diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/support/HandlerMethodInvoker.java b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/support/HandlerMethodInvoker.java
index 3bea9a84162..3fb397098fc 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/support/HandlerMethodInvoker.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/support/HandlerMethodInvoker.java
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ public class HandlerMethodInvoker {
 			else if (required) {
 				raiseMissingParameterException(paramName, paramType);
 			}
-			checkValue(paramName, paramValue, paramType);
+			paramValue = checkValue(paramName, paramValue, paramType);
 		}
 		WebDataBinder binder = createBinder(webRequest, null, paramName);
 		initBinder(handlerForInitBinderCall, paramName, binder, webRequest);
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ public class HandlerMethodInvoker {
 			else if (required) {
 				raiseMissingHeaderException(headerName, paramType);
 			}
-			checkValue(headerName, headerValue, paramType);
+			headerValue = checkValue(headerName, headerValue, paramType);
 		}
 		WebDataBinder binder = createBinder(webRequest, null, headerName);
 		initBinder(handlerForInitBinderCall, headerName, binder, webRequest);
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ public class HandlerMethodInvoker {
 			else if (required) {
 				raiseMissingCookieException(cookieName, paramType);
 			}
-			checkValue(cookieName, cookieValue, paramType);
+			cookieValue = checkValue(cookieName, cookieValue, paramType);
 		}
 		WebDataBinder binder = createBinder(webRequest, null, cookieName);
 		initBinder(handlerForInitBinderCall, cookieName, binder, webRequest);
@@ -484,12 +484,18 @@ public class HandlerMethodInvoker {
 		return name;
 	}
 
-	private void checkValue(String name, Object value, Class paramType) {
-		if (value == null && paramType.isPrimitive()) {
-			throw new IllegalStateException("Optional " + paramType + " parameter '" + name +
-					"' is not present but cannot be translated into a null value due to being declared as a " +
-					"primitive type. Consider declaring it as object wrapper for the corresponding primitive type.");
+	private Object checkValue(String name, Object value, Class paramType) {
+		if (value == null) {
+			if (boolean.class.equals(paramType)) {
+				return Boolean.FALSE;
+			}
+			else if (paramType.isPrimitive()) {
+				throw new IllegalStateException("Optional " + paramType + " parameter '" + name +
+						"' is not present but cannot be translated into a null value due to being declared as a " +
+						"primitive type. Consider declaring it as object wrapper for the corresponding primitive type.");
+			}
 		}
+		return value;
 	}
 
 	private WebDataBinder resolveModelAttribute(String attrName, MethodParameter methodParam,
diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java
index 500ec6678be..2d184e3d90f 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java
@@ -130,6 +130,28 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerTests {
 		servlet.service(request, response);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void optionalParamPresent() throws Exception {
+		@SuppressWarnings("serial") DispatcherServlet servlet = new DispatcherServlet() {
+			@Override
+			protected WebApplicationContext createWebApplicationContext(WebApplicationContext parent) {
+				GenericWebApplicationContext wac = new GenericWebApplicationContext();
+				wac.registerBeanDefinition("controller", new RootBeanDefinition(OptionalParamController.class));
+				wac.refresh();
+				return wac;
+			}
+		};
+		servlet.init(new MockServletConfig());
+
+		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/myPath.do");
+		request.addParameter("id", "val");
+		request.addParameter("flag", "true");
+		request.addHeader("header", "otherVal");
+		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
+		servlet.service(request, response);
+		assertEquals("val-true-otherVal", response.getContentAsString());
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void optionalParamMissing() throws Exception {
 		@SuppressWarnings("serial") DispatcherServlet servlet = new DispatcherServlet() {
@@ -146,7 +168,7 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerTests {
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/myPath.do");
 		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
 		servlet.service(request, response);
-		assertEquals("null-null", response.getContentAsString());
+		assertEquals("null-false-null", response.getContentAsString());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -1318,10 +1340,10 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerTests {
 	public static class OptionalParamController {
 
 		@RequestMapping("/myPath.do")
-		public void myHandle(@RequestParam(required = false) String id,
+		public void myHandle(@RequestParam(required = false) String id, @RequestParam(required = false) boolean flag,
 				@RequestHeader(value = "header", required = false) String header, HttpServletResponse response)
 				throws IOException {
-			response.getWriter().write(String.valueOf(id) + "-" + String.valueOf(header));
+			response.getWriter().write(String.valueOf(id) + "-" + flag + "-" + String.valueOf(header));
 		}
 	}