Index: magnolia-core/src/main/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/models/NodeDataModelFactory.java
===================================================================
--- magnolia-core/src/main/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/models/NodeDataModelFactory.java	(revision 41137)
+++ magnolia-core/src/main/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/models/NodeDataModelFactory.java	(revision )
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
                 final String s = nodeData.getString();
                 try {
                     final String transformedString = LinkUtil.convertLinksFromUUIDPattern(s);
-                    return new SimpleScalar(transformedString);
+                    return new StringMultitypeModel(transformedString);
                 } catch (LinkException e) {
                     throw new RuntimeException("Failed to parse links in " + nodeData, e);
                 }
Index: magnolia-core/src/test/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/FreemarkerHelperTest.java
===================================================================
--- magnolia-core/src/test/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/FreemarkerHelperTest.java	(revision 41137)
+++ magnolia-core/src/test/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/FreemarkerHelperTest.java	(revision )
@@ -251,6 +251,25 @@
         assertRendereredContent("yes yes no no", c, "test.ftl");
     }
 
+    public void testStringsCanBeExposedAsBooleans() throws Exception {
+        final MockContent c = new MockContent("root");
+        final MockContent foo = new MockContent("foo");
+        foo.addNodeData(new MockNodeData("hip", Boolean.TRUE));
+        foo.addNodeData(new MockNodeData("hop", "true"));
+        foo.addNodeData(new MockNodeData("lala", "random string"));
+        foo.addNodeData(new MockNodeData("zuzu", "false"));
+        foo.addNodeData(new MockNodeData("check", false));
+        c.addContent(foo);
+        tplLoader.putTemplate("test.ftl", "" +
+                "[#if foo.hip]oh yeah, [/#if]" +
+                "[#if foo.hop]that too[/#if]" +
+                "[#if foo.lala]not this, [/#if]" +
+                "[#if foo.zuzu]and this[/#if]" +
+                "[#if foo.check]neeeee[/#if].");
+
+        assertRendereredContent("oh yeah, that too.", c, "test.ftl");
+    }
+
     public void testDatePropertiesAreHandledProperly() throws TemplateException, IOException {
         final MockContent c = new MockContent("root");
         final MockContent foo = new MockContent("foo");
Index: magnolia-core/src/main/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/models/StringMultitypeModel.java
===================================================================
--- magnolia-core/src/main/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/models/StringMultitypeModel.java	(revision )
+++ magnolia-core/src/main/java/info/magnolia/freemarker/models/StringMultitypeModel.java	(revision )
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/**
+ * This file Copyright (c) 2011 Magnolia International
+ * Ltd.  (http://www.magnolia-cms.com). All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *
+ * This file is dual-licensed under both the Magnolia
+ * Network Agreement and the GNU General Public License.
+ * You may elect to use one or the other of these licenses.
+ *
+ * This file is distributed in the hope that it will be
+ * useful, but AS-IS and WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the
+ * implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
+ * PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, or NONINFRINGEMENT.
+ * Redistribution, except as permitted by whichever of the GPL
+ * or MNA you select, is prohibited.
+ *
+ * 1. For the GPL license (GPL), you can redistribute and/or
+ * modify this file under the terms of the GNU General
+ * Public License, Version 3, as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation.  You should have received a copy of the GNU
+ * General Public License, Version 3 along with this program;
+ * if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51
+ * Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * 2. For the Magnolia Network Agreement (MNA), this file
+ * and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the MNA which accompanies this distribution, and
+ * is available at http://www.magnolia-cms.com/mna.html
+ *
+ * Any modifications to this file must keep this entire header
+ * intact.
+ *
+ */
+package info.magnolia.freemarker.models;
+
+import freemarker.template.TemplateBooleanModel;
+import freemarker.template.TemplateModelException;
+import freemarker.template.TemplateScalarModel;
+import org.apache.commons.lang.BooleanUtils;
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+
+/**
+ * A model wrapper which exposes Strings as "simple scalars" as well as booleans.
+ * <!-- It could perhaps also expose them as TemplateNumberModel, etc.-->
+ *
+ * @author gjoseph
+ * @version $Revision: $ ($Author: $)
+ */
+public class StringMultitypeModel implements TemplateScalarModel, TemplateBooleanModel, Serializable {
+
+    private final String value;
+
+    public StringMultitypeModel(String value) {
+        this.value = value;
+    }
+
+    public String getAsString() {
+        return (value == null) ? "" : value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @see org.apache.commons.lang.BooleanUtils We use BooleanUtils instead of Boolean.parseBoolean to allow "y", "yes" and "on",
+     * thus staying close to content2bean (although content2bean uses org.apache.commons.beanutils.converters.BooleanConverter,
+     * which also allows "1" for true)
+     */
+    public boolean getAsBoolean() throws TemplateModelException {
+        return BooleanUtils.toBoolean(value);
+    }
+
+    public String toString() {
+        return value;
+    }
+}