diff --git a/docs/Tutorial.md b/docs/Tutorial.md
index a7b0e21d0..5db31e9f8 100644
--- a/docs/Tutorial.md
+++ b/docs/Tutorial.md
@@ -178,11 +178,12 @@ struct convert<Vec3> {
     return node;
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, Vec3& rhs) {
+  static Vec3 decode(const Node& node) {
     if(!node.IsSequence() || node.size() != 3) {
-      return false;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException("");
     }
 
+    Vec3 rhs;
     rhs.x = node[0].as<double>();
     rhs.y = node[1].as<double>();
     rhs.z = node[2].as<double>();
@@ -197,5 +198,50 @@ Then you could use `Vec3` wherever you could use any other type:
 ```cpp
 YAML::Node node = YAML::Load("start: [1, 3, 0]");
 Vec3 v = node["start"].as<Vec3>();
-node["end"] = Vec3(2, -1, 0);
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+node["end"] = Vec3{2, -1, 0};
+```
+
+Observe that in the above example the custom type is, decalred as 
+a struct, explicit default constructable and all its members are
+exposed. For non default constructable types like
+
+```cpp
+class NonDefCtorVec3 : public Vec3 {
+  using Vec3::x;
+  using Vec3::y;
+  using Vec3::z;
+ public:
+  NonDefCtorVec3(double x, double y, double z)
+      : Vec3() { this->x=x; this->y=y; this->z=z;
+  };
+};
+```
+a new API is available, that freshens up the signature of the 'convert<T>::decode'
+method and introduces the abortion of the deserialization process by throwing
+an `DecodeException`.
+
+```cpp
+namespace YAML {
+template <>
+struct convert<NonDefCtorVec3> {
+  static Node encode(const NonDefCtorVec3& rhs) {
+    return convert<Vec3>::encode(rhs);
+  }
+
+  static NonDefCtorVec3 decode(const Node& node) {
+    if (!node.IsSequence() || node.size() != 3) {
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
+    }
+    return {node[0].as<double>(), node[1].as<double>(), node[2].as<double>()};
+  }
+};
+}
+```
+
+The behavior is exactly the same
+
+```cpp
+YAML::Node node = YAML::Load("start: [1, 3, 0]");
+NonDefCtorVec3 v = node["start"].as<NonDefCtorVec3>();
+node["end"] = NonDefCtorVec3(2, -1, 0);
+```
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/exceptions.h b/include/yaml-cpp/exceptions.h
index f6b2602ae..47884188a 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/exceptions.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/exceptions.h
@@ -298,6 +298,15 @@ class YAML_CPP_API BadFile : public Exception {
   BadFile(const BadFile&) = default;
   ~BadFile() YAML_CPP_NOEXCEPT override;
 };
+
+
+namespace conversion{
+  class DecodeException : public std::runtime_error {
+  public:
+    DecodeException(const std::string& s="") : std::runtime_error(s) {};
+  };
+}
+
 }  // namespace YAML
 
 #endif  // EXCEPTIONS_H_62B23520_7C8E_11DE_8A39_0800200C9A66
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/api_switch.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/api_switch.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..716ab9819
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/api_switch.h
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+//
+// Created by marcel on 3/3/22.
+//
+
+#ifndef YAML_CPP_API_SWITCH_H
+#define YAML_CPP_API_SWITCH_H
+
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) ||                                            \
+    (defined(__GNUC__) && (__GNUC__ == 3 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 4) || \
+     (__GNUC__ >= 4))  // GCC supports "pragma once" correctly since 3.4
+#pragma once
+#endif
+
+#include "yaml-cpp/node/node.h"
+#include "yaml-cpp/exceptions.h"
+#include <type_traits>
+
+namespace YAML{
+namespace detail {
+
+  //detect the method of the new api
+  template <typename>
+  std::false_type has_decode_new_api(long);
+
+  template <typename T>
+  auto has_decode_new_api(int)
+      -> decltype( T::decode(std::declval<const Node&>()), std::true_type{});
+
+  template <bool AorB>
+  struct static_api_switch;
+
+  template<> //new api call-path
+  struct static_api_switch<true> {
+    template<class T>
+    static T decode(const Node& node) {
+      return convert<T>::decode(node);
+    }
+  };
+
+  template<>  //old api call-path
+  struct static_api_switch<false> {
+    template<class T>
+    static T decode(const Node& node) {
+      T t;
+      if (convert<T>::decode(node, t))
+        return t;
+      throw conversion::DecodeException();
+    }
+  };
+}
+}
+
+#endif  // YAML_CPP_API_SWITCH_H
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h
index 8ab0cd4e2..ed77cf5b9 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/convert.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <vector>
+#include <stdexcept>
 
 #include "yaml-cpp/binary.h"
 #include "yaml-cpp/node/impl.h"
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 namespace YAML {
 class Binary;
 struct _Null;
+
 template <typename T>
 struct convert;
 }  // namespace YAML
@@ -57,6 +59,13 @@ struct convert<Node> {
     rhs.reset(node);
     return true;
   }
+
+//  static Node decode(const Node& node) {
+//    throw std::runtime_error("this should not have been encountered");
+//    Node rhs;
+//    rhs.reset(node);
+//    return rhs;
+//  }
 };
 
 // std::string
@@ -64,11 +73,10 @@ template <>
 struct convert<std::string> {
   static Node encode(const std::string& rhs) { return Node(rhs); }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, std::string& rhs) {
+  static std::string decode(const Node& node) {
     if (!node.IsScalar())
-      return false;
-    rhs = node.Scalar();
-    return true;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
+    return node.Scalar();
   }
 };
 
@@ -92,8 +100,10 @@ template <>
 struct convert<_Null> {
   static Node encode(const _Null& /* rhs */) { return Node(); }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, _Null& /* rhs */) {
-    return node.IsNull();
+  static _Null decode(const Node& node) {
+    if (!node.IsNull())
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
+    return _Null();
   }
 };
 
@@ -157,37 +167,35 @@ ConvertStreamTo(std::stringstream& stream, T& rhs) {
       return Node(stream.str());                                           \
     }                                                                      \
                                                                            \
-    static bool decode(const Node& node, type& rhs) {                      \
+    static type decode(const Node& node) {                                 \
       if (node.Type() != NodeType::Scalar) {                               \
-        return false;                                                      \
+        throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();;                        \
       }                                                                    \
       const std::string& input = node.Scalar();                            \
       std::stringstream stream(input);                                     \
       stream.unsetf(std::ios::dec);                                        \
       if ((stream.peek() == '-') && std::is_unsigned<type>::value) {       \
-        return false;                                                      \
+        throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();                         \
       }                                                                    \
+      type rhs;                                                            \
       if (conversion::ConvertStreamTo(stream, rhs)) {                      \
-        return true;                                                       \
+        return rhs;                                                        \
       }                                                                    \
       if (std::numeric_limits<type>::has_infinity) {                       \
         if (conversion::IsInfinity(input)) {                               \
-          rhs = std::numeric_limits<type>::infinity();                     \
-          return true;                                                     \
+          return std::numeric_limits<type>::infinity();                    \
         } else if (conversion::IsNegativeInfinity(input)) {                \
-          rhs = negative_op std::numeric_limits<type>::infinity();         \
-          return true;                                                     \
+          return negative_op std::numeric_limits<type>::infinity();        \
         }                                                                  \
       }                                                                    \
                                                                            \
       if (std::numeric_limits<type>::has_quiet_NaN) {                      \
         if (conversion::IsNaN(input)) {                                    \
-          rhs = std::numeric_limits<type>::quiet_NaN();                    \
-          return true;                                                     \
+          return std::numeric_limits<type>::quiet_NaN();                   \
         }                                                                  \
       }                                                                    \
                                                                            \
-      return false;                                                        \
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();                           \
     }                                                                      \
   }
 
@@ -223,7 +231,7 @@ template <>
 struct convert<bool> {
   static Node encode(bool rhs) { return rhs ? Node("true") : Node("false"); }
 
-  YAML_CPP_API static bool decode(const Node& node, bool& rhs);
+  YAML_CPP_API static bool decode(const Node& node);
 };
 
 // std::map
@@ -236,11 +244,11 @@ struct convert<std::map<K, V, C, A>> {
     return node;
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, std::map<K, V, C, A>& rhs) {
+  static std::map<K, V, C, A> decode(const Node& node) {
     if (!node.IsMap())
-      return false;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
-    rhs.clear();
+    std::map<K, V, C, A> rhs;
     for (const auto& element : node)
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
       // workaround for GCC 3:
@@ -248,7 +256,7 @@ struct convert<std::map<K, V, C, A>> {
 #else
       rhs[element.first.as<K>()] = element.second.as<V>();
 #endif
-    return true;
+    return rhs;
   }
 };
 
@@ -262,11 +270,11 @@ struct convert<std::unordered_map<K, V, H, P, A>> {
     return node;
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, std::unordered_map<K, V, H, P, A>& rhs) {
+  static std::unordered_map<K, V, H, P, A> decode(const Node& node) {
     if (!node.IsMap())
-      return false;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
-    rhs.clear();
+    std::unordered_map<K, V, H, P, A> rhs;
     for (const auto& element : node)
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
       // workaround for GCC 3:
@@ -274,7 +282,7 @@ struct convert<std::unordered_map<K, V, H, P, A>> {
 #else
       rhs[element.first.as<K>()] = element.second.as<V>();
 #endif
-    return true;
+    return rhs;
   }
 };
 
@@ -288,11 +296,11 @@ struct convert<std::vector<T, A>> {
     return node;
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, std::vector<T, A>& rhs) {
+  static std::vector<T, A> decode(const Node& node) {
     if (!node.IsSequence())
-      return false;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
-    rhs.clear();
+    std::vector<T, A> rhs;
     for (const auto& element : node)
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
       // workaround for GCC 3:
@@ -300,7 +308,7 @@ struct convert<std::vector<T, A>> {
 #else
       rhs.push_back(element.as<T>());
 #endif
-    return true;
+    return rhs;
   }
 };
 
@@ -314,11 +322,11 @@ struct convert<std::list<T,A>> {
     return node;
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, std::list<T,A>& rhs) {
+  static std::list<T,A> decode(const Node& node) {
     if (!node.IsSequence())
-      return false;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
-    rhs.clear();
+    std::list<T,A> rhs;
     for (const auto& element : node)
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
       // workaround for GCC 3:
@@ -326,7 +334,7 @@ struct convert<std::list<T,A>> {
 #else
       rhs.push_back(element.as<T>());
 #endif
-    return true;
+    return rhs;
   }
 };
 
@@ -341,11 +349,11 @@ struct convert<std::array<T, N>> {
     return node;
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, std::array<T, N>& rhs) {
-    if (!isNodeValid(node)) {
-      return false;
-    }
+  static std::array<T, N> decode(const Node& node) {
+    if (!isNodeValid(node))
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
+    std::array<T, N> rhs;
     for (auto i = 0u; i < node.size(); ++i) {
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
       // workaround for GCC 3:
@@ -354,7 +362,7 @@ struct convert<std::array<T, N>> {
       rhs[i] = node[i].as<T>();
 #endif
     }
-    return true;
+    return rhs;
   }
 
  private:
@@ -373,12 +381,11 @@ struct convert<std::pair<T, U>> {
     return node;
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, std::pair<T, U>& rhs) {
-    if (!node.IsSequence())
-      return false;
-    if (node.size() != 2)
-      return false;
+  static std::pair<T, U> decode(const Node& node) {
+    if (!node.IsSequence() || node.size() != 2)
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
+    std::pair<T, U> rhs;
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
     // workaround for GCC 3:
     rhs.first = node[0].template as<T>();
@@ -391,7 +398,7 @@ struct convert<std::pair<T, U>> {
 #else
     rhs.second = node[1].as<U>();
 #endif
-    return true;
+    return rhs;
   }
 };
 
@@ -402,16 +409,17 @@ struct convert<Binary> {
     return Node(EncodeBase64(rhs.data(), rhs.size()));
   }
 
-  static bool decode(const Node& node, Binary& rhs) {
+  static Binary decode(const Node& node) {
     if (!node.IsScalar())
-      return false;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
     std::vector<unsigned char> data = DecodeBase64(node.Scalar());
     if (data.empty() && !node.Scalar().empty())
-      return false;
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
+    Binary rhs;
     rhs.swap(data);
-    return true;
+    return rhs;
   }
 };
 }
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
index b38038dfd..f574383d9 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/detail/impl.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "yaml-cpp/node/detail/node.h"
 #include "yaml-cpp/node/detail/node_data.h"
+#include "yaml-cpp/node/api_switch.h"
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <type_traits>
@@ -98,19 +99,27 @@ struct remove_idx<Key,
 
 template <typename T>
 inline bool node::equals(const T& rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
-  T lhs;
-  if (convert<T>::decode(Node(*this, pMemory), lhs)) {
-    return lhs == rhs;
+  try {
+    return static_api_switch<decltype(has_decode_new_api<convert<T>>(
+        0))::value>::template decode<T>(Node(*this, pMemory)) == rhs;
+  } catch(const conversion::DecodeException& e) {
+    //throw; //prefer to throw over returning just the inability to deserialize
+    return false; //not doing this breaks upstream functionality
+  } catch (...) {
+    throw;
   }
-  return false;
 }
 
 inline bool node::equals(const char* rhs, shared_memory_holder pMemory) {
-  std::string lhs;
-  if (convert<std::string>::decode(Node(*this, std::move(pMemory)), lhs)) {
-    return lhs == rhs;
+  try {
+    return static_api_switch<decltype(has_decode_new_api<convert<std::string>>(
+               0))::value>::template decode<std::string>(Node(*this, std::move(pMemory))) == rhs;
+  } catch(const conversion::DecodeException& e) {
+    //throw; //prefer to throw over returning just the inability to deserialize
+    return false; //not doing this breaks upstream functionality
+  } catch (...) {
+    throw;
   }
-  return false;
 }
 
 // indexing
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/impl.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/impl.h
index 312281f18..c565d6d0a 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/impl.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/impl.h
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@
 #include "yaml-cpp/node/detail/node.h"
 #include "yaml-cpp/node/iterator.h"
 #include "yaml-cpp/node/node.h"
+#include "yaml-cpp/node/api_switch.h"
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
+#include <type_traits>
 
 namespace YAML {
 inline Node::Node()
@@ -97,10 +99,36 @@ struct as_if {
     if (!node.m_pNode)
       return fallback;
 
-    T t;
-    if (convert<T>::decode(node, t))
-      return t;
-    return fallback;
+    try {
+      return detail::static_api_switch<decltype(detail::has_decode_new_api<convert<T>>(
+          0))::value>::template decode<T>(node);
+    } catch (const conversion::DecodeException& e) {
+      return fallback;
+    } catch (...) {
+      throw;
+    }
+  };
+};
+
+//specialize for Node
+template <typename S>
+struct as_if<Node, S> {
+  explicit as_if(const Node& node_) : node(node_) {}
+  const Node& node;
+
+  Node operator()(const S& fallback) const {
+    if (!node.m_pNode)
+      return fallback;
+
+    try {
+      Node n;
+      n.reset(node);
+      return node;
+    } catch (const conversion::DecodeException& e) {
+      return fallback;
+    } catch (...) {
+      throw;
+    }
   }
 };
 
@@ -127,11 +155,15 @@ struct as_if<T, void> {
     if (!node.m_pNode)
       throw TypedBadConversion<T>(node.Mark());
 
-    T t;
-    if (convert<T>::decode(node, t))
-      return t;
-    throw TypedBadConversion<T>(node.Mark());
-  }
+    try {
+      return detail::static_api_switch<decltype(detail::has_decode_new_api<convert<T>>(
+          0))::value>::template decode<T>(node);
+    } catch(const conversion::DecodeException& e) {
+        throw TypedBadConversion<T>(node.Mark());
+    } catch (...) {
+      throw;
+    }
+  };
 };
 
 template <>
@@ -321,6 +353,16 @@ std::string key_to_string(const Key& key) {
 }
 
 // indexing
+template <typename Key>
+inline bool Node::ContainsKey(const Key& key) const {
+  EnsureNodeExists();
+  if (! IsMap())
+    return false;
+  detail::node* value =
+      static_cast<const detail::node&>(*m_pNode).get(key, m_pMemory);
+  return (bool)value;
+}
+
 template <typename Key>
 inline const Node Node::operator[](const Key& key) const {
   EnsureNodeExists();
diff --git a/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h b/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h
index c9e9a0a4b..602036fc0 100644
--- a/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h
+++ b/include/yaml-cpp/node/node.h
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ class YAML_CPP_API Node {
 
   // indexing
   template <typename Key>
+  bool ContainsKey(const Key& key) const;
+  template <typename Key>
   const Node operator[](const Key& key) const;
   template <typename Key>
   Node operator[](const Key& key);
@@ -141,6 +143,7 @@ YAML_CPP_API bool operator==(const Node& lhs, const Node& rhs);
 
 YAML_CPP_API Node Clone(const Node& node);
 
+//forward declare this customization point for all types
 template <typename T>
 struct convert;
 }
diff --git a/src/convert.cpp b/src/convert.cpp
index 9658b3603..957aedaf2 100644
--- a/src/convert.cpp
+++ b/src/convert.cpp
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ bool IsFlexibleCase(const std::string& str) {
 }  // namespace
 
 namespace YAML {
-bool convert<bool>::decode(const Node& node, bool& rhs) {
+bool convert<bool>::decode(const Node& node) {
   if (!node.IsScalar())
-    return false;
+    throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
   // we can't use iostream bool extraction operators as they don't
   // recognize all possible values in the table below (taken from
@@ -55,20 +55,18 @@ bool convert<bool>::decode(const Node& node, bool& rhs) {
   };
 
   if (!IsFlexibleCase(node.Scalar()))
-    return false;
+    throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 
   for (const auto& name : names) {
     if (name.truename == tolower(node.Scalar())) {
-      rhs = true;
       return true;
     }
 
     if (name.falsename == tolower(node.Scalar())) {
-      rhs = false;
-      return true;
+      return false;
     }
   }
 
-  return false;
+  throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
 }
 }  // namespace YAML
diff --git a/test/node/node_test.cpp b/test/node/node_test.cpp
index d4367c502..6dd4ba773 100644
--- a/test/node/node_test.cpp
+++ b/test/node/node_test.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,30 @@ template <class T> using CustomList = std::list<T,CustomAllocator<T>>;
 template <class K, class V, class C=std::less<K>> using CustomMap = std::map<K,V,C,CustomAllocator<std::pair<const K,V>>>;
 template <class K, class V, class H=std::hash<K>, class P=std::equal_to<K>> using CustomUnorderedMap = std::unordered_map<K,V,H,P,CustomAllocator<std::pair<const K,V>>>;
 
+struct Vec3 {
+  double x, y, z;
+  bool operator==(const Vec3& rhs) const {
+    return x == rhs.x && y == rhs.y && z == rhs.z;
+  }
+};
+
+class NonDefCtorVec3 : public Vec3 {
+  using Vec3::x;
+  using Vec3::y;
+  using Vec3::z;
+ public:
+  NonDefCtorVec3(double x, double y, double z)
+      : Vec3() {
+     this->x=x;
+     this->y=y;
+     this->z=z;
+  };
+  bool operator==(const NonDefCtorVec3& rhs) const {
+    return x == rhs.x && y == rhs.y && z == rhs.z;
+  }
+};
+
+
 }  // anonymous namespace
 
 using ::testing::AnyOf;
@@ -56,6 +80,45 @@ using ::testing::Eq;
   }
 
 namespace YAML {
+
+//define custom convert structs
+template<>
+struct convert<Vec3> {
+  static Node encode(const Vec3& rhs) {
+    Node node;
+    node.push_back(rhs.x);
+    node.push_back(rhs.y);
+    node.push_back(rhs.z);
+    return node;
+  }
+
+  static bool decode(const Node& node, Vec3& rhs) {
+    if(!node.IsSequence() || node.size() != 3) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    rhs.x = node[0].as<double>();
+    rhs.y = node[1].as<double>();
+    rhs.z = node[2].as<double>();
+    return true;
+  }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct convert<NonDefCtorVec3> {
+  static Node encode(const NonDefCtorVec3& rhs) {
+    return convert<Vec3>::encode(rhs);
+  }
+
+  static NonDefCtorVec3 decode(const Node& node) {
+    if (!node.IsSequence() || node.size() != 3) {
+      throw YAML::conversion::DecodeException();
+    }
+    return {node[0].as<double>(), node[1].as<double>(), node[2].as<double>()};
+  }
+};
+
+
 namespace {
 TEST(NodeTest, SimpleScalar) {
   Node node = Node("Hello, World!");
@@ -674,6 +737,24 @@ TEST(NodeTest, AccessNonexistentKeyOnConstNode) {
   ASSERT_FALSE(other["5"]);
 }
 
+TEST(NodeTest, CustomClassDecoding) {
+  YAML::Node node;
+  node.push_back(1.0);
+  node.push_back(2.0);
+  node.push_back(3.0);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(node.IsSequence());
+  EXPECT_EQ(node.as<Vec3>(), (Vec3{1.0, 2.0, 3.0}));
+}
+
+TEST(NodeTest, CustomNonDefaultConstructibleClassDecoding) {
+  YAML::Node node;
+  node.push_back(1.0);
+  node.push_back(2.0);
+  node.push_back(3.0);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(node.IsSequence());
+  EXPECT_EQ(node.as<NonDefCtorVec3>(), (NonDefCtorVec3{1.0, 2.0, 3.0}));
+}
+
 class NodeEmitterTest : public ::testing::Test {
  protected:
   void ExpectOutput(const std::string& output, const Node& node) {