diff --git a/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp b/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp
index 189dd4320e..463ec74261 100644
--- a/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp
+++ b/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp
@@ -411,6 +411,8 @@ int main() {
 
 	IfcSchema::IfcDoorStyle* door_style = new IfcSchema::IfcDoorStyle(guid(), file.getSingle<IfcSchema::IfcOwnerHistory>(), "Door type"s, null, null, null, null, null,
 		IfcSchema::IfcDoorStyleOperationEnum::IfcDoorStyleOperation_SINGLE_SWING_LEFT, IfcSchema::IfcDoorStyleConstructionEnum::IfcDoorStyleConstruction_WOOD, false, false);
+	// NOTE: typing by IfcDoorStyle will cause validation errors in IFC4+ but it's allowed for backwards compatibility
+	// better to use IfcDoorType in the actual use case
 	file.addRelatedObject<IfcSchema::IfcRelDefinesByType>(door_style, door);
 
 	// Surface styles are assigned to representation items, hence there is no real limitation to
diff --git a/src/ifcparse/IfcHierarchyHelper.h b/src/ifcparse/IfcHierarchyHelper.h
index 006c25391b..7f0527347f 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/IfcHierarchyHelper.h
+++ b/src/ifcparse/IfcHierarchyHelper.h
@@ -436,13 +436,13 @@ public:
 			{ IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument* attr = new IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument(); attr->set<std::string>(IfcParse::IfcGlobalId()); data->setArgument(0, attr); }
 			{ IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument* attr = new IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument(); attr->set(owner_hist); data->setArgument(1, attr); }
 			int relating_index = 4, related_index = 5;
-			if (T::Class().name() == "IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure") {
-				// IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure has attributes reversed.
+			if (T::Class().name() == "IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure" || std::is_base_of<Schema::IfcRelDefines, T>::value) {
+				// some classes have attributes reversed.
 				std::swap(relating_index, related_index);
 			}
 			{ IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument* attr = new IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument(); attr->set(relating_object); data->setArgument(relating_index, attr); }
 			{ IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument* attr = new IfcWrite::IfcWriteArgument(); attr->set(related_objects); data->setArgument(related_index, attr); }
-			
+
 			T* t = (T*)Schema::get_schema().instantiate(data);
 			addEntity(t);
 		}