diff --git a/AUTHORS.rst b/AUTHORS.rst
index 6cc53931..47dbf348 100644
--- a/AUTHORS.rst
+++ b/AUTHORS.rst
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Contributors
 * Jacob Rief
 * James Murty
 * Jedediah Smith (proxy models support)
+* Jesús Leganés-Combarro (Auto-discover child models and inlines, #582)
 * John Furr
 * Jonas Haag
 * Jonas Obrist
diff --git a/polymorphic/admin/helpers.py b/polymorphic/admin/helpers.py
index 6ed6a109..076e1818 100644
--- a/polymorphic/admin/helpers.py
+++ b/polymorphic/admin/helpers.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ def __iter__(self):
         for form in self.formset.extra_forms + self.formset.empty_forms:
             model = form._meta.model
             child_inline = self.opts.get_child_inline_instance(model)
+
             yield PolymorphicInlineAdminForm(
                 formset=self.formset,
                 form=form,
@@ -141,3 +142,26 @@ def get_inline_formsets(self, request, formsets, inline_instances, obj=None, *ar
                 admin_formset.request = request
                 admin_formset.obj = obj
         return inline_admin_formsets
+
+
+def get_leaf_subclasses(cls, exclude=None):
+    "Get leaf subclasses of `cls` class"
+
+    if exclude is None:
+        exclude = ()
+
+    elif not isinstance(exclude, (list, tuple)):
+        # Accept single instance in `exclude`
+        exclude = (exclude,)
+
+    result = []
+
+    subclasses = cls.__subclasses__()
+
+    if subclasses:
+        for subclass in subclasses:
+            result.extend(get_leaf_subclasses(subclass, exclude))
+    elif not (cls in exclude or (hasattr(cls, "_meta") and cls._meta.abstract)):
+        result.append(cls)
+
+    return result
diff --git a/polymorphic/admin/inlines.py b/polymorphic/admin/inlines.py
index 00fd29d2..42d6bc91 100644
--- a/polymorphic/admin/inlines.py
+++ b/polymorphic/admin/inlines.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 )
 from polymorphic.formsets.utils import add_media
 
-from .helpers import PolymorphicInlineSupportMixin
+from .helpers import PolymorphicInlineSupportMixin, get_leaf_subclasses
 
 
 class PolymorphicInlineModelAdmin(InlineModelAdmin):
@@ -53,7 +53,14 @@ class PolymorphicInlineModelAdmin(InlineModelAdmin):
 
     #: Inlines for all model sub types that can be displayed in this inline.
     #: Each row is a :class:`PolymorphicInlineModelAdmin.Child`
-    child_inlines = ()
+    child_inlines = None
+
+    #: The models that should be excluded from the auto-discovered leaf
+    #: model sub types that can be displayed in this inline. This can be
+    #: a list of models or a single model. It's useful to exclude
+    #: non-abstract base models (abstract models are always excluded)
+    #: when they don't have defined any child models.
+    exclude_children = None
 
     def __init__(self, parent_model, admin_site):
         super().__init__(parent_model, admin_site)
@@ -77,12 +84,44 @@ def __init__(self, parent_model, admin_site):
         for child_inline in self.child_inline_instances:
             self._child_inlines_lookup[child_inline.model] = child_inline
 
+    def get_child_inlines(self):
+        """
+        Return the derived inline classes which this admin should handle
+
+        This should return a list of tuples, exactly like
+        :attr:`child_inlines` is.
+
+        The inline classes can be retrieved as
+        ``base_inline.__subclasses__()``, a setting in a config file, or
+        a query of a plugin registration system at your option
+        """
+        if self.child_inlines is not None:
+            return self.child_inlines
+
+        child_inlines = get_leaf_subclasses(
+            PolymorphicInlineModelAdmin.Child, self.exclude_children
+        )
+        child_inlines = tuple(
+            inline
+            for inline in child_inlines
+            if (inline.model is not None and issubclass(inline.model, self.model))
+        )
+
+        if child_inlines:
+            return child_inlines
+
+        raise ImproperlyConfigured(
+            f"No child inlines found for '{self.model.__name__}', please "
+            "define the 'child_inlines' attribute or overwrite the "
+            "'get_child_inlines()' method."
+        )
+
     def get_child_inline_instances(self):
         """
         :rtype List[PolymorphicInlineModelAdmin.Child]
         """
         instances = []
-        for ChildInlineType in self.child_inlines:
+        for ChildInlineType in self.get_child_inlines():
             instances.append(ChildInlineType(parent_inline=self))
         return instances
 
diff --git a/polymorphic/admin/parentadmin.py b/polymorphic/admin/parentadmin.py
index 98ec5093..45238651 100644
--- a/polymorphic/admin/parentadmin.py
+++ b/polymorphic/admin/parentadmin.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 from polymorphic.utils import get_base_polymorphic_model
 
 from .forms import PolymorphicModelChoiceForm
+from .helpers import get_leaf_subclasses
 
 
 class RegistrationClosed(RuntimeError):
@@ -51,6 +52,13 @@ class PolymorphicParentModelAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
     #: The child models that should be displayed
     child_models = None
 
+    #: The models that should be excluded from the auto-discovered child
+    #: leaf models that should be displayed. This can be a list of
+    #: models or a single model. It's useful to exclude non-abstract
+    #: base models (abstract models are always excluded) when they don't
+    #: have defined any child models.
+    exclude_children = None
+
     #: Whether the list should be polymorphic too, leave to ``False`` to optimize
     polymorphic_list = False
 
@@ -109,24 +117,41 @@ def register_child(self, model, model_admin):
     def get_child_models(self):
         """
         Return the derived model classes which this admin should handle.
-        This should return a list of tuples, exactly like :attr:`child_models` is.
 
-        The model classes can be retrieved as ``base_model.__subclasses__()``,
-        a setting in a config file, or a query of a plugin registration system at your option
+        This should return a list of tuples, exactly like
+        :attr:`child_models` is.
+
+        The model classes can be retrieved as
+        ``base_model.__subclasses__()``, a setting in a config file, or
+        a query of a plugin registration system at your option
         """
-        if self.child_models is None:
-            raise NotImplementedError("Implement get_child_models() or child_models")
+        if self.child_models is not None:
+            return self.child_models
 
-        return self.child_models
+        child_models = get_leaf_subclasses(self.base_model, self.exclude_children)
+
+        if child_models:
+            return child_models
+
+        raise ImproperlyConfigured(
+            f"No child models found for '{self.base_model.__name__}', please "
+            "define the 'child_models' attribute or overwrite the "
+            "'get_child_models' method."
+        )
 
     def get_child_type_choices(self, request, action):
         """
         Return a list of polymorphic types for which the user has the permission to perform the given action.
         """
         self._lazy_setup()
+
+        child_models = self._child_models
+        if not child_models:
+            raise ImproperlyConfigured("No child models are available.")
+
         choices = []
         content_types = ContentType.objects.get_for_models(
-            *self.get_child_models(), for_concrete_models=False
+            *child_models, for_concrete_models=False
         )
 
         for model, ct in content_types.items():
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4706713b..a28a1ee5 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ requires = [
 [tool.ruff]
 line-length = 99
 
+[tool.ruff.lint]
 extend-ignore = [
     "E501",
 ]
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ select = [
     "W",
 ]
 
-[tool.ruff.per-file-ignores]
+[tool.ruff.lint.per-file-ignores]
 "example/**" = [
     "F401",
     "F403",