Index: stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/ObjectFactory.java
===================================================================
--- stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/ObjectFactory.java	(revision 0)
+++ stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/ObjectFactory.java	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+/* Copyright 2008 Ben Gunter
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package net.sourceforge.stripes.util;
+
+import net.sourceforge.stripes.controller.StripesFilter;
+import net.sourceforge.stripes.exception.StripesRuntimeException;
+
+/**
+ * <p>
+ * This class is responsible for creating new objects during the binding stage of the request cycle.
+ * This implementation simply calls {@link Class#newInstance()} to obtain a new instance. Subclasses
+ * may override {@link #postProcess(Object)} to perform additional processing on newly created
+ * objects without actually having to instantiate them.
+ * </p>
+ * <p>
+ * You can use an alternate implementation by specifying the class name in the {@link StripesFilter}
+ * init-param {@code ObjectFactory.Class} or by placing your implementation in one of the packages
+ * named in {@code Extension.Packages}. The specified class must, of course, be a subclass of
+ * {@link ObjectFactory}.
+ * </p>
+ * 
+ * <pre>
+ * &lt;init-param&gt;
+ *  &lt;param-name&gt;ObjectFactory.Class&lt;/param-name&gt;
+ *  &lt;param-value&gt;com.mycompany.stripes.ext.MyObjectFactory&lt;/param-value&gt;
+ * &lt;/init-param&gt;
+ * </pre>
+ * 
+ * @author Ben Gunter
+ * @since Stripes 1.5.1
+ */
+public class ObjectFactory {
+    private static final Log log = Log.getInstance(ObjectFactory.class);
+
+    /**
+     * Name of the {@link StripesFilter} init-param that can be used to indicate the class name of
+     * the preferred subclass of {@link ObjectFactory} to use.
+     */
+    public static final String CONFIGURATION_PARAMETER = "ObjectFactory.Class";
+
+    /** Singleton instance */
+    private static ObjectFactory instance;
+
+    /**
+     * Get the singleton object factory. By default, this method returns an instance of
+     * {@link ObjectFactory}. The {@link StripesFilter} init-param named {@code ObjectFactory.Class}
+     * can be used to provide an alternate implementation.
+     */
+    public static ObjectFactory getInstance() {
+        if (instance == null) {
+            Class<? extends ObjectFactory> type = StripesFilter.getConfiguration()
+                    .getBootstrapPropertyResolver().getClassProperty(CONFIGURATION_PARAMETER,
+                            ObjectFactory.class);
+
+            if (type == null) {
+                instance = new ObjectFactory();
+            }
+            else {
+                try {
+                    instance = type.newInstance();
+                }
+                catch (InstantiationException e) {
+                    throw new StripesRuntimeException(e);
+                }
+                catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
+                    throw new StripesRuntimeException(e);
+                }
+            }
+
+            log.info("ObjectFactory implementation is " + instance.getClass().getName());
+        }
+
+        return instance;
+    }
+
+    /** Set the singleton instance. */
+    public static void setInstance(ObjectFactory instance) {
+        ObjectFactory.instance = instance;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Calls {@link Class#newInstance()}, passes the new instance into {@link #postProcess(Object)}
+     * and returns the result.
+     * 
+     * @param clazz The class to instantiate.
+     * @return The value returned by {@link #postProcess(Object)}.
+     */
+    public <T> T newInstance(Class<T> clazz) {
+        try {
+            return postProcess(clazz.newInstance());
+        }
+        catch (InstantiationException e) {
+            throw new StripesRuntimeException("Could not instantiate " + clazz, e);
+        }
+        catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
+            throw new StripesRuntimeException("Could not instantiate " + clazz, e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Perform post-processing on a newly created object. The default implementation does nothing.
+     * Subclasses may override this method to suit their needs.
+     * 
+     * @param object An object created by a call to {@link #newInstance(Class)}.
+     * @return The same object that is passed in, or one that is assignable to its class
+     */
+    protected <T> T postProcess(T object) {
+        return object;
+    }
+}
Index: stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/ReflectUtil.java
===================================================================
--- stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/ReflectUtil.java	(revision 951)
+++ stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/ReflectUtil.java	(working copy)
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@
                     "might get implemented.");
         }
         else {
-            return (T) impl.newInstance();
+            return ObjectFactory.getInstance().<T>newInstance(impl);
         }
     }
 
Index: stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/bean/PropertyExpressionEvaluation.java
===================================================================
--- stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/bean/PropertyExpressionEvaluation.java	(revision 974)
+++ stripes/src/net/sourceforge/stripes/util/bean/PropertyExpressionEvaluation.java	(working copy)
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  */
 package net.sourceforge.stripes.util.bean;
 
+import net.sourceforge.stripes.util.ObjectFactory;
 import net.sourceforge.stripes.util.ReflectUtil;
 
 import java.beans.PropertyDescriptor;
@@ -645,7 +646,7 @@
                 return ReflectUtil.getInterfaceInstance(clazz);
             }
             else {
-                return clazz.newInstance();
+                return ObjectFactory.getInstance().newInstance(clazz);
             }
         }
         catch (Exception e) {