diff --git a/trustfall/examples/hackernews/adapter.rs b/trustfall/examples/hackernews/adapter.rs
index 784b778c..77803e98 100644
--- a/trustfall/examples/hackernews/adapter.rs
+++ b/trustfall/examples/hackernews/adapter.rs
@@ -5,18 +5,17 @@ use std::collections::HashSet;
 use hn_api::{types::Item, HnClient};
 use trustfall::{
     provider::{
-        field_property, resolve_coercion_with, resolve_neighbors_with, resolve_property_with,
-        BasicAdapter, ContextIterator, ContextOutcomeIterator, EdgeParameters, VertexIterator,
+        field_property, resolve_coercion_using_schema, resolve_neighbors_with,
+        resolve_property_with, BasicAdapter, ContextIterator, ContextOutcomeIterator,
+        EdgeParameters, VertexIterator,
     },
-    FieldValue, Schema,
+    FieldValue,
 };
 
-use crate::vertex::Vertex;
+use crate::{vertex::Vertex, SCHEMA};
 
 lazy_static! {
     static ref CLIENT: HnClient = HnClient::init().expect("HnClient instantiated");
-    static ref SCHEMA: Schema =
-        Schema::parse(include_str!("hackernews.graphql")).expect("valid schema");
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default)]
@@ -360,18 +359,9 @@ impl BasicAdapter<'static> for HackerNewsAdapter {
     fn resolve_coercion(
         &self,
         contexts: ContextIterator<'static, Self::Vertex>,
-        type_name: &str,
+        _type_name: &str,
         coerce_to_type: &str,
     ) -> ContextOutcomeIterator<'static, Self::Vertex, bool> {
-        match (type_name, coerce_to_type) {
-            ("Item", "Job") => resolve_coercion_with(contexts, |v| v.as_job().is_some()),
-            ("Item", "Story") => resolve_coercion_with(contexts, |v| v.as_story().is_some()),
-            ("Item", "Comment") => resolve_coercion_with(contexts, |v| v.as_comment().is_some()),
-            ("Item", "Poll") => resolve_coercion_with(contexts, |v| v.as_poll().is_some()),
-            ("Item", "PollOption") => {
-                resolve_coercion_with(contexts, |v| v.as_poll_option().is_some())
-            }
-            _ => unreachable!(),
-        }
+        resolve_coercion_using_schema(contexts, &SCHEMA, coerce_to_type)
     }
 }
diff --git a/trustfall/src/lib.rs b/trustfall/src/lib.rs
index 6ab10d4b..4696cf65 100644
--- a/trustfall/src/lib.rs
+++ b/trustfall/src/lib.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ pub mod provider {
 
     // Helpers for common operations when building adapters.
     pub use trustfall_core::interpreter::helpers::{
-        resolve_coercion_with, resolve_neighbors_with, resolve_property_with,
+        resolve_coercion_using_schema, resolve_coercion_with, resolve_neighbors_with,
+        resolve_property_with, resolve_typename,
     };
     pub use trustfall_core::{accessor_property, field_property};
 
diff --git a/trustfall_core/src/interpreter/helpers.rs b/trustfall_core/src/interpreter/helpers.rs
index 55b2189a..e50caf33 100644
--- a/trustfall_core/src/interpreter/helpers.rs
+++ b/trustfall_core/src/interpreter/helpers.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::fmt::Debug;
+use std::{collections::BTreeSet, fmt::Debug};
 
 use crate::{ir::FieldValue, schema::Schema};
 
@@ -71,6 +71,35 @@ pub fn resolve_coercion_with<'vertex, Vertex: Debug + Clone + 'vertex>(
     }))
 }
 
+/// Helper for implementing [`BasicAdapter::resolve_coercion`] and equivalents.
+///
+/// Uses the schema to look up all the subtypes of the coercion target type.
+/// Then uses the [`Typename`] trait to look up the exact runtime type of each vertex
+/// and checks if it's equal or a subtype of the coercion target type.
+///
+/// [`BasicAdapter::resolve_coercion`]: super::basic_adapter::BasicAdapter::resolve_coercion
+pub fn resolve_coercion_using_schema<'vertex, Vertex: Debug + Clone + Typename + 'vertex>(
+    contexts: ContextIterator<'vertex, Vertex>,
+    schema: &'vertex Schema,
+    coerce_to_type: &str,
+) -> ContextOutcomeIterator<'vertex, Vertex, bool> {
+    // If the vertex's typename is one of these types,
+    // then the coercion's result is `true`.
+    let subtypes: BTreeSet<_> = schema
+        .subtypes(coerce_to_type)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("type {coerce_to_type} is not part of this schema"))
+        .collect();
+
+    Box::new(contexts.map(move |ctx| match ctx.active_vertex.as_ref() {
+        None => (ctx, false),
+        Some(vertex) => {
+            let typename = vertex.typename();
+            let can_coerce = subtypes.contains(typename);
+            (ctx, can_coerce)
+        }
+    }))
+}
+
 /// Helper for making property resolver functions based on fields.
 ///
 /// Generally used with [`resolve_property_with`].
diff --git a/trustfall_core/src/schema/mod.rs b/trustfall_core/src/schema/mod.rs
index 10ef4d71..6b022ff7 100644
--- a/trustfall_core/src/schema/mod.rs
+++ b/trustfall_core/src/schema/mod.rs
@@ -229,10 +229,10 @@ directive @transform(op: String!) on FIELD
 
     /// If the named type is defined, iterate through the names of its subtypes including itself.
     /// Otherwise, return None.
-    pub fn subtypes<'slf, 'a: 'slf>(
+    pub fn subtypes<'a, 'slf: 'a>(
         &'slf self,
         type_name: &'a str,
-    ) -> Option<impl Iterator<Item = &'slf str> + 'slf> {
+    ) -> Option<impl Iterator<Item = &'slf str> + 'a> {
         if !self.vertex_types.contains_key(type_name) {
             return None;
         }