diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/aql/translator/AqlTranslator.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/aql/translator/AqlTranslator.java
index a216242..b54ea38 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/aql/translator/AqlTranslator.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/aql/translator/AqlTranslator.java
@@ -406,12 +406,8 @@
                     }
                     List<String> partitioningExprs = ((InternalDetailsDecl) dd.getDatasetDetailsDecl())
                             .getPartitioningExprs();
-                    for (String s : partitioningExprs) {
-                        ARecordType aRecordType = (ARecordType) itemType;
-                        if (!aRecordType.doesFieldExist(s)) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("A field with this name " + s + " could not be found.");
-                        }
-                    }
+                    ARecordType aRecordType = (ARecordType) itemType;
+                    aRecordType.validateParitioningExpression(partitioningExprs);
                     String ngName = ((InternalDetailsDecl) dd.getDatasetDetailsDecl()).getNodegroupName().getValue();
                     datasetDetails = new InternalDatasetDetails(InternalDatasetDetails.FileStructure.BTREE,
                             InternalDatasetDetails.PartitioningStrategy.HASH, partitioningExprs, partitioningExprs,
@@ -431,12 +427,8 @@
                     }
                     List<String> partitioningExprs = ((FeedDetailsDecl) dd.getDatasetDetailsDecl())
                             .getPartitioningExprs();
-                    for (String s : partitioningExprs) {
-                        ARecordType aRecordType = (ARecordType) itemType;
-                        if (!aRecordType.doesFieldExist(s)) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("A field with this name " + s + " could not be found.");
-                        }
-                    }
+                    ARecordType aRecordType = (ARecordType) itemType;
+                    aRecordType.validateParitioningExpression(partitioningExprs);
                     String ngName = ((FeedDetailsDecl) dd.getDatasetDetailsDecl()).getNodegroupName().getValue();
                     String adapter = ((FeedDetailsDecl) dd.getDatasetDetailsDecl()).getAdapterFactoryClassname();
                     Map<String, String> configuration = ((FeedDetailsDecl) dd.getDatasetDetailsDecl())
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/queries/exception/issue_255_create_dataset_error/issue_255_create_dataset_error.1.ddl.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/queries/exception/issue_255_create_dataset_error_1/issue_255_create_dataset_error_1.1.ddl.aql
similarity index 100%
rename from asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/queries/exception/issue_255_create_dataset_error/issue_255_create_dataset_error.1.ddl.aql
rename to asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/queries/exception/issue_255_create_dataset_error_1/issue_255_create_dataset_error_1.1.ddl.aql
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/queries/exception/issue_255_create_dataset_error_2/issue_255_create_dataset_error_2.1.ddl.aql b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/queries/exception/issue_255_create_dataset_error_2/issue_255_create_dataset_error_2.1.ddl.aql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..add51df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/queries/exception/issue_255_create_dataset_error_2/issue_255_create_dataset_error_2.1.ddl.aql
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/*
+ * Description  : create a dataset partitioned on ARecord type
+ * Expected Res : Failure
+ * Date         : 14 April 2013
+ * Issue        : 272
+ */
+
+drop dataverse test if exists;
+create dataverse test;
+use dataverse test;
+
+create type opentype1 as open {
+id:int32
+}
+
+create type opentype2 as open {
+id:int32,
+open-type:opentype1
+}
+
+create dataset testds(opentype2) primary key open-type;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/testsuite.xml b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/testsuite.xml
index 2a4eaa8..c5277ce 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/testsuite.xml
+++ b/asterix-app/src/test/resources/metadata/testsuite.xml
@@ -213,7 +213,13 @@
       </compilation-unit>
     </test-case>
     <test-case FilePath="exception">
-      <compilation-unit name="issue_255_create_dataset_error">
+      <compilation-unit name="issue_255_create_dataset_error_1">
+        <output-dir compare="Text">none</output-dir>
+        <expected-error>edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException</expected-error>
+      </compilation-unit>
+    </test-case>
+    <test-case FilePath="exception">
+      <compilation-unit name="issue_255_create_dataset_error_2">
         <output-dir compare="Text">none</output-dir>
         <expected-error>edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException</expected-error>
       </compilation-unit>
diff --git a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/types/ARecordType.java b/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/types/ARecordType.java
index 8625032..a63764f 100644
--- a/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/types/ARecordType.java
+++ b/asterix-om/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/om/types/ARecordType.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.IAObject;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.visitors.IOMVisitor;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryHashFunction;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.data.std.accessors.PointableBinaryComparatorFactory;
@@ -238,6 +239,17 @@
         return findFieldPosition(fieldName) != -1;
     }
 
+    public void validateParitioningExpression(List<String> partitioningExprs) throws AlgebricksException, IOException {
+        for (String fieldName : partitioningExprs) {
+            if (getFieldType(fieldName) == null) {
+                throw new AlgebricksException("A field with this name  \"" + fieldName + "\" could not be found.");
+            } else if (getFieldType(fieldName).getTypeTag() == ATypeTag.RECORD) {
+                throw new AlgebricksException("The partitioning key \"" + fieldName + "\" cannot be of type "
+                        + ATypeTag.RECORD + ".");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     public boolean doesFieldExist(String fieldName) {
         for (String f : fieldNames) {
             if (f.compareTo(fieldName) == 0) {