diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedContentType.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedContentType.cs
index 3ff274a596..587d88481b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedContentType.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedContentType.cs
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models.PublishedContent
                 ? (IContentTypeComposition) ApplicationContext.Current.Services.ContentTypeService.GetContentType(alias)
                 : (IContentTypeComposition) ApplicationContext.Current.Services.ContentTypeService.GetMediaType(alias);
 
+            if (contentType == null)
+                throw new Exception(string.Format("ContentTypeService failed to find a {0} type with alias \"{1}\".",
+                    itemType.ToString().ToLower(), alias));
+
             return new PublishedContentType(contentType);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedPropertyType.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedPropertyType.cs
index e6f180e63c..1c8b344298 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedPropertyType.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/PublishedContent/PublishedPropertyType.cs
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models.PublishedContent
         private PropertyCacheLevel _objectCacheLevel;
         private PropertyCacheLevel _xpathCacheLevel;
 
+        private Type _clrType = typeof (object);
+
         private void InitializeConverters()
         {
             var converters = PropertyValueConvertersResolver.Current.Converters.ToArray();
@@ -101,6 +103,13 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models.PublishedContent
             _objectCacheLevel = GetCacheLevel(_converter, PropertyCacheValue.XPath);
             if (_objectCacheLevel < _sourceCacheLevel) _objectCacheLevel = _sourceCacheLevel;
             if (_xpathCacheLevel < _sourceCacheLevel) _xpathCacheLevel = _sourceCacheLevel;
+
+            if (_converter != null)
+            {
+                var attr = _converter.GetType().GetCustomAttribute<PropertyValueTypeAttribute>(false);
+                if (attr != null)
+                    _clrType = attr.Type;
+            }
         }
 
         static PropertyCacheLevel GetCacheLevel(IPropertyValueConverter converter, PropertyCacheValue value)
@@ -198,6 +207,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models.PublishedContent
             return source;
         }
 
+        // gets the property CLR type
+        public Type ClrType { get { return _clrType; } }
+
         #endregion
 
         #region Compat