diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests.java
index 3f7381df6..a7cc7876e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.domain.Page;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort.Order;
+import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.ElasticsearchTemplate;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoPoint;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.entities.SampleEntity;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories.custom.SampleCustomMethodRepository;
@@ -46,7 +47,6 @@ import org.springframework.data.geo.Point;
  * @author Christoph Strobl
  * @author Don Wellington
  */
-
 public abstract class CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests {
 
 	@Autowired private SampleCustomMethodRepository repository;
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryRestTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryRestTests.java
index 6d012468e..c969ba8fb 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryRestTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryRestTests.java
@@ -12,10 +12,13 @@
  * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
- */package org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories;
+ */
+package org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.client.RestHighLevelClient;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.ElasticsearchRestTemplate;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.entities.SampleEntity;
@@ -23,13 +26,13 @@ import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringRunner;
 
 /**
- * 
  * @author Don Wellington
- *
+ * @author Mark Paluch
  */
 @RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
 @ContextConfiguration("classpath:custom-method-repository-rest-test.xml")
 public class CustomMethodRepositoryRestTests extends CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests {
+
 	@Autowired private ElasticsearchRestTemplate elasticsearchTemplate;
 
 	@Before
@@ -39,4 +42,18 @@ public class CustomMethodRepositoryRestTests extends CustomMethodRepositoryBaseT
 		elasticsearchTemplate.putMapping(SampleEntity.class);
 		elasticsearchTemplate.refresh(SampleEntity.class);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Workaround because {@link SampleEntity} is used like everywhere and there's little chance to find the place where
+	 * the mapping is altered so that it becomes incompatible with the one created on repository startup.
+	 * <p>
+	 * TODO: Remove me once the cause is fixed! See: https://jira.spring.io/browse/DATAES-576
+	 */
+	public static class CleanupOnStartElasticsearchTemplate extends ElasticsearchRestTemplate {
+
+		public CleanupOnStartElasticsearchTemplate(RestHighLevelClient client) {
+			super(client);
+			deleteIndex(SampleEntity.class);
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryTests.java
index fd1d5a0a1..17d10a8dc 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repositories/CustomMethodRepositoryTests.java
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.client.Client;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.ElasticsearchTemplate;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.entities.SampleEntity;
@@ -24,13 +26,13 @@ import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringRunner;
 
 /**
- * 
  * @author Don Wellington
- *
+ * @author Mark Paluch
  */
 @RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
 @ContextConfiguration("classpath:custom-method-repository-test.xml")
 public class CustomMethodRepositoryTests extends CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests {
+
 	@Autowired private ElasticsearchTemplate elasticsearchTemplate;
 
 	@Before
@@ -40,4 +42,18 @@ public class CustomMethodRepositoryTests extends CustomMethodRepositoryBaseTests
 		elasticsearchTemplate.putMapping(SampleEntity.class);
 		elasticsearchTemplate.refresh(SampleEntity.class);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Workaround because {@link SampleEntity} is used like everywhere and there's little chance to find the place where
+	 * the mapping is altered so that it becomes incompatible with the one created on repository startup.
+	 * <p>
+	 * TODO: Remove me once the cause is fixed! See: https://jira.spring.io/browse/DATAES-576
+	 */
+	static class CleanupOnStartElasticsearchTemplate extends ElasticsearchTemplate {
+
+		public CleanupOnStartElasticsearchTemplate(Client client) {
+			super(client);
+			deleteIndex(SampleEntity.class);
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-rest-test.xml b/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-rest-test.xml
index 12c6aa72e..d9b283201 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-rest-test.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-rest-test.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,14 @@
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/data/elasticsearch https://www.springframework.org/schema/data/elasticsearch/spring-elasticsearch.xsd
 		http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans https://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-3.1.xsd">
 
-    <import resource="elasticsearch-rest-template-test.xml"/>
+    <import resource="infrastructure.xml"/>
+
+    <bean name="elasticsearchTemplate"
+          class="org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories.CustomMethodRepositoryRestTests$CleanupOnStartElasticsearchTemplate">
+        <constructor-arg name="client" ref="restClient"/>
+    </bean>
+
+    <elasticsearch:rest-client id="restClient"/>
 
     <elasticsearch:repositories
             base-package="org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories.custom"/>
diff --git a/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-test.xml b/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-test.xml
index abf45baad..59c49ace0 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-test.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/custom-method-repository-test.xml
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@
     <import resource="infrastructure.xml"/>
 
     <bean name="elasticsearchTemplate"
-          class="org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.ElasticsearchTemplate">
+          class="org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories.CustomMethodRepositoryTests$CleanupOnStartElasticsearchTemplate">
         <constructor-arg name="client" ref="client"/>
     </bean>
 
-
     <elasticsearch:repositories
             base-package="org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.repositories.custom"/>