class PropertyValue implements Cloneable, Serializable
         else
         {
             // get the persisted type
-            ValueType valueType = makeValueType(typeQName);
-            ValueType persistedValueType = valueType.getPersistedType(value);
+//            ValueType valueType = makeValueType(typeQName);
+            ValueType persistedValueType = this.actualType.getPersistedType(value);
             // convert to the persistent type
             value = persistedValueType.convert(value);
             setPersistedValue(persistedValueType, value);
@@ -586,6 +586,11 @@ public class PropertyValue implements Cloneable, Serializable
         // first check for null
         
         ValueType requiredType = makeValueType(typeQName);
+        if (requiredType == ValueType.SERIALIZABLE)
+        {
+            // the required type must be the actual type
+            requiredType = this.actualType;
+        }
         
         // we need to convert
         Serializable ret = null;
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/node/BaseNodeServiceTest.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/node/BaseNodeServiceTest.java
index a22d619c46..d86b011395 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/node/BaseNodeServiceTest.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/node/BaseNodeServiceTest.java
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
 import org.alfresco.error.AlfrescoRuntimeException;
 import org.alfresco.model.ContentModel;
 import org.alfresco.repo.content.MimetypeMap;
@@ -893,6 +895,36 @@ public abstract class BaseNodeServiceTest extends BaseSpringTest
         }
     }
     
+    /**
+     * Ensures that the type you get out of a <b>d:any</b> property is the type that you
+     * put in.
+     */
+    public void testSerializableProperties() throws Exception
+    {
+        ContentData contentData = new ContentData(null, null, 0L, null);
+        QName qname = PROP_QNAME_CONTENT_VALUE;
+        
+        Map<QName, Serializable> properties = new HashMap<QName, Serializable>(17);
+        properties.put(PROP_QNAME_CONTENT_VALUE, contentData);
+        properties.put(PROP_QNAME_SERIALIZABLE_VALUE, qname);
+        // create node
+        NodeRef nodeRef = nodeService.createNode(
+                rootNodeRef,
+                ASSOC_TYPE_QNAME_TEST_CHILDREN,
+                QName.createQName("pathA"),
+                ContentModel.TYPE_CONTAINER,
+                properties).getChildRef();
+        // persist
+        flushAndClear();
+        
+        // get the properties back
+        Map<QName, Serializable> checkProperties = nodeService.getProperties(nodeRef);
+        Serializable checkPropertyContentData = checkProperties.get(PROP_QNAME_CONTENT_VALUE);
+        Serializable checkPropertyQname = checkProperties.get(PROP_QNAME_SERIALIZABLE_VALUE);
+        assertTrue("Serialization/deserialization of ContentData failed", checkPropertyContentData instanceof ContentData);
+        assertTrue("Serialization/deserialization failed", checkPropertyQname instanceof QName);
+    }
+    
     /**
      * Check that properties go in and come out in the correct format
      */