diff --git a/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.h b/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.h
index 6a6ee566..15519e4a 100644
--- a/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.h
+++ b/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.h
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
  @see `RKObjectParameterization`
  @see `RKObjectManager`
  */
-+ (instancetype)requestMapping;
++ (RKObjectMapping *)requestMapping;
 
 ///----------------------------------
 /// @name Accessing Property Mappings
diff --git a/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.m b/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.m
index 5028843c..5f2305d8 100644
--- a/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.m
+++ b/Code/ObjectMapping/RKObjectMapping.m
@@ -115,8 +115,15 @@ static RKSourceToDesinationKeyTransformationBlock defaultSourceToDestinationKeyT
     return [[self alloc] initWithClass:objectClass];
 }
 
-+ (instancetype)requestMapping
++ (RKObjectMapping *)requestMapping
 {
+    if (! [self isEqual:[RKObjectMapping class]]) {
+        @throw [NSException exceptionWithName:NSInternalInconsistencyException
+                                       reason:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"`%@` is not meant to be invoked on `%@`. You probably want to invoke `[RKObjectMapping requestMapping]`.",
+                                               NSStringFromSelector(_cmd),
+                                               NSStringFromClass(self)]
+                                     userInfo:nil];
+    }
     return [self mappingForClass:[NSMutableDictionary class]];
 }
 
diff --git a/Tests/Logic/CoreData/RKEntityMappingTest.m b/Tests/Logic/CoreData/RKEntityMappingTest.m
index dd4b9dfa..bae58b61 100644
--- a/Tests/Logic/CoreData/RKEntityMappingTest.m
+++ b/Tests/Logic/CoreData/RKEntityMappingTest.m
@@ -540,4 +540,17 @@
     expect([identificationAttributes valueForKey:@"name"]).to.equal(attributeNames);
 }
 
+- (void)testInvokingRequestMappingRaisesHelpfulException
+{
+    NSException *caughtException = nil;
+    @try {
+        [RKEntityMapping requestMapping];
+    }
+    @catch (NSException *exception) {
+        caughtException = exception;
+    }
+    expect(caughtException).notTo.beNil();
+    expect(caughtException.reason).to.equal(@"`requestMapping` is not meant to be invoked on `RKEntityMapping`. You probably want to invoke `[RKObjectMapping requestMapping]`.");
+}
+
 @end