Index: src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/InheritanceMappingTest.java
===================================================================
--- src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/InheritanceMappingTest.java	(revision 0)
+++ src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/InheritanceMappingTest.java	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package com.thoughtworks.acceptance;
+
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.ConversionException;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.basic.AbstractSingleValueConverter;
+
+public class InheritanceMappingTest extends AbstractAcceptanceTest {
+    public static class Base {
+        public final int value;
+
+        public Base(int value) {
+            this.value = value;
+        }
+        
+        public String toString() {
+            String name = getClass().getSimpleName();
+            return name.charAt(name.length()-1) + String.valueOf(value) ;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public static class DerivedA extends Base {
+        public DerivedA(int value) {
+            super(value);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public static class DerivedB extends Base {
+        public DerivedB(int value) {
+            super(value);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public static class Thing {
+        public final Base value;
+
+        public Thing(Base value) {
+            this.value = value;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public class Converter extends AbstractSingleValueConverter {
+        @Override
+        public boolean canConvert(Class type) {
+            return Base.class.isAssignableFrom(type);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Object fromString(String str) {
+            int value = Integer.parseInt(str.substring(1));
+            if (str.startsWith("A")) {
+                return new DerivedA(value);
+            }
+            else if (str.startsWith("B")) {
+                return new DerivedB(value);
+            }
+            else {
+                throw new ConversionException("cannot convert: str");
+            }
+        }
+        
+    }
+    
+    public void testExplicitlyConvertingInheritanceElidesClassAttribute() {
+        xstream.alias("thing", Thing.class);
+        xstream.convertInheritance(Base.class, new Converter(), new Class[]{DerivedA.class, DerivedB.class});
+        
+        //Note: no class attribute
+        assertBothWays(new Thing(new DerivedA(77)), 
+                "<thing>\n" +
+                "  <value>A77</value>\n" +
+                "</thing>");
+        assertBothWays(new Thing(new DerivedB(99)), 
+                "<thing>\n" +
+                "  <value>B99</value>\n" +
+                "</thing>");
+    }
+}
Index: src/java/com/thoughtworks/xstream/XStream.java
===================================================================
--- src/java/com/thoughtworks/xstream/XStream.java	(revision 1649)
+++ src/java/com/thoughtworks/xstream/XStream.java	(working copy)
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
  */
 package com.thoughtworks.xstream;
 
+import com.thoughtworks.acceptance.InheritanceMappingTest.Base;
+import com.thoughtworks.acceptance.InheritanceMappingTest.DerivedA;
+import com.thoughtworks.acceptance.InheritanceMappingTest.DerivedB;
 import com.thoughtworks.xstream.alias.ClassMapper;
 import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.Converter;
 import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.ConverterLookup;
@@ -1694,4 +1697,17 @@
         return this;
     }
 
+    public void convertInheritance(Class supertype, SingleValueConverter converter,
+            Class[] subtypes) 
+    {
+        convertInheritance(supertype, (Converter)new SingleValueConverterWrapper(converter), subtypes);
+    }
+
+    private void convertInheritance(Class supertype, Converter converter, Class[] subtypes) {
+        registerConverter(converter);
+        for (int i = 0; i < subtypes.length; i++) {
+            Class subtype = subtypes[i];
+            addDefaultImplementation(subtype, supertype);
+        }
+    }
 }