diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/domain/AbstractAttributeContainer.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/domain/AbstractAttributeContainer.java
index f7d6f1a79c..c15929e329 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/domain/AbstractAttributeContainer.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/domain/AbstractAttributeContainer.java
@@ -138,11 +138,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractAttributeContainer implements AttributeContainer,
 			this.attributeContainer = attributeContainer;
 		}
 
-		boolean isTypeResolved() {
+		public boolean isTypeResolved() {
 			return type != null;
 		}
 
-		void resolveType(Type type) {
+		public void resolveType(Type type) {
 			if ( type == null ) {
 				throw new IllegalArgumentException( "Attempt to resolve with null type" );
 			}
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/AttributeTypeResolver.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/AttributeTypeResolver.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..abbd3d04b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/AttributeTypeResolver.java
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+/*
+ * Hibernate, Relational Persistence for Idiomatic Java
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2011, Red Hat Inc. or third-party contributors as
+ * indicated by the @author tags or express copyright attribution
+ * statements applied by the authors.  All third-party contributions are
+ * distributed under license by Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This copyrighted material is made available to anyone wishing to use, modify,
+ * copy, or redistribute it subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License, as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with this distribution; if not, write to:
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor
+ * Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ */
+package org.hibernate.metamodel.source.internal;
+
+import java.util.Properties;
+
+
+import org.hibernate.MappingException;
+import org.hibernate.metamodel.binding.AttributeBinding;
+import org.hibernate.metamodel.binding.EntityBinding;
+import org.hibernate.metamodel.binding.HibernateTypeDescriptor;
+import org.hibernate.metamodel.source.spi.MetadataImplementor;
+
+/**
+ * This is a TEMPORARY way to initialize HibernateTypeDescriptor.explicitType.
+ * This class will be removed when types are resolved properly.
+ *
+ * @author Gail Badner
+ */
+class AttributeTypeResolver {
+
+	private final MetadataImplementor metadata;
+
+	AttributeTypeResolver(MetadataImplementor metadata) {
+		this.metadata = metadata;
+	}
+
+	void resolve() {
+		for ( EntityBinding entityBinding : metadata.getEntityBindings() ) {
+			for ( AttributeBinding attributeBinding : entityBinding.getAttributeBindings() ) {
+				resolve( attributeBinding );
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	private void resolve(AttributeBinding attributeBinding) {
+		if ( attributeBinding.getHibernateTypeDescriptor().getExplicitType() != null ) {
+			return; // already resolved
+		}
+
+		// this only works for "basic" attribute types
+		HibernateTypeDescriptor typeDescriptor = attributeBinding.getHibernateTypeDescriptor();
+		if ( typeDescriptor == null || typeDescriptor.getTypeName() == null) {
+			throw new MappingException( "Hibernate type name has not been defined for attribute: " +
+					getQualifiedAttributeName( attributeBinding )
+			);
+		}
+		if ( typeDescriptor.getTypeName() != null ) {
+			Properties typeParameters = null;
+			if ( typeDescriptor.getTypeParameters() != null ) {
+				typeParameters = new Properties();
+				typeParameters.putAll( typeDescriptor.getTypeParameters() );
+			}
+			typeDescriptor.setExplicitType(
+					metadata.getTypeResolver().heuristicType(
+							typeDescriptor.getTypeName(),
+							typeParameters
+					)
+			);
+		}
+	}
+
+	// TODO: this does not work for components
+	private static String getQualifiedAttributeName(AttributeBinding attributebinding) {
+		return new StringBuilder()
+				.append( attributebinding.getEntityBinding().getEntity().getJavaType().getName() )
+				.append( "." )
+				.append( attributebinding.getAttribute().getName() )
+				.toString();
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java
index aef42cdee5..acb9001c29 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/source/internal/MetadataImpl.java
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ public class MetadataImpl implements MetadataImplementor, Serializable {
 
 		// todo : remove this by coordinated ordering of entity processing
 		new EntityReferenceResolver( this ).resolve();
+		new AttributeTypeResolver( this ).resolve();
 	}
 
 	private void prepare(Binder[] binders, MetadataSources metadataSources) {
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/binding/AbstractBasicBindingTests.java b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/binding/AbstractBasicBindingTests.java
index 6e54be196b..966124d3ff 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/binding/AbstractBasicBindingTests.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/binding/AbstractBasicBindingTests.java
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ import org.hibernate.service.BasicServiceRegistry;
 import org.hibernate.service.ServiceRegistryBuilder;
 import org.hibernate.service.internal.BasicServiceRegistryImpl;
 import org.hibernate.testing.junit4.BaseUnitTestCase;
+import org.hibernate.type.LongType;
+import org.hibernate.type.StringType;
 
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertFalse;
@@ -129,12 +131,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractBasicBindingTests extends BaseUnitTestCase {
 		AttributeBinding idAttributeBinding = entityBinding.getAttributeBinding( "id" );
 		assertNotNull( idAttributeBinding );
 		assertSame( idAttributeBinding, entityBinding.getEntityIdentifier().getValueBinding() );
+		assertSame( LongType.INSTANCE, idAttributeBinding.getHibernateTypeDescriptor().getExplicitType() );
 		assertNotNull( idAttributeBinding.getAttribute() );
 		assertNotNull( idAttributeBinding.getValue() );
 		assertTrue( idAttributeBinding.getValue() instanceof Column );
 
 		AttributeBinding nameBinding = entityBinding.getAttributeBinding( "name" );
 		assertNotNull( nameBinding );
+		assertSame( StringType.INSTANCE, nameBinding.getHibernateTypeDescriptor().getExplicitType() );
 		assertNotNull( nameBinding.getAttribute() );
 		assertNotNull( nameBinding.getValue() );
 	}