You're absolutely right. I can cast the following to a set of Objects Set<Object> mySet = (Set<Object>)methodInvocation.getCalledMethod().invoke(methodInvocation.getTargetObject(), methodInvocation.getArguments()); | and then loop through it with Iterator iter = mySet.iterator(); In the particular cases where I know my object type I can call parent.getChildren().getChildName() and indeed catch the thrown Lazy Init Exception However in the general case where I have no knowledge of my object's getters/setters methods name, it is getting a bit more complicated. Will have to think of method refelction solution. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=4109173#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...