diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelper.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelper.java
index cbb74dc6e4..f6b44fdaeb 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelper.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelper.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,11 +16,9 @@
 
 package org.springframework.test.util;
 
-import java.text.ParseException;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
-import com.jayway.jsonpath.InvalidPathException;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.JsonPath;
 import org.hamcrest.Matcher;
 
@@ -71,18 +69,33 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * @param matcher the matcher with which to assert the result
 	 */
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-	public <T> void assertValue(String content, Matcher<T> matcher) throws ParseException {
+	public <T> void assertValue(String content, Matcher<T> matcher) {
 		T value = (T) evaluateJsonPath(content);
 		assertThat("JSON path \"" + this.expression + "\"", value, matcher);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * An overloaded variant of {@link #assertValue(String, Matcher)} that also
+	 * accepts a target type for the resulting value. This can be useful for
+	 * matching numbers reliably for example coercing an integer into a double.
+	 * @param content the JSON content
+	 * @param matcher the matcher with which to assert the result
+	 * @param targetType a the expected type of the resulting value
+	 * @since 4.3.3
+	 */
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	public <T> void assertValue(String content, Matcher<T> matcher, Class<T> targetType) {
+		T value = (T) evaluateJsonPath(content, targetType);
+		assertThat("JSON path \"" + this.expression + "\"", value, matcher);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Evaluate the JSON path expression against the supplied {@code content}
 	 * and assert that the result is equal to the expected value.
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 * @param expectedValue the expected value
 	 */
-	public void assertValue(String content, Object expectedValue) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValue(String content, Object expectedValue) {
 		Object actualValue = evaluateJsonPath(content);
 		if ((actualValue instanceof List) && !(expectedValue instanceof List)) {
 			@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
@@ -96,8 +109,9 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 			actualValue = actualValueList.get(0);
 		}
 		else if (actualValue != null && expectedValue != null) {
-			assertEquals("At JSON path \"" + this.expression + "\", type of value",
-					expectedValue.getClass().getName(), actualValue.getClass().getName());
+			if (!actualValue.getClass().equals(expectedValue.getClass())) {
+				actualValue = evaluateJsonPath(content, expectedValue.getClass());
+			}
 		}
 		assertEquals("JSON path \"" + this.expression + "\"", expectedValue, actualValue);
 	}
@@ -108,7 +122,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 * @since 4.2.1
 	 */
-	public void assertValueIsString(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValueIsString(String content) {
 		Object value = assertExistsAndReturn(content);
 		assertThat(failureReason("a string", value), value, instanceOf(String.class));
 	}
@@ -119,7 +133,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 * @since 4.2.1
 	 */
-	public void assertValueIsBoolean(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValueIsBoolean(String content) {
 		Object value = assertExistsAndReturn(content);
 		assertThat(failureReason("a boolean", value), value, instanceOf(Boolean.class));
 	}
@@ -130,7 +144,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 * @since 4.2.1
 	 */
-	public void assertValueIsNumber(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValueIsNumber(String content) {
 		Object value = assertExistsAndReturn(content);
 		assertThat(failureReason("a number", value), value, instanceOf(Number.class));
 	}
@@ -140,7 +154,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * and assert that the resulting value is an array.
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 */
-	public void assertValueIsArray(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValueIsArray(String content) {
 		Object value = assertExistsAndReturn(content);
 		assertThat(failureReason("an array", value), value, instanceOf(List.class));
 	}
@@ -151,7 +165,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 * @since 4.2.1
 	 */
-	public void assertValueIsMap(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValueIsMap(String content) {
 		Object value = assertExistsAndReturn(content);
 		assertThat(failureReason("a map", value), value, instanceOf(Map.class));
 	}
@@ -164,7 +178,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * that the value at the given path is not <em>empty</em>.
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 */
-	public void exists(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void exists(String content) {
 		assertExistsAndReturn(content);
 	}
 
@@ -176,7 +190,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * that the value at the given path is <em>empty</em>.
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 */
-	public void doesNotExist(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void doesNotExist(String content) {
 		Object value;
 		try {
 			value = evaluateJsonPath(content);
@@ -189,7 +203,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 			assertTrue(reason, ((List<?>) value).isEmpty());
 		}
 		else {
-			assertTrue(reason, value == null);
+			assertTrue(reason, (value == null));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -200,7 +214,7 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * {@link ObjectUtils#isEmpty(Object)}.
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 */
-	public void assertValueIsEmpty(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValueIsEmpty(String content) {
 		Object value = evaluateJsonPath(content);
 		assertTrue(failureReason("an empty value", value), ObjectUtils.isEmpty(value));
 	}
@@ -212,33 +226,37 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelper {
 	 * {@link ObjectUtils#isEmpty(Object)}.
 	 * @param content the JSON content
 	 */
-	public void assertValueIsNotEmpty(String content) throws ParseException {
+	public void assertValueIsNotEmpty(String content) {
 		Object value = evaluateJsonPath(content);
 		assertTrue(failureReason("a non-empty value", value), !ObjectUtils.isEmpty(value));
 	}
 
 	private String failureReason(String expectedDescription, Object value) {
 		return String.format("Expected %s at JSON path \"%s\" but found: %s", expectedDescription, this.expression,
-			ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(StringUtils.quoteIfString(value)));
+				ObjectUtils.nullSafeToString(StringUtils.quoteIfString(value)));
 	}
 
-	private Object evaluateJsonPath(String content) throws ParseException {
+	private Object evaluateJsonPath(String content) {
 		String message = "No value at JSON path \"" + this.expression + "\", exception: ";
 		try {
 			return this.jsonPath.read(content);
 		}
-		catch (InvalidPathException ex) {
-			throw new AssertionError(message + ex.getMessage());
-		}
-		catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException ex) {
-			throw new AssertionError(message + ex.getMessage());
-		}
-		catch (IndexOutOfBoundsException ex) {
+		catch (Throwable ex) {
 			throw new AssertionError(message + ex.getMessage());
 		}
 	}
 
-	private Object assertExistsAndReturn(String content) throws ParseException {
+	private Object evaluateJsonPath(String content, Class<?> targetType) {
+		String message = "No value at JSON path \"" + this.expression + "\", exception: ";
+		try {
+			return JsonPath.parse(content).read(this.expression, targetType);
+		}
+		catch (Throwable ex) {
+			throw new AssertionError(message + ex.getMessage());
+		}
+	}
+
+	private Object assertExistsAndReturn(String content) {
 		Object value = evaluateJsonPath(content);
 		String reason = "No value at JSON path \"" + this.expression + "\"";
 		assertTrue(reason, value != null);
diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/JsonPathRequestMatchers.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/JsonPathRequestMatchers.java
index 2c3b7a99f9..f308ddc796 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/JsonPathRequestMatchers.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/JsonPathRequestMatchers.java
@@ -69,6 +69,23 @@ public class JsonPathRequestMatchers {
 		};
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * An overloaded variant of (@link {@link #value(Matcher)} that also
+	 * accepts a target type for the resulting value that the matcher can work
+	 * reliably against. This can be useful for matching numbers reliably for
+	 * example coercing an integer into a double.
+	 * @since 4.3.3
+	 */
+	public <T> RequestMatcher value(final Matcher<T> matcher, final Class<T> targetType) {
+		return new AbstractJsonPathRequestMatcher() {
+			@Override
+			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws IOException, ParseException {
+				String body = request.getBodyAsString();
+				JsonPathRequestMatchers.this.jsonPathHelper.assertValue(body, matcher, targetType);
+			}
+		};
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Evaluate the JSON path expression against the request content and
 	 * assert that the result is equal to the supplied value.
diff --git a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelperTests.java b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelperTests.java
index ba44e89487..5fa61814cc 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelperTests.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonPathExpectationsHelperTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2004-2015 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2004-2016 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
-import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.*;
+import static org.hamcrest.core.Is.*;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests for {@link JsonPathExpectationsHelper}.
@@ -222,11 +222,14 @@ public class JsonPathExpectationsHelperTests {
 		new JsonPathExpectationsHelper("$.num").assertValue(CONTENT, 5);
 	}
 
-	@Test
-	public void assertValueWithDifferentExpectedType() throws Exception {
-		exception.expect(AssertionError.class);
-		exception.expectMessage(equalTo("At JSON path \"$.num\", type of value expected:<java.lang.String> but was:<java.lang.Integer>"));
-		new JsonPathExpectationsHelper("$.num").assertValue(CONTENT, "5");
+	@Test // SPR-14498
+	public void assertValueWithNumberConversion() throws Exception {
+		new JsonPathExpectationsHelper("$.num").assertValue(CONTENT, 5.0);
+	}
+
+	@Test // SPR-14498
+	public void assertValueWithNumberConversionAndMatcher() throws Exception {
+		new JsonPathExpectationsHelper("$.num").assertValue(CONTENT, is(5.0), Double.class);
 	}
 
 	@Test