diff --git a/cassandra/cqlengine/connection.py b/cassandra/cqlengine/connection.py
index 9ce8591a..6c5d4152 100644
--- a/cassandra/cqlengine/connection.py
+++ b/cassandra/cqlengine/connection.py
@@ -42,17 +42,24 @@ default_consistency_level = ConsistencyLevel.ONE
 def default():
     """
     Configures the global mapper connection to localhost, using the driver defaults
+    (except for row_factory)
     """
     global cluster, session
     cluster = Cluster()
     session = cluster.connect()
+    session.row_factory = dict_factory
 
 
 def set_session(s):
     """
     Configures the global mapper connection with a preexisting :class:`cassandra.cluster.Session`
+
+    Note: the mapper presently requires a Session :attr:`~.row_factory` set to ``dict_factory``.
+    This may be relaxed in the future
     """
     global cluster, session
+    if s.row_factory is not dict_factory:
+        raise CQLEngineException("Failed to initialize: 'Session.row_factory' must be 'dict_factory'.")
     session = s
     cluster = s.cluster
 
diff --git a/example.py b/example_core.py
similarity index 100%
rename from example.py
rename to example_core.py
diff --git a/example_mapper.py b/example_mapper.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..eda77c2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example_mapper.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2013-2015 DataStax, Inc.
+#
+# 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.
+
+import logging
+
+log = logging.getLogger()
+log.setLevel('DEBUG')
+handler = logging.StreamHandler()
+handler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter("%(asctime)s [%(levelname)s] %(name)s: %(message)s"))
+log.addHandler(handler)
+
+from uuid import uuid4
+
+from cassandra.cqlengine import columns
+from cassandra.cqlengine import connection
+from cassandra.cqlengine import management
+from cassandra.cqlengine.exceptions import ValidationError
+from cassandra.cqlengine.models import Model
+from cassandra.cqlengine.query import BatchQuery
+
+KEYSPACE = "testkeyspace"
+
+
+class FamilyMembers(Model):
+    __keyspace__ = KEYSPACE
+    id = columns.UUID(primary_key=True, default=uuid4)
+    surname = columns.Text(primary_key=True)
+    name = columns.Text(primary_key=True)
+    birth_year = columns.Integer()
+    sex = columns.Text(min_length=1, max_length=1)
+
+    def validate(self):
+        super(FamilyMembers, self).validate()
+        if self.sex and self.sex not in 'mf':
+            raise ValidationError("FamilyMember.sex must be one of ['m', 'f']")
+
+        if self.birth_year and self.sex == 'f':
+            raise ValidationError("FamilyMember.birth_year is set, and 'a lady never tells'")
+
+
+def main():
+    connection.default()
+
+    # Management functions would normally be used in development, and possibly for deployments.
+    # They are typically not part of a core application.
+    log.info("### creating keyspace...")
+    management.create_keyspace_simple(KEYSPACE, 1)
+    log.info("### syncing model...")
+    management.sync_table(FamilyMembers)
+
+    log.info("### add entities serially")
+    simmons = FamilyMembers.create(surname='Simmons', name='Gene', birth_year=1949, sex='m')  # default uuid is assigned
+
+    # add members later
+    FamilyMembers.create(id=simmons.id, surname='Simmons', name='Nick', birth_year=1989, sex='m')
+    FamilyMembers.create(id=simmons.id, surname='Simmons', name='Sophie', sex='f')
+    # showing validation
+    try:
+        FamilyMembers.create(id=simmons.id, surname='Tweed', name='Shannon', birth_year=1957, sex='f')
+    except ValidationError:
+        log.exception('INTENTIONAL VALIDATION EXCEPTION; Failed creating instance:')
+        FamilyMembers.create(id=simmons.id, surname='Tweed', name='Shannon', sex='f')
+
+    log.info("### add multiple as part of a batch")
+    # If creating many at one time, can use a batch to minimize round-trips
+    hogan_id = uuid4()
+    with BatchQuery() as b:
+        FamilyMembers.batch(b).create(id=hogan_id, surname='Hogan', name='Hulk', sex='m')
+        FamilyMembers.batch(b).create(id=hogan_id, surname='Hogan', name='Linda', sex='f')
+        FamilyMembers.batch(b).create(id=hogan_id, surname='Hogan', name='Nick', sex='m')
+        FamilyMembers.batch(b).create(id=hogan_id, surname='Hogan', name='Brooke', sex='f')
+
+    log.info("### All members")
+    for m in FamilyMembers.all():
+        print m, m.birth_year, m.sex
+
+    log.info("### Select by partition key")
+    for m in FamilyMembers.objects(id=simmons.id):
+        print m, m.birth_year, m.sex
+
+    log.info("### Constrain on clustering key")
+    for m in FamilyMembers.objects(id=simmons.id, surname=simmons.surname):
+        print m, m.birth_year, m.sex
+
+    log.info("### Delete a record")
+    FamilyMembers(id=hogan_id, surname='Hogan', name='Linda').delete()
+    for m in FamilyMembers.objects(id=hogan_id):
+        print m, m.birth_year, m.sex
+
+    management.drop_keyspace(KEYSPACE)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()