Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/AbstractNodeData.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/AbstractNodeData.java	(revision 808032)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/AbstractNodeData.java	(working copy)
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package org.apache.jackrabbit.core;
 
 import javax.jcr.nodetype.NodeDefinition;
+import javax.jcr.RepositoryException;
 
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.id.ItemId;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.id.NodeId;
@@ -34,10 +35,10 @@
      * Create a new instance of this class.
      *
      * @param state node state
-     * @param definition node definition
+     * @param itemMgr item manager
      */
-    protected AbstractNodeData(NodeState state, NodeDefinition definition) {
-        super(state, definition);
+    protected AbstractNodeData(NodeState state, ItemManager itemMgr) {
+        super(state, itemMgr);
 
         if (state.isShareable()) {
             this.primaryParentId = state.getParentId();
@@ -66,8 +67,9 @@
      * Return the associated node defintion.
      *
      * @return node definition
+     * @throws RepositoryException if the definition cannot be retrieved.
      */
-    public NodeDefinition getNodeDefinition() {
+    public NodeDefinition getNodeDefinition() throws RepositoryException {
         return (NodeDefinition) getDefinition();
     }
 
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/ItemData.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/ItemData.java	(revision 808032)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/ItemData.java	(working copy)
@@ -17,10 +17,13 @@
 package org.apache.jackrabbit.core;
 
 import javax.jcr.nodetype.ItemDefinition;
+import javax.jcr.RepositoryException;
 
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.id.ItemId;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.id.NodeId;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.ItemState;
+import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.NodeState;
+import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.PropertyState;
 
 /**
  * Data object referenced by different <code>ItemImpl</code> instances that
@@ -40,16 +43,19 @@
     /** Status */
     private int status;
 
+    /** The item manager */
+    private ItemManager itemMgr;
+
     /**
      * Create a new instance of this class.
      *
      * @param state item state
-     * @param definition item definition
+     * @param itemMgr item manager
      */
-    protected ItemData(ItemState state, ItemDefinition definition) {
+    protected ItemData(ItemState state, ItemManager itemMgr) {
         this.id = state.getId();
         this.state = state;
-        this.definition = definition;
+        this.itemMgr = itemMgr;
         this.status = ItemImpl.STATUS_NORMAL;
     }
 
@@ -85,8 +91,16 @@
      * Return the associated item definition.
      *
      * @return item definition
+     * @throws RepositoryException if the definition cannot be retrieved.
      */
-    public ItemDefinition getDefinition() {
+    public ItemDefinition getDefinition() throws RepositoryException {
+        if (definition == null && itemMgr != null) {
+            if (isNode()) {
+                definition = itemMgr.getDefinition((NodeState) state);
+            } else {
+                definition = itemMgr.getDefinition((PropertyState) state);
+            }
+        }
         return definition;
     }
 
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/ItemManager.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/ItemManager.java	(revision 808032)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/ItemManager.java	(working copy)
@@ -163,8 +163,13 @@
         shareableNodesCache.clear();
     }
 
-    private NodeDefinition getDefinition(NodeState state)
+    NodeDefinition getDefinition(NodeState state)
             throws RepositoryException {
+        if (state.getId().equals(rootNodeId)) {
+            // special handling required for root node
+            return rootNodeDef;
+        }
+
         NodeDefId defId = state.getDefinitionId();
         NodeDefinitionImpl def = session.getNodeTypeManager().getNodeDefinition(defId);
         if (def == null) {
@@ -185,7 +190,7 @@
         return def;
     }
 
-    private PropertyDefinition getDefinition(PropertyState state)
+    PropertyDefinition getDefinition(PropertyState state)
             throws RepositoryException {
         PropDefId defId = state.getDefinitionId();
         PropertyDefinitionImpl def = session.getNodeTypeManager().getPropertyDefinition(defId);
@@ -720,16 +725,12 @@
      */
     private ItemData createItemData(ItemState state, Path path, boolean permissionCheck) throws RepositoryException {
         ItemData data;
-        ItemId id = state.getId();
-        if (id.equals(rootNodeId)) {
-            // special handling required for root node
-            data = new NodeData((NodeState) state, rootNodeDef);
-        } else if (state.isNode()) {
+        if (state.isNode()) {
             NodeState nodeState = (NodeState) state;
-            data = new NodeData(nodeState, getDefinition(nodeState));
+            data = new NodeData(nodeState, this);
         } else {
             PropertyState propertyState = (PropertyState) state;
-            data = new PropertyData(propertyState, getDefinition(propertyState));
+            data = new PropertyData(propertyState, this);
         }
         // make sure read-perm. is granted before returning the data.
         if (permissionCheck && !canRead(data, path)) {
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeData.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeData.java	(revision 808032)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeData.java	(working copy)
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
  */
 package org.apache.jackrabbit.core;
 
-import javax.jcr.nodetype.NodeDefinition;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.NodeState;
 
 /**
@@ -30,9 +29,9 @@
      * Create a new instance of this class.
      *
      * @param state node state
-     * @param definition node definition
+     * @param itemMgr item manager
      */
-    NodeData(NodeState state, NodeDefinition definition) {
-        super(state, definition);
+    NodeData(NodeState state, ItemManager itemMgr) {
+        super(state, itemMgr);
     }
 }
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeDataRef.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeDataRef.java	(revision 808032)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/NodeDataRef.java	(working copy)
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package org.apache.jackrabbit.core;
 
 import javax.jcr.nodetype.ItemDefinition;
+import javax.jcr.RepositoryException;
 
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.id.NodeId;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.ItemState;
@@ -66,8 +67,9 @@
      * {@inheritDoc}
      *
      * This implementation returns the definition of the referenced data object.
+     * @throws RepositoryException if the definition cannot be retrieved.
      */
-    public ItemDefinition getDefinition() {
+    public ItemDefinition getDefinition() throws RepositoryException {
         return data.getDefinition();
     }
 
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/PropertyData.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/PropertyData.java	(revision 808032)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/core/PropertyData.java	(working copy)
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 package org.apache.jackrabbit.core;
 
 import javax.jcr.nodetype.PropertyDefinition;
+import javax.jcr.RepositoryException;
+
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.core.state.PropertyState;
 
 /**
@@ -28,10 +30,10 @@
      * Create a new instance of this class.
      *
      * @param state associated property state
-     * @param definition associated property definition
+     * @param itemMgr item manager
      */
-    PropertyData(PropertyState state, PropertyDefinition definition) {
-        super(state, definition);
+    PropertyData(PropertyState state, ItemManager itemMgr) {
+        super(state, itemMgr);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -47,8 +49,9 @@
      * Return the associated property definition.
      *
      * @return property definition
+     * @throws RepositoryException if the definition cannot be retrieved.
      */
-    public PropertyDefinition getPropertyDefinition() {
+    public PropertyDefinition getPropertyDefinition() throws RepositoryException {
         return (PropertyDefinition) getDefinition();
     }
 }