diff --git a/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp b/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp
index 6e94117858..7bac6dff70 100644
--- a/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp
+++ b/src/examples/IfcOpenHouse.cpp
@@ -408,6 +408,8 @@ 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 04db4d8dd3..6bdc171ca9 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/IfcHierarchyHelper.h
+++ b/src/ifcparse/IfcHierarchyHelper.h
@@ -453,8 +453,8 @@ class IFC_PARSE_API IfcHierarchyHelper : public IfcParse::IfcFile {
             }
             int relating_index = 4;
             int 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);
             }
             {