diff --git a/openidm-repo-orientdb/src/main/java/org/forgerock/openidm/repo/orientdb/impl/DocumentUtil.java b/openidm-repo-orientdb/src/main/java/org/forgerock/openidm/repo/orientdb/impl/DocumentUtil.java
index 4295faf07..18515f1c9 100644
--- a/openidm-repo-orientdb/src/main/java/org/forgerock/openidm/repo/orientdb/impl/DocumentUtil.java
+++ b/openidm-repo-orientdb/src/main/java/org/forgerock/openidm/repo/orientdb/impl/DocumentUtil.java
@@ -86,6 +86,16 @@ public static ResourceResponse toResource(ODocument doc) {
         return result;
     }
     
+    /**
+     * Convert to JSON object structures (akin to simple binding), 
+     * composed of the basic Java types: {@link Map}, {@link List}, {@link String}, {@link Number}, {@link Boolean}.
+     * @param doc the OrientDB document to convert
+     * @return the doc converted into maps, lists, java types; or null if the doc was null
+     */
+    public static Map<String, Object> toMap(ODocument doc) {
+        return toMap(doc, true);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Convert to JSON object structures (akin to simple binding), 
      * composed of the basic Java types: {@link Map}, {@link List}, {@link String}, {@link Number}, {@link Boolean}.
@@ -98,9 +108,10 @@ public static ResourceResponse toResource(ODocument doc) {
      * Embedded documents are converted as they are.
      *
      * @param doc the OrientDB document to convert
+     * @param topLevel if the passed in document represents a top level orientdb class, or false if it is an embedded document
      * @return the doc converted into maps, lists, java types; or null if the doc was null
      */
-    public static Map<String, Object> toMap(ODocument doc) {        
+    private static Map<String, Object> toMap(ODocument doc, boolean topLevel) {        
         Map<String, Object> result = null;
         if (doc != null) {
             boolean projection = topLevel && !doc.getIdentity().isPersistent();
@@ -148,7 +159,7 @@ public static Map<String, Object> toMap(ODocument doc) {
     private static Object asSimpleBinding(Object objToClean) {
         if (objToClean instanceof ODocument) {
             logger.trace("Converting embedded ODocument {} to map ", objToClean);
-            return DocumentUtil.toMap((ODocument) objToClean); 
+            return DocumentUtil.toMap((ODocument) objToClean, false); 
         } else if (objToClean instanceof List) {
             logger.trace("Checking embedded list {} ", objToClean);
             return toSimpleModel((List) objToClean);