diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java
index 99ea95c76..0a8ba54c2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java
@@ -266,6 +266,24 @@ public interface ExpressionList<T> extends Serializable {
    */
   Query<T> select(String properties);
 
+  /**
+   * Set whether this query uses DISTINCT.
+   * <p>
+   * The select() clause MUST be specified when setDistinct(true) is set. The reason for this is that
+   * generally ORM queries include the "id" property and this doesn't make sense for distinct queries.
+   * </p>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   List<Customer> customers =
+   *       Ebean.find(Customer.class)
+   *          .setDistinct(true)
+   *          .select("name")     // only select the customer name
+   *          .findList();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   */
+  Query<T> setDistinct(boolean distinct);
+
   /**
    * Set the first row to fetch.
    * 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java
index 18076529f..63f27f1df 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java
@@ -1143,6 +1143,19 @@ public interface Query<T> extends Serializable {
 
   /**
    * Set whether this query uses DISTINCT.
+   * <p>
+   * The select() clause MUST be specified when setDistinct(true) is set. The reason for this is that
+   * generally ORM queries include the "id" property and this doesn't make sense for distinct queries.
+   * </p>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *   List<Customer> customers =
+   *       Ebean.find(Customer.class)
+   *          .setDistinct(true)
+   *          .select("name")
+   *          .findList();
+   *
+   * }</pre>
    */
   Query<T> setDistinct(boolean isDistinct);
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
index 10ce12a86..2312dc3c1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
@@ -488,6 +488,11 @@ abstract class JunctionExpression<T> implements Junction<T>, SpiExpression, Expr
     return exprList.select(properties);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public Query<T> setDistinct(boolean distinct) {
+    return exprList.setDistinct(distinct);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public com.avaje.ebean.Query<T> setFirstRow(int firstRow) {
     return exprList.setFirstRow(firstRow);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/util/DefaultExpressionList.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/util/DefaultExpressionList.java
index 8ab8f66d4..eb0147d1c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/util/DefaultExpressionList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/util/DefaultExpressionList.java
@@ -238,6 +238,11 @@ public class DefaultExpressionList<T> implements SpiExpressionList<T> {
     return query.select(fetchProperties);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public Query<T> setDistinct(boolean distinct) {
+    return query.setDistinct(distinct);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public Query<T> setFirstRow(int firstRow) {
     return query.setFirstRow(firstRow);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/other/TestQueryDistinct.java b/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/other/TestQueryDistinct.java
index 72cc30fc2..eb85ddfc3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/other/TestQueryDistinct.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/other/TestQueryDistinct.java
@@ -41,7 +41,22 @@ public class TestQueryDistinct extends BaseTestCase {
       Assert.assertNull(customer.getAnniversary());
     }
   }
-  
+
+  @Test
+  public void test_onWhere() {
+
+    ResetBasicData.reset();
+
+    Query<Customer> query = Ebean.find(Customer.class)
+        .setUseCache(false)
+        .where().setDistinct(true)
+        .select("name");
+
+    query.findList();
+
+    String generatedSql = query.getGeneratedSql();
+    Assert.assertTrue(generatedSql.contains("select distinct t0.name c0 from o_customer t0"));
+  }
   
   @Test
   public void testDistinctStatus() {