diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 262c82d64..d6a556455 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,16 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 ## [Unreleased][unreleased]
 - Nothing yet, placeholder
 
+### Fixed
+- Longstanding bug that would prevent association changes (`<<` and ActiveRel.create) in Rails after `reload!` had been called, see https://github.com/neo4jrb/neo4j/pull/839
+
+### Changed
+- In the absense of a `model_class` key, associations defined in ActiveNode models will use `from_/to_class` defined in `rel_class` to find destination. (Huge thanks to @olance, #838) 
+- ActiveRel's DSL was made a bit friendlier by making the `type`, `from_class` and `to_class` methods return their set values when called without arguments.
+
+### Added
+- ActiveRel was given `find_or_create_by`, usable across single associations.
+
 ## [5.0.0] - 2015-06-18
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/lib/neo4j/active_node/query/query_proxy.rb b/lib/neo4j/active_node/query/query_proxy.rb
index 3f7b39e7c..2ea741ca8 100644
--- a/lib/neo4j/active_node/query/query_proxy.rb
+++ b/lib/neo4j/active_node/query/query_proxy.rb
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def _nodeify!(*args)
             (arg.is_a?(Integer) || arg.is_a?(String)) ? @model.find_by(@model.id_property_name => arg) : arg
           end.compact
 
-          if @model && other_nodes.any? { |other_node| !other_node.is_a?(@model) }
+          if @model && other_nodes.any? { |other_node| !other_node.class.mapped_label_names.include?(@model.mapped_label_name) }
             fail ArgumentError, "Node must be of the association's class when model is specified"
           end
 
diff --git a/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb b/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb
index e69a7e683..62a886892 100644
--- a/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb
+++ b/lib/neo4j/active_rel/persistence.rb
@@ -60,10 +60,16 @@ def validate_node_classes!
 
         next if [:any, false].include?(type_class)
 
-        fail ModelClassInvalidError, "Node class was #{node.class}, expected #{type_class}" unless node.is_a?(type_class.to_s.constantize)
+        unless node.class.mapped_label_names.include?(type_class.to_s.constantize.mapped_label_name)
+          fail ModelClassInvalidError, type_validation_error_message(node, type_class)
+        end
       end
     end
 
+    def type_validation_error_message(node, type_class)
+      "Node class was #{node.class} (#{node.class.object_id}), expected #{type_class} (#{type_class.object_id})"
+    end
+
     def _create_rel(from_node, to_node, *args)
       props = self.class.default_property_values(self)
       props.merge!(args[0]) if args[0].is_a?(Hash)
@@ -75,8 +81,6 @@ def _create_rel(from_node, to_node, *args)
       _rel_creation_query(from_node, to_node, props)
     end
 
-    private
-
     N1_N2_STRING = 'n1, n2'
     ACTIVEREL_NODE_MATCH_STRING = 'ID(n1) = {n1_neo_id} AND ID(n2) = {n2_neo_id}'
     def _rel_creation_query(from_node, to_node, props)