diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/Binder.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/Binder.java
index 974a685180..f6c28125e6 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/Binder.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/Binder.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ package org.hibernate.metamodel.internal;
 
 import static org.hibernate.engine.spi.SyntheticAttributeHelper.SYNTHETIC_COMPOSITE_ID_ATTRIBUTE_NAME;
 
+import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -75,9 +76,9 @@ import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.HibernateTypeDescriptor;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.IdGenerator;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.IndexedPluralAttributeBinding;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.InheritanceType;
+import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.ManyToManyPluralAttributeElementBinding;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.ManyToOneAttributeBinding;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.MetaAttribute;
-import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.ManyToManyPluralAttributeElementBinding;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.OneToManyPluralAttributeElementBinding;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.OneToOneAttributeBinding;
 import org.hibernate.metamodel.spi.binding.PluralAttributeBinding;
@@ -802,7 +803,9 @@ public class Binder {
 		if ( discriminatorValue != null ) {
 			rootEntityBinding.setDiscriminatorMatchValue( discriminatorValue );
 		}
-		else {
+		else if ( !Modifier.isAbstract( bindingContext().locateClassByName( rootEntitySource.getEntityName() ).getModifiers() ) ) {
+			// Use the class name as a default if no dscriminator value.
+			// However, skip abstract classes -- obviously no discriminators there.
 			rootEntityBinding.setDiscriminatorMatchValue( rootEntitySource.getEntityName() );
 		}
 		// Configure discriminator hibernate type
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/annotations/inheritance/SubclassTest.java b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/annotations/inheritance/SubclassTest.java
index c7d1bb5b6f..85adfbdc2e 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/annotations/inheritance/SubclassTest.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/annotations/inheritance/SubclassTest.java
@@ -23,9 +23,13 @@
  */
 package org.hibernate.test.annotations.inheritance;
 
-import java.util.List;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
-import org.junit.Test;
+import java.util.List;
 
 import org.hibernate.Query;
 import org.hibernate.Session;
@@ -37,19 +41,12 @@ import org.hibernate.test.annotations.inheritance.singletable.Funk;
 import org.hibernate.test.annotations.inheritance.singletable.Music;
 import org.hibernate.test.annotations.inheritance.singletable.Noise;
 import org.hibernate.test.annotations.inheritance.singletable.Rock;
-import org.hibernate.testing.FailureExpectedWithNewMetamodel;
 import org.hibernate.testing.junit4.BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase;
-
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import org.junit.Test;
 
 /**
  * @author Emmanuel Bernard
  */
-@FailureExpectedWithNewMetamodel
 public class SubclassTest extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCase {
 	@Override
 	protected boolean isCleanupTestDataRequired() {