diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 75745189ed..e88e953616 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 	<groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
 	<artifactId>spring-data-mongodb-parent</artifactId>
-	<version>1.7.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>1.7.0.DATAMONGO-1068-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<packaging>pom</packaging>
 
 	<name>Spring Data MongoDB</name>
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb-cross-store/pom.xml b/spring-data-mongodb-cross-store/pom.xml
index 40e8a0f253..e250833a2a 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb-cross-store/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb-cross-store/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
 		<artifactId>spring-data-mongodb-parent</artifactId>
-		<version>1.7.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+		<version>1.7.0.DATAMONGO-1068-SNAPSHOT</version>
 		<relativePath>../pom.xml</relativePath>
 	</parent>
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
 			<artifactId>spring-data-mongodb</artifactId>
-			<version>1.7.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+			<version>1.7.0.DATAMONGO-1068-SNAPSHOT</version>
 		</dependency>
 
 		<dependency>
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb-distribution/pom.xml b/spring-data-mongodb-distribution/pom.xml
index 13110137b6..267c003696 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb-distribution/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb-distribution/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
 		<artifactId>spring-data-mongodb-parent</artifactId>
-		<version>1.7.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+		<version>1.7.0.DATAMONGO-1068-SNAPSHOT</version>
 		<relativePath>../pom.xml</relativePath>
 	</parent>
 
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb-log4j/pom.xml b/spring-data-mongodb-log4j/pom.xml
index 6ff09e4577..779ee82ad4 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb-log4j/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb-log4j/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
 		<artifactId>spring-data-mongodb-parent</artifactId>
-		<version>1.7.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+		<version>1.7.0.DATAMONGO-1068-SNAPSHOT</version>
 		<relativePath>../pom.xml</relativePath>
 	</parent>
 
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/pom.xml b/spring-data-mongodb/pom.xml
index bfcacd66eb..e14d5286d8 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
 		<artifactId>spring-data-mongodb-parent</artifactId>
-		<version>1.7.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+		<version>1.7.0.DATAMONGO-1068-SNAPSHOT</version>
 		<relativePath>../pom.xml</relativePath>
 	</parent>
 
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/Criteria.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/Criteria.java
index f3e215c5ee..a57dee028c 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/Criteria.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/Criteria.java
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.InvalidMongoDbApiUsageException;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.geo.Sphere;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+import org.springframework.util.CollectionUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
+import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 import com.mongodb.BasicDBList;
 import com.mongodb.BasicDBObject;
@@ -515,8 +517,11 @@ public String getKey() {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.CriteriaDefinition#getCriteriaObject()
 	 */
 	public DBObject getCriteriaObject() {
+
 		if (this.criteriaChain.size() == 1) {
 			return criteriaChain.get(0).getSingleCriteriaObject();
+		} else if (CollectionUtils.isEmpty(this.criteriaChain) && !CollectionUtils.isEmpty(this.criteria)) {
+			return getSingleCriteriaObject();
 		} else {
 			DBObject criteriaObject = new BasicDBObject();
 			for (Criteria c : this.criteriaChain) {
@@ -550,6 +555,13 @@ protected DBObject getSingleCriteriaObject() {
 			}
 		}
 
+		if (!StringUtils.hasText(this.key)) {
+			if (not) {
+				return new BasicDBObject("$not", dbo);
+			}
+			return dbo;
+		}
+
 		DBObject queryCriteria = new BasicDBObject();
 
 		if (!NOT_SET.equals(isValue)) {
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/CriteriaTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/CriteriaTests.java
index 5676f30a0b..a4fea2457c 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/CriteriaTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/query/CriteriaTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2010-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2010-2014 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.InvalidMongoDbApiUsageException;
 
 import com.mongodb.BasicDBObject;
+import com.mongodb.BasicDBObjectBuilder;
 import com.mongodb.DBObject;
 
-/**
- * @author Oliver Gierke
- * @author Thomas Darimont
- */
+/**
+ * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Thomas Darimont
+ * @author Christoph Strobl
+ */
 public class CriteriaTests {
 
 	@Test
@@ -72,50 +74,94 @@ public void equalIfCriteriaMatches() {
 		assertThat(left, is(not(right)));
 		assertThat(right, is(not(left)));
 	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
-	 */
-	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
-	public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenTryingToNegateAndOperation() {
-
-		new Criteria() //
-				.not() //
-				.andOperator(Criteria.where("delete").is(true).and("_id").is(42)); //
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
-	 */
-	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
-	public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenTryingToNegateOrOperation() {
-
-		new Criteria() //
-				.not() //
-				.orOperator(Criteria.where("delete").is(true).and("_id").is(42)); //
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
-	 */
-	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
-	public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenTryingToNegateNorOperation() {
-
-		new Criteria() //
-				.not() //
-				.norOperator(Criteria.where("delete").is(true).and("_id").is(42)); //
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
-	 */
-	@Test
-	public void shouldNegateFollowingSimpleExpression() {
-
-		Criteria c = Criteria.where("age").not().gt(18).and("status").is("student");
-		DBObject co = c.getCriteriaObject();
-
-		assertThat(co, is(notNullValue()));
-		assertThat(co.toString(), is("{ \"age\" : { \"$not\" : { \"$gt\" : 18}} , \"status\" : \"student\"}"));
-	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
+	 */
+	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenTryingToNegateAndOperation() {
+
+		new Criteria() //
+				.not() //
+				.andOperator(Criteria.where("delete").is(true).and("_id").is(42)); //
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
+	 */
+	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenTryingToNegateOrOperation() {
+
+		new Criteria() //
+				.not() //
+				.orOperator(Criteria.where("delete").is(true).and("_id").is(42)); //
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
+	 */
+	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenTryingToNegateNorOperation() {
+
+		new Criteria() //
+				.not() //
+				.norOperator(Criteria.where("delete").is(true).and("_id").is(42)); //
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-507
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void shouldNegateFollowingSimpleExpression() {
+
+		Criteria c = Criteria.where("age").not().gt(18).and("status").is("student");
+		DBObject co = c.getCriteriaObject();
+
+		assertThat(co, is(notNullValue()));
+		assertThat(co.toString(), is("{ \"age\" : { \"$not\" : { \"$gt\" : 18}} , \"status\" : \"student\"}"));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-1068
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void getCriteriaObjectShouldReturnEmptyDBOWhenNoCriteriaSpecified() {
+
+		DBObject dbo = new Criteria().getCriteriaObject();
+
+		assertThat(dbo, equalTo(new BasicDBObjectBuilder().get()));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-1068
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void getCriteriaObjectShouldUseCritieraValuesWhenNoKeyIsPresent() {
+
+		DBObject dbo = new Criteria().lt("foo").getCriteriaObject();
+
+		assertThat(dbo, equalTo(new BasicDBObjectBuilder().add("$lt", "foo").get()));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-1068
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void getCriteriaObjectShouldUseCritieraValuesWhenNoKeyIsPresentButMultipleCriteriasPresent() {
+
+		DBObject dbo = new Criteria().lt("foo").gt("bar").getCriteriaObject();
+
+		assertThat(dbo, equalTo(new BasicDBObjectBuilder().add("$lt", "foo").add("$gt", "bar").get()));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-1068
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void getCriteriaObjectShouldRespectNotWhenNoKeyPresent() {
+
+		DBObject dbo = new Criteria().lt("foo").not().getCriteriaObject();
+
+		assertThat(dbo, equalTo(new BasicDBObjectBuilder().add("$not", new BasicDBObject("$lt", "foo")).get()));
+	}
 }