diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/CHANGELOG.md b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/CHANGELOG.md
index 63ab323523..2999e1ffcf 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ CHANGELOG
  * errors mapped to unsubmitted forms are discarded now
  * ObjectChoiceList now compares choices by their value, if a value path is
    given
+ * you can now pass interface names in the "data_class" option
 
 2.4.0
 -----
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/FormConfigBuilder.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/FormConfigBuilder.php
index 1015da4f51..391c5cd5e2 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/FormConfigBuilder.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/FormConfigBuilder.php
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class FormConfigBuilder implements FormConfigBuilderInterface
     {
         self::validateName($name);
 
-        if (null !== $dataClass && !class_exists($dataClass)) {
+        if (null !== $dataClass && !class_exists($dataClass) && !interface_exists($dataClass)) {
             throw new InvalidArgumentException(sprintf('The data class "%s" is not a valid class.', $dataClass));
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/Type/FormTypeTest.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/Type/FormTypeTest.php
index 6a6a17d84a..a8465dc990 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/Type/FormTypeTest.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Extension/Core/Type/FormTypeTest.php
@@ -146,6 +146,37 @@ class FormTypeTest extends BaseTypeTest
         $this->assertSame(10, $view->vars['attr']['maxlength']);
     }
 
+    public function testDataClassMayBeNull()
+    {
+        $this->factory->createBuilder('form', null, array(
+            'data_class' => null,
+        ));
+    }
+
+    public function testDataClassMayBeAbstractClass()
+    {
+        $this->factory->createBuilder('form', null, array(
+            'data_class' => 'Symfony\Component\Form\Tests\Fixtures\AbstractAuthor',
+        ));
+    }
+
+    public function testDataClassMayBeInterface()
+    {
+        $this->factory->createBuilder('form', null, array(
+            'data_class' => 'Symfony\Component\Form\Tests\Fixtures\AuthorInterface',
+        ));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException \Symfony\Component\Form\Exception\InvalidArgumentException
+     */
+    public function testDataClassMustBeValidClassOrInterface()
+    {
+        $this->factory->createBuilder('form', null, array(
+            'data_class' => 'foobar',
+        ));
+    }
+
     public function testSubmitWithEmptyDataCreatesObjectIfClassAvailable()
     {
         $builder = $this->factory->createBuilder('form', null, array(
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Fixtures/AbstractAuthor.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Fixtures/AbstractAuthor.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..03a6b724f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Fixtures/AbstractAuthor.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Symfony package.
+ *
+ * (c) Fabien Potencier <fabien@symfony.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Symfony\Component\Form\Tests\Fixtures;
+
+abstract class AbstractAuthor
+{
+}
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Fixtures/AuthorInterface.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Fixtures/AuthorInterface.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..984cb541ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Form/Tests/Fixtures/AuthorInterface.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Symfony package.
+ *
+ * (c) Fabien Potencier <fabien@symfony.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Symfony\Component\Form\Tests\Fixtures;
+
+interface AuthorInterface
+{
+}