diff --git a/pkg/runtime/conversion_generator.go b/pkg/runtime/conversion_generator.go
index 9971b7b20df..f63c9572888 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/conversion_generator.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/conversion_generator.go
@@ -302,11 +302,15 @@ func (g *conversionGenerator) generateConversionsForSlice(inType, outType reflec
 }
 
 func (g *conversionGenerator) generateConversionsForStruct(inType, outType reflect.Type) error {
+	errs := []string{}
 	for i := 0; i < inType.NumField(); i++ {
 		inField := inType.Field(i)
 		outField, found := outType.FieldByName(inField.Name)
 		if !found {
-			return fmt.Errorf("couldn't find a corresponding field %v in %v", inField.Name, outType)
+			// aggregate the errors so we can return them at the end but still provide
+			// best effort for generation for other fields in this type
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Sprintf("couldn't find a corresponding field %v in %v", inField.Name, outType))
+			continue
 		}
 		if isComplexType(inField.Type) {
 			if err := g.generateConversionsBetween(inField.Type, outField.Type); err != nil {
@@ -314,7 +318,11 @@ func (g *conversionGenerator) generateConversionsForStruct(inType, outType refle
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return nil
+
+	if len(errs) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return fmt.Errorf(strings.Join(errs, ","))
 }
 
 // A buffer of lines that will be written.
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/conversion_generator_test.go b/pkg/runtime/conversion_generator_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f97fbf81e52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/runtime/conversion_generator_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2016 The Kubernetes Authors All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package runtime
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api/unversioned"
+)
+
+type InternalSubtype struct {
+	String string
+}
+
+type Internal struct {
+	TypeMeta
+	Bool    bool
+	Complex InternalSubtype
+}
+
+type ExternalSubtype struct {
+	String string
+}
+
+type External struct {
+	TypeMeta
+	Complex ExternalSubtype
+}
+
+func (obj *Internal) GetObjectKind() unversioned.ObjectKind { return &obj.TypeMeta }
+func (obj *External) GetObjectKind() unversioned.ObjectKind { return &obj.TypeMeta }
+
+func TestGenerateConversionsForStruct(t *testing.T) {
+	internalGV := unversioned.GroupVersion{Group: "test.group", Version: APIVersionInternal}
+	externalGV := unversioned.GroupVersion{Group: "test.group", Version: "external"}
+
+	scheme := NewScheme()
+	scheme.Log(t)
+	scheme.AddKnownTypeWithName(internalGV.WithKind("Complex"), &Internal{})
+	scheme.AddKnownTypeWithName(externalGV.WithKind("Complex"), &External{})
+
+	generator := NewConversionGenerator(scheme, "foo")
+	typedGenerator, ok := generator.(*conversionGenerator)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("error converting to conversionGenerator")
+	}
+
+	internalType := reflect.TypeOf(Internal{})
+	externalType := reflect.TypeOf(External{})
+	err := typedGenerator.generateConversionsForStruct(internalType, externalType)
+
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected error for asymmetrical field")
+	}
+
+	// we are expecting Convert_runtime_InternalSubtype_To_runtime_ExternalSubtype to be generated
+	// even though the conversion for the parent type cannot be auto generated
+	if len(typedGenerator.publicFuncs) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("expected to find one public conversion for the Complex type but found: %v", typedGenerator.publicFuncs)
+	}
+}