diff --git a/libraries/db/include/graphene/db/object_database.hpp b/libraries/db/include/graphene/db/object_database.hpp
index e070125e..ff4cc52d 100644
--- a/libraries/db/include/graphene/db/object_database.hpp
+++ b/libraries/db/include/graphene/db/object_database.hpp
@@ -87,6 +87,19 @@ namespace graphene { namespace db {
 
          ///@}
 
+         template<typename T>
+         static const T& cast( const object& obj )
+         {
+            assert( nullptr != dynamic_cast<const T*>(&obj) );
+            return static_cast<const T&>(obj);
+         }
+         template<typename T>
+         static T& cast( object& obj )
+         {
+            assert( nullptr != dynamic_cast<T*>(&obj) );
+            return static_cast<T&>(obj);
+         }
+
          template<typename T>
          const T& get( object_id_type id )const
          {