No, landmarkType does not have a value when fillLandmarkList() is called on initial page load. Since fillLandmarkList is an @Factory method, it is called as soon as the page loads, no landmarkType has been selected from the Select box yet. I fixed the error message but still don't really understand the "why" yet. Here is my new code @Factory("landmarkList") | public void fillLandmarkList() { | if (landmarkType.getLandmarkTypeId() != null) { | if (!(entityManager.contains(landmarkType))) { | landmarkType = entityManager.getReference(LandmarkType.class, landmarkType.getLandmarkTypeId()); | } | landmarkList = (List) landmarkType.getLandmarkCollection(); | } else { | landmarkList = entityManager.createQuery("SELECT l from Landmark l ORDER BY l.landmarkName").getResultList(); | } | } It seems that landmarkType is instantiated by Seam when the page loads because of the reference to #{landmarkType} in the SelectOneMenu. It is instantiated to a new landmarkType with null values in its elements. I think that is why I was getting a Transient object exception, because Hibernate thought it was a newly created entity that has not been persisted yet. I am on track here? I just don't understand why Seam is creating the landmarkTypecomponent in the first place. It does not specify a create=true in the declaration. @In(required=false) | private LandmarkType landmarkType; | Am I approaching this properly? View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=4065017#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...