diff --git a/dataset/src/main/scala/frameless/TypedDataset.scala b/dataset/src/main/scala/frameless/TypedDataset.scala
index 7f459684f..add2170b2 100644
--- a/dataset/src/main/scala/frameless/TypedDataset.scala
+++ b/dataset/src/main/scala/frameless/TypedDataset.scala
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class TypedDataset[T] protected[frameless](val dataset: Dataset[T])(implicit val
   def count[F[_]]()(implicit F: SparkDelay[F]): F[Long] =
     F.delay(dataset.count())
 
-  /** Returns `TypedColumn` of type `A` given its name.
+  /** Returns `TypedColumn` of type `A` given its name (alias for `col`).
     *
     * {{{
     * tf('id)
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ class TypedDataset[T] protected[frameless](val dataset: Dataset[T])(implicit val
   def col[A](x: Function1[T, A]): TypedColumn[T, A] =
     macro TypedColumnMacroImpl.applyImpl[T, A]
 
-  /** Projects the entire TypedDataset[T] into a single column of type TypedColumn[T,T]
+  /** Projects the entire `TypedDataset[T]` into a single column of type `TypedColumn[T,T]`.
     * {{{
     *   ts: TypedDataset[Foo] = ...
     *   ts.select(ts.asCol, ts.asCol): TypedDataset[(Foo,Foo)]
@@ -261,12 +261,28 @@ class TypedDataset[T] protected[frameless](val dataset: Dataset[T])(implicit val
       case StructType(_) =>
         val allColumns: Array[Column] = dataset.columns.map(dataset.col)
         org.apache.spark.sql.functions.struct(allColumns.toSeq: _*)
+
       case _ =>
         dataset.col(dataset.columns.head)
     }
+    
     new TypedColumn[T,T](projectedColumn)
   }
 
+  /** References the entire `TypedDataset[T]` as a single column 
+    * of type `TypedColumn[T,T]` so it can be used in a join operation.
+    * 
+    * {{{
+    * def nameJoin(ds1: TypedDataset[Person], ds2: TypedDataset[Name]) =
+    *   ds1.joinLeftSemi(ds2)(ds1.col('name) === ds2.asJoinColValue)
+    * }}}
+    */
+  def asJoinColValue(implicit i0: IsValueClass[T]): TypedColumn[T, T] = {
+    import _root_.frameless.syntax._
+
+    dataset.col("value").typedColumn
+  }
+
   object colMany extends SingletonProductArgs {
     def applyProduct[U <: HList, Out](columns: U)
       (implicit
@@ -635,11 +651,13 @@ class TypedDataset[T] protected[frameless](val dataset: Dataset[T])(implicit val
   def joinInner[U](other: TypedDataset[U])(condition: TypedColumn[T with U, Boolean])
     (implicit e: TypedEncoder[(T, U)]): TypedDataset[(T, U)] = {
       import FramelessInternals._
+
       val leftPlan = logicalPlan(dataset)
       val rightPlan = logicalPlan(other.dataset)
       val join = disambiguate(Join(leftPlan, rightPlan, Inner, Some(condition.expr), JoinHint.NONE))
       val joinedPlan = joinPlan(dataset, join, leftPlan, rightPlan)
       val joinedDs = mkDataset(dataset.sqlContext, joinedPlan, TypedExpressionEncoder[(T, U)])
+
       TypedDataset.create[(T, U)](joinedDs)
     }
 
@@ -1291,8 +1309,9 @@ class TypedDataset[T] protected[frameless](val dataset: Dataset[T])(implicit val
    i7: TypedEncoder[Out]
   ): TypedDataset[Out] = {
     val df = dataset.toDF()
-    val trans = 
-      df.filter(df(column.value.name).isNotNull).as[Out](TypedExpressionEncoder[Out])
+    val trans = df.filter(df(column.value.name).isNotNull).
+      as[Out](TypedExpressionEncoder[Out])
+
     TypedDataset.create[Out](trans)
   }
 }
@@ -1304,6 +1323,7 @@ object TypedDataset {
       sqlContext: SparkSession
     ): TypedDataset[A] = {
       val dataset = sqlContext.createDataset(data)(TypedExpressionEncoder[A])
+
       TypedDataset.create[A](dataset)
     }
 
@@ -1313,10 +1333,12 @@ object TypedDataset {
       sqlContext: SparkSession
     ): TypedDataset[A] = {
       val dataset = sqlContext.createDataset(data)(TypedExpressionEncoder[A])
+
       TypedDataset.create[A](dataset)
     }
 
-  def create[A: TypedEncoder](dataset: Dataset[A]): TypedDataset[A] = createUnsafe(dataset.toDF())
+  def create[A: TypedEncoder](dataset: Dataset[A]): TypedDataset[A] =
+    createUnsafe(dataset.toDF())
 
   /**
     * Creates a [[frameless.TypedDataset]] from a Spark [[org.apache.spark.sql.DataFrame]].
diff --git a/dataset/src/test/scala/frameless/ColumnTests.scala b/dataset/src/test/scala/frameless/ColumnTests.scala
index 3dea3e568..9f1af57a5 100644
--- a/dataset/src/test/scala/frameless/ColumnTests.scala
+++ b/dataset/src/test/scala/frameless/ColumnTests.scala
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ final class ColumnTests extends TypedDatasetSuite with Matchers {
   test("asCol with numeric operators") {
     def prop(a: Seq[Long]) = {
       val ds: TypedDataset[Long] = TypedDataset.create(a)
-      val (first,second) = (2L,5L)
+      val (first, second) = (2L, 5L)
       val frameless: Seq[(Long, Long, Long)] =
         ds.select(ds.asCol, ds.asCol+first, ds.asCol*second).collect().run()
 
@@ -402,6 +402,22 @@ final class ColumnTests extends TypedDatasetSuite with Matchers {
     check(forAll(prop _))
   }
 
+  test("reference Value class so can join on") {
+    import RecordEncoderTests.{ Name, Person }
+
+    val bar = new Name("bar")
+
+    val ds1: TypedDataset[Person] = TypedDataset.create(
+      Seq(Person(bar, 23), Person(new Name("foo"), 11)))
+
+    val ds2: TypedDataset[Name] =
+      TypedDataset.create(Seq(new Name("lorem"), bar))
+
+    val joined = ds1.joinLeftSemi(ds2)(ds1.col('name) === ds2.asJoinColValue)
+
+    joined.collect().run() shouldEqual Seq(Person(bar, 23))
+  }
+
   test("unary_!") {
     val ds = TypedDataset.create((true, false) :: Nil)