diff --git a/mopidy/models.py b/mopidy/models.py
index 901d637b..a4ed1b4f 100644
--- a/mopidy/models.py
+++ b/mopidy/models.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class ImmutableObject(object):
 
     def serialize(self):
         data = {}
-        data['__type__'] = self.__class__.__name__
+        data['__model__'] = self.__class__.__name__
         for key in self.__dict__.keys():
             public_key = key.lstrip('_')
             value = self.__dict__[key]
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class ModelJSONEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
 
         >>> import json
         >>> json.dumps({'a_track': Track(name='name')}, cls=ModelJSONEncoder)
-        '{"a_track": {"__type__": "Track", "name": "name"}}'
+        '{"a_track": {"__model__": "Track", "name": "name"}}'
 
     """
     def default(self, obj):
@@ -118,14 +118,14 @@ def model_json_decoder(dct):
 
         >>> import json
         >>> json.loads(
-        ...     '{"a_track": {"__type__": "Track", "name": "name"}}',
+        ...     '{"a_track": {"__model__": "Track", "name": "name"}}',
         ...     object_hook=model_json_decoder)
         {u'a_track': Track(artists=[], name=u'name')}
 
     """
-    if '__type__' in dct:
-        obj_type = dct.pop('__type__')
-        cls = globals().get(obj_type, None)
+    if '__model__' in dct:
+        model_name = dct.pop('__model__')
+        cls = globals().get(model_name, None)
         if issubclass(cls, ImmutableObject):
             return cls(**dct)
     return dct
diff --git a/tests/models_test.py b/tests/models_test.py
index 218804e7..9a3062fc 100644
--- a/tests/models_test.py
+++ b/tests/models_test.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class ArtistTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_serialize(self):
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Artist', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
+            {'__model__': 'Artist', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
             Artist(uri='uri', name='name').serialize())
 
     def test_to_json_and_back(self):
@@ -232,14 +232,14 @@ class AlbumTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_serialize_without_artists(self):
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Album', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
+            {'__model__': 'Album', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
             Album(uri='uri', name='name').serialize())
 
     def test_serialize_with_artists(self):
         artist = Artist(name='foo')
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Album', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name', 'artists':
-                [artist.serialize()]},
+            {'__model__': 'Album', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name',
+                'artists': [artist.serialize()]},
             Album(uri='uri', name='name', artists=[artist]).serialize())
 
     def test_to_json_and_back(self):
@@ -430,20 +430,20 @@ class TrackTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_serialize_without_artists(self):
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Track', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
+            {'__model__': 'Track', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
             Track(uri='uri', name='name').serialize())
 
     def test_serialize_with_artists(self):
         artist = Artist(name='foo')
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Track', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name',
+            {'__model__': 'Track', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name',
                 'artists': [artist.serialize()]},
             Track(uri='uri', name='name', artists=[artist]).serialize())
 
     def test_serialize_with_album(self):
         album = Album(name='foo')
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Track', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name',
+            {'__model__': 'Track', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name',
                 'album': album.serialize()},
             Track(uri='uri', name='name', album=album).serialize())
 
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ class TlTrackTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_serialize(self):
         track = Track(uri='uri', name='name')
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'TlTrack', 'tlid': 123, 'track': track.serialize()},
+            {'__model__': 'TlTrack', 'tlid': 123, 'track': track.serialize()},
             TlTrack(tlid=123, track=track).serialize())
 
     def test_to_json_and_back(self):
@@ -780,13 +780,13 @@ class PlaylistTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_serialize_without_tracks(self):
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Playlist', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
+            {'__model__': 'Playlist', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name'},
             Playlist(uri='uri', name='name').serialize())
 
     def test_serialize_with_tracks(self):
         track = Track(name='foo')
         self.assertDictEqual(
-            {'__type__': 'Playlist', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name',
+            {'__model__': 'Playlist', 'uri': 'uri', 'name': 'name',
                 'tracks': [track.serialize()]},
             Playlist(uri='uri', name='name', tracks=[track]).serialize())