Default to loading unknown objects as a Dor::Item instance

lib/dor-services.rb

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 require 'active_fedora'
+require 'active_fedora/version'
 require 'active_support/core_ext/module/attribute_accessors'
 require 'modsulator'
 require 'dor/utils/sdr_client'

lib/dor/models/identifiable.rb

@@ -233,7 +233,20 @@ def adapt_to_cmodel
       if object_class
         self.instance_of?(object_class) ? self : self.adapt_to(object_class)
       else
-        super
+        if ActiveFedora::VERSION < '8'
+          result = super
+          if result.class == Dor::Abstract
+            self.adapt_to(Dor::Item)
+          else
+            result
+          end
+        else
+          begin
+            super
+          rescue ActiveFedora::ModelNotAsserted
+            self.adapt_to(Dor::Item)
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
 

spec/dor/identifiable_spec.rb

@@ -345,5 +345,13 @@ class IdentifiableItem < ActiveFedora::Base
         expect(item.adapt_to_cmodel.class).to eq Dor::Agreement
       end
     end
+
+    context 'for an object without identityMetadata or a RELS-EXT model' do
+      let(:item) { item_from_foxml(read_fixture('foxml_empty.xml'), Dor::Abstract) }
+
+      it 'defaults to Dor::Item' do
+        expect(item.adapt_to_cmodel.class).to eq Dor::Item
+      end
+    end
   end
 end