You are correct, however it looks like JBOSS-WS does indeed read the jaxrpc-mapping file when you specify a wsdlLocation and creates the mapping in memory when you do not.. This might be a bug. I have not found a way to specify the mapping using annotations but the JAX-WS 2.0 specifies that a mapping will be provided. From the specification... anonymous wrote : | Implementing Enterprise Web Services (JSR 109) The JSR 109[14] defined jaxrpc-mapping-info | deployment descriptor provides deployment time Java , WSDL mapping functionality. In conjunction | with JSR 181[13], JAX-WS 2.0 will complement this mapping functionality with development | time Java annotations that control Java , WSDL mapping. | So if you want to specify a wsdllocation you need to specify it using a JSR109EJB rather than JSR181EJB. Thanks. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3978034#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...