diff --git a/spec/javascripts/collectionView.spec.js b/spec/javascripts/collectionView.spec.js
index 8524282c27..05320e35af 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/collectionView.spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/collectionView.spec.js
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ describe('collection view', function() {
       this.sinon.spy(this.collectionView.$el, 'append');
       this.sinon.spy(this.collectionView, 'startBuffering');
       this.sinon.spy(this.collectionView, 'endBuffering');
+      this.sinon.spy(this.collectionView, 'getChildView');
 
       this.collectionView.render();
     });
@@ -153,6 +154,12 @@ describe('collection view', function() {
     it('should trigger "childview:render" for each item in the collection', function() {
       expect(this.childViewRender.callCount).to.equal(2);
     });
+
+    it('should call "getChildView" for each item in the collection', function() {
+      expect(this.collectionView.getChildView).to.have.been.calledTwice.
+        and.calledWith(this.collection.models[0]).
+        and.calledWith(this.collection.models[1]);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('when rendering a collection view and accessing children via the DOM', function() {
@@ -783,6 +790,7 @@ describe('collection view', function() {
       this.collectionView.trigger('show');
 
       this.sinon.spy(this.collectionView, 'attachBuffer');
+      this.sinon.spy(this.collectionView, 'getChildView');
 
       this.collection.add(this.model2);
       this.view = this.collectionView.children.findByIndex(1);
@@ -803,6 +811,10 @@ describe('collection view', function() {
     it('should call the childs "onDomRefresh" method with itself as the context', function() {
       expect(this.ChildView.prototype.onDomRefresh).to.have.been.called;
     });
+
+    it('should call "getChildView" with the new model', function() {
+      expect(this.collectionView.getChildView).to.have.been.calledWith(this.model2);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('when setting an childView in the constructor options', function() {
diff --git a/src/marionette.collectionview.js b/src/marionette.collectionview.js
index d90f1b9819..e078e34e28 100644
--- a/src/marionette.collectionview.js
+++ b/src/marionette.collectionview.js
@@ -226,9 +226,12 @@ Marionette.CollectionView = Marionette.View.extend({
     }
   },
 
-  // Retrieve the childView class, either from `this.options.childView`
+  // Retrieve the `childView` class, either from `this.options.childView`
   // or from the `childView` in the object definition. The "options"
   // takes precedence.
+  // This method receives the model that will be passed to the instance
+  // created from this `childView`. Overriding methods may use the child
+  // to determine what `childView` class to return.
   getChildView: function(child) {
     var childView = this.getOption('childView');