diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Configuration.java b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Configuration.java
index 2656043096..7e060bd0e3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Configuration.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/Configuration.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import org.w3c.dom.Document;
 import org.xml.sax.EntityResolver;
 import org.xml.sax.InputSource;
 
+import org.hibernate.DuplicateMappingException;
 import org.hibernate.EmptyInterceptor;
 import org.hibernate.HibernateException;
 import org.hibernate.Interceptor;
@@ -66,9 +67,6 @@ import org.hibernate.MappingException;
 import org.hibernate.MappingNotFoundException;
 import org.hibernate.SessionFactory;
 import org.hibernate.SessionFactoryObserver;
-import org.hibernate.DuplicateMappingException;
-import org.hibernate.id.IdentifierGeneratorAggregator;
-import org.hibernate.tuple.entity.EntityTuplizerFactory;
 import org.hibernate.dialect.Dialect;
 import org.hibernate.dialect.MySQLDialect;
 import org.hibernate.dialect.function.SQLFunction;
@@ -107,36 +105,39 @@ import org.hibernate.event.RefreshEventListener;
 import org.hibernate.event.ReplicateEventListener;
 import org.hibernate.event.SaveOrUpdateEventListener;
 import org.hibernate.id.IdentifierGenerator;
+import org.hibernate.id.IdentifierGeneratorAggregator;
 import org.hibernate.id.PersistentIdentifierGenerator;
-import org.hibernate.id.factory.IdentifierGeneratorFactory;
 import org.hibernate.id.factory.DefaultIdentifierGeneratorFactory;
+import org.hibernate.id.factory.IdentifierGeneratorFactory;
 import org.hibernate.impl.SessionFactoryImpl;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.AuxiliaryDatabaseObject;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.Collection;
+import org.hibernate.mapping.Column;
+import org.hibernate.mapping.DenormalizedTable;
+import org.hibernate.mapping.FetchProfile;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.ForeignKey;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.IdentifierCollection;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.Index;
+import org.hibernate.mapping.MappedSuperclass;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.PersistentClass;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.Property;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.RootClass;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.SimpleValue;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.Table;
-import org.hibernate.mapping.UniqueKey;
-import org.hibernate.mapping.FetchProfile;
-import org.hibernate.mapping.DenormalizedTable;
 import org.hibernate.mapping.TypeDef;
-import org.hibernate.mapping.Column;
-import org.hibernate.mapping.MappedSuperclass;
+import org.hibernate.mapping.UniqueKey;
 import org.hibernate.proxy.EntityNotFoundDelegate;
 import org.hibernate.secure.JACCConfiguration;
 import org.hibernate.tool.hbm2ddl.DatabaseMetadata;
-import org.hibernate.tool.hbm2ddl.TableMetadata;
 import org.hibernate.tool.hbm2ddl.IndexMetadata;
+import org.hibernate.tool.hbm2ddl.TableMetadata;
+import org.hibernate.tuple.entity.EntityTuplizerFactory;
 import org.hibernate.type.BasicType;
-import org.hibernate.type.BasicTypeRegistry;
 import org.hibernate.type.SerializationException;
 import org.hibernate.type.Type;
 import org.hibernate.type.TypeResolver;
+import org.hibernate.usertype.CompositeUserType;
+import org.hibernate.usertype.UserType;
 import org.hibernate.util.ArrayHelper;
 import org.hibernate.util.CollectionHelper;
 import org.hibernate.util.ConfigHelper;
@@ -2287,10 +2288,25 @@ public class Configuration implements Serializable {
 		return typeResolver;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Allows registration of a type into the type regsitry.  The phrase 'override' in the method name simply
+	 * reminds that registration *potentially* replaces a previously registered type .
+	 *
+	 * @param type The type to register.
+	 */
 	public void registerTypeOverride(BasicType type) {
 		getTypeResolver().registerTypeOverride( type );
 	}
 
+
+	public void registerTypeOverride(UserType type, String[] keys) {
+		getTypeResolver().registerTypeOverride( type, keys );
+	}
+
+	public void registerTypeOverride(CompositeUserType type, String[] keys) {
+		getTypeResolver().registerTypeOverride( type, keys );
+	}
+
 	public SessionFactoryObserver getSessionFactoryObserver() {
 		return sessionFactoryObserver;
 	}
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistry.java b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistry.java
index 2f896b4f7a..663357f409 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistry.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistry.java
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import org.hibernate.HibernateException;
+import org.hibernate.usertype.CompositeUserType;
+import org.hibernate.usertype.UserType;
 
 /**
  * A registry of {@link BasicType} instances
@@ -146,6 +148,14 @@ public class BasicTypeRegistry implements Serializable {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public void register(UserType type, String[] keys) {
+		register( new CustomType( type, keys ) );
+	}
+
+	public void register(CompositeUserType type, String[] keys) {
+		register( new CompositeCustomType( type, keys ) );
+	}
+
 	public BasicType getRegisteredType(String key) {
 		return registry.get( key );
 	}
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CompositeCustomType.java b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CompositeCustomType.java
index 386420bf6b..edde1f7f8e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CompositeCustomType.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CompositeCustomType.java
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
 import java.sql.ResultSet;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Properties;
 
 import org.dom4j.Element;
 import org.dom4j.Node;
+
 import org.hibernate.EntityMode;
 import org.hibernate.FetchMode;
 import org.hibernate.HibernateException;
@@ -42,20 +42,40 @@ import org.hibernate.engine.Mapping;
 import org.hibernate.engine.SessionFactoryImplementor;
 import org.hibernate.engine.SessionImplementor;
 import org.hibernate.usertype.CompositeUserType;
+import org.hibernate.usertype.LoggableUserType;
+import org.hibernate.util.ArrayHelper;
 
 /**
- * Adapts <tt>CompositeUserType</tt> to <tt>Type</tt> interface
+ * Adapts {@link CompositeUserType} to the {@link Type} interface
+ *
  * @author Gavin King
+ * @author Steve Ebersole
  */
-public class CompositeCustomType extends AbstractType implements CompositeType {
+public class CompositeCustomType extends AbstractType implements CompositeType, BasicType {
 	private final CompositeUserType userType;
+	private final String[] registrationKeys;
 	private final String name;
+	private final boolean customLogging;
 
 	public CompositeCustomType(CompositeUserType userType) {
+		this( userType, ArrayHelper.EMPTY_STRING_ARRAY );
+	}
+
+	public CompositeCustomType(CompositeUserType userType, String[] registrationKeys) {
 		this.userType = userType;
 		this.name = userType.getClass().getName();
+		this.customLogging = LoggableUserType.class.isInstance( userType );
+		this.registrationKeys = registrationKeys;
 	}
-	
+
+	public String[] getRegistrationKeys() {
+		return registrationKeys;
+	}
+
+	public CompositeUserType getUserType() {
+		return userType;
+	}
+
 	public boolean isMethodOf(Method method) {
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -155,8 +175,8 @@ public class CompositeCustomType extends AbstractType implements CompositeType {
 	public int getColumnSpan(Mapping mapping) throws MappingException {
 		Type[] types = userType.getPropertyTypes();
 		int n=0;
-		for (int i=0; i<types.length; i++) {
-			n+=types[i].getColumnSpan(mapping);
+		for ( Type type : types ) {
+			n += type.getColumnSpan( mapping );
 		}
 		return n;
 	}
@@ -217,20 +237,26 @@ public class CompositeCustomType extends AbstractType implements CompositeType {
 	}
 
 	public int[] sqlTypes(Mapping mapping) throws MappingException {
-		Type[] types = userType.getPropertyTypes();
 		int[] result = new int[ getColumnSpan(mapping) ];
 		int n=0;
-		for (int i=0; i<types.length; i++) {
-			int[] sqlTypes = types[i].sqlTypes(mapping);
-			for ( int k=0; k<sqlTypes.length; k++ ) result[n++] = sqlTypes[k];
+		for ( Type type : userType.getPropertyTypes() ) {
+			for ( int sqlType : type.sqlTypes( mapping ) ) {
+				result[n++] = sqlType;
+			}
 		}
 		return result;
 	}
 	
-	public String toLoggableString(Object value, SessionFactoryImplementor factory)
-		throws HibernateException {
-
-		return value==null ? "null" : value.toString();
+	public String toLoggableString(Object value, SessionFactoryImplementor factory) throws HibernateException {
+		if ( value == null ) {
+			return "null";
+		}
+		else if ( customLogging ) {
+			return ( (LoggableUserType) userType ).toLoggableString( value, factory );
+		}
+		else {
+			return value.toString();
+		}
 	}
 
 	public boolean[] getPropertyNullability() {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CustomType.java b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CustomType.java
index c2f1e9a6da..123ad4e757 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CustomType.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/CustomType.java
@@ -44,32 +44,42 @@ import org.hibernate.usertype.EnhancedUserType;
 import org.hibernate.usertype.LoggableUserType;
 import org.hibernate.usertype.UserType;
 import org.hibernate.usertype.UserVersionType;
+import org.hibernate.util.ArrayHelper;
 
 /**
  * Adapts {@link UserType} to the generic {@link Type} interface, in order
  * to isolate user code from changes in the internal Type contracts.
  *
- * @see org.hibernate.usertype.UserType
  * @author Gavin King
+ * @author Steve Ebersole
  */
-public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, DiscriminatorType, VersionType {
-
+public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, DiscriminatorType, VersionType, BasicType {
 	private final UserType userType;
 	private final String name;
 	private final int[] types;
 	private final boolean customLogging;
+	private final String[] registrationKeys;
 
 	public CustomType(UserType userType) throws MappingException {
+		this( userType, ArrayHelper.EMPTY_STRING_ARRAY );
+	}
+
+	public CustomType(UserType userType, String[] registrationKeys) throws MappingException {
 		this.userType = userType;
 		this.name = userType.getClass().getName();
 		this.types = userType.sqlTypes();
 		this.customLogging = LoggableUserType.class.isInstance( userType );
+		this.registrationKeys = registrationKeys;
 	}
 
 	public UserType getUserType() {
 		return userType;
 	}
 
+	public String[] getRegistrationKeys() {
+		return registrationKeys;
+	}
+
 	public int[] sqlTypes(Mapping pi) {
 		return types;
 	}
@@ -86,8 +96,7 @@ public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, Discrimi
 		return userType.equals(x, y);
 	}
 
-	public boolean isEqual(Object x, Object y, EntityMode entityMode)
-	throws HibernateException {
+	public boolean isEqual(Object x, Object y, EntityMode entityMode) throws HibernateException {
 		return isEqual(x, y);
 	}
 
@@ -95,33 +104,24 @@ public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, Discrimi
 		return userType.hashCode(x);
 	}
 
-	public Object nullSafeGet(
-		ResultSet rs,
-		String[] names,
-		SessionImplementor session,
-		Object owner
-	) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
-
+	public Object nullSafeGet(ResultSet rs, String[] names, SessionImplementor session, Object owner)
+			throws HibernateException, SQLException {
 		return userType.nullSafeGet(rs, names, owner);
 	}
 
-	public Object nullSafeGet(
-		ResultSet rs,
-		String columnName,
-		SessionImplementor session,
-		Object owner
-	) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
+	public Object nullSafeGet(ResultSet rs, String columnName, SessionImplementor session, Object owner)
+			throws HibernateException, SQLException {
 		return nullSafeGet(rs, new String[] { columnName }, session, owner);
 	}
 
 
 	public Object assemble(Serializable cached, SessionImplementor session, Object owner)
-	throws HibernateException {
+			throws HibernateException {
 		return userType.assemble(cached, owner);
 	}
 
 	public Serializable disassemble(Object value, SessionImplementor session, Object owner)
-	throws HibernateException {
+			throws HibernateException {
 		return userType.disassemble(value);
 	}
 
@@ -130,42 +130,36 @@ public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, Discrimi
 			Object target,
 			SessionImplementor session,
 			Object owner,
-			Map copyCache)
-	throws HibernateException {
+			Map copyCache) throws HibernateException {
 		return userType.replace(original, target, owner);
 	}
 
-	public void nullSafeSet(
-		PreparedStatement st,
-		Object value,
-		int index,
-		boolean[] settable,
-		SessionImplementor session
-	) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
-
-		if ( settable[0] ) userType.nullSafeSet(st, value, index);
+	public void nullSafeSet(PreparedStatement st, Object value, int index, boolean[] settable, SessionImplementor session)
+			throws HibernateException, SQLException {
+		if ( settable[0] ) {
+			userType.nullSafeSet( st, value, index );
+		}
 	}
 
-	public void nullSafeSet(
-		PreparedStatement st,
-		Object value,
-		int index,
-		SessionImplementor session
-	) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
-
-		userType.nullSafeSet(st, value, index);
+	public void nullSafeSet(PreparedStatement st, Object value, int index, SessionImplementor session)
+			throws HibernateException, SQLException {
+		userType.nullSafeSet( st, value, index );
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings({ "UnusedDeclaration" })
 	public String toXMLString(Object value, SessionFactoryImplementor factory) {
-		if (value==null) return null;
-		if (userType instanceof EnhancedUserType) {
-			return ( (EnhancedUserType) userType ).toXMLString(value);
+		if ( value == null ) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		if ( userType instanceof EnhancedUserType ) {
+			return ( (EnhancedUserType) userType ).toXMLString( value );
 		}
 		else {
 			return value.toString();
 		}
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings({ "UnusedDeclaration" })
 	public Object fromXMLString(String xml, Mapping factory) {
 		return ( (EnhancedUserType) userType ).fromXMLString(xml);
 	}
@@ -175,7 +169,7 @@ public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, Discrimi
 	}
 
 	public Object deepCopy(Object value, EntityMode entityMode, SessionFactoryImplementor factory)
-	throws HibernateException {
+			throws HibernateException {
 		return userType.deepCopy(value);
 	}
 
@@ -208,12 +202,12 @@ public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, Discrimi
 	}
 
 	public void setToXMLNode(Node node, Object value, SessionFactoryImplementor factory)
-	throws HibernateException {
+			throws HibernateException {
 		node.setText( toXMLString(value, factory) );
 	}
 
 	public String toLoggableString(Object value, SessionFactoryImplementor factory)
-	throws HibernateException {
+			throws HibernateException {
 		if ( value == null ) {
 			return "null";
 		}
@@ -227,12 +221,14 @@ public class CustomType extends AbstractType implements IdentifierType, Discrimi
 
 	public boolean[] toColumnNullness(Object value, Mapping mapping) {
 		boolean[] result = new boolean[ getColumnSpan(mapping) ];
-		if (value!=null) Arrays.fill(result, true);
+		if ( value != null ) {
+			Arrays.fill(result, true);
+		}
 		return result;
 	}
 
-	public boolean isDirty(Object old, Object current, boolean[] checkable, SessionImplementor session) throws HibernateException {
+	public boolean isDirty(Object old, Object current, boolean[] checkable, SessionImplementor session)
+			throws HibernateException {
 		return checkable[0] && isDirty(old, current, session);
 	}
-
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/TypeResolver.java b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/TypeResolver.java
index 834ee5ac74..83231165a9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/TypeResolver.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/type/TypeResolver.java
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ public class TypeResolver implements Serializable {
 		basicTypeRegistry.register( type );
 	}
 
+	public void registerTypeOverride(UserType type, String[] keys) {
+		basicTypeRegistry.register( type, keys );
+	}
+
+	public void registerTypeOverride(CompositeUserType type, String[] keys) {
+		basicTypeRegistry.register( type, keys );
+	}
+
 	public TypeFactory getTypeFactory() {
 		return typeFactory;
 	}
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistryTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistryTest.java
index 5d9a84dbe3..0840a6a120 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistryTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/type/BasicTypeRegistryTest.java
@@ -23,13 +23,21 @@
  */
 package org.hibernate.type;
 
+import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.net.URL;
+import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
+import java.sql.ResultSet;
+import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.UUID;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
+import org.hibernate.HibernateException;
+import org.hibernate.engine.SessionImplementor;
 import org.hibernate.type.descriptor.java.UrlTypeDescriptor;
 import org.hibernate.type.descriptor.sql.VarcharTypeDescriptor;
+import org.hibernate.usertype.CompositeUserType;
+import org.hibernate.usertype.UserType;
 
 /**
  * TODO : javadoc
@@ -67,6 +75,27 @@ public class BasicTypeRegistryTest extends TestCase {
 		assertSame( UrlType.INSTANCE, type );
 	}
 
+	public void testRegisteringUserTypes() {
+		registry.register( new TotallyIrrelevantUserType(), new String[] { "key" } );
+		BasicType type = registry.getRegisteredType( "key" );
+		assertNotNull( type );
+		assertEquals( CustomType.class, type.getClass() );
+		assertEquals( TotallyIrrelevantUserType.class, ( (CustomType) type ).getUserType().getClass() );
+
+		registry.register( new TotallyIrrelevantCompositeUserType(), new String[] { "key" } );
+		type = registry.getRegisteredType( "key" );
+		assertNotNull( type );
+		assertEquals( CompositeCustomType.class, type.getClass() );
+		assertEquals( TotallyIrrelevantCompositeUserType.class, ( (CompositeCustomType) type ).getUserType().getClass() );
+
+		type = registry.getRegisteredType( UUID.class.getName() );
+		assertSame( UUIDBinaryType.INSTANCE, type );
+		registry.register( new TotallyIrrelevantUserType(), new String[] { UUID.class.getName() } );
+		type = registry.getRegisteredType( UUID.class.getName() );
+		assertNotSame( UUIDBinaryType.INSTANCE, type );
+		assertEquals( CustomType.class, type.getClass() );
+	}
+
 	public static class UrlType extends AbstractSingleColumnStandardBasicType<URL> {
 		public static final UrlType INSTANCE = new UrlType();
 
@@ -83,4 +112,111 @@ public class BasicTypeRegistryTest extends TestCase {
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
+
+	public static class TotallyIrrelevantUserType implements UserType {
+
+		public int[] sqlTypes() {
+			return new int[0];
+		}
+
+		public Class returnedClass() {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public boolean equals(Object x, Object y) throws HibernateException {
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		public int hashCode(Object x) throws HibernateException {
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		public Object nullSafeGet(ResultSet rs, String[] names, Object owner) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public void nullSafeSet(PreparedStatement st, Object value, int index) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
+		}
+
+		public Object deepCopy(Object value) throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public boolean isMutable() {
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		public Serializable disassemble(Object value) throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public Object assemble(Serializable cached, Object owner) throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public Object replace(Object original, Object target, Object owner) throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static class TotallyIrrelevantCompositeUserType implements CompositeUserType {
+
+		public String[] getPropertyNames() {
+			return new String[0];
+		}
+
+		public Type[] getPropertyTypes() {
+			return new Type[0];
+		}
+
+		public Object getPropertyValue(Object component, int property) throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public void setPropertyValue(Object component, int property, Object value) throws HibernateException {
+		}
+
+		public Class returnedClass() {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public boolean equals(Object x, Object y) throws HibernateException {
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		public int hashCode(Object x) throws HibernateException {
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		public Object nullSafeGet(ResultSet rs, String[] names, SessionImplementor session, Object owner)
+				throws HibernateException, SQLException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public void nullSafeSet(PreparedStatement st, Object value, int index, SessionImplementor session)
+				throws HibernateException, SQLException {
+		}
+
+		public Object deepCopy(Object value) throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public boolean isMutable() {
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		public Serializable disassemble(Object value, SessionImplementor session) throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public Object assemble(Serializable cached, SessionImplementor session, Object owner)
+				throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		public Object replace(Object original, Object target, SessionImplementor session, Object owner)
+				throws HibernateException {
+			return null;
+		}
+	}
 }