diff --git a/org.springframework.context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinder.java b/org.springframework.context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinder.java
index 763f9050ec7..48a759ce02b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinder.java
+++ b/org.springframework.context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinder.java
@@ -295,12 +295,6 @@ public class GenericBinder implements Binder {
 						"Unable to get model binding; cannot parse property expression from property string ["
 								+ property + "]", e);
 			}
-			try {
-				propertyExpression.getValueType(createEvaluationContext());
-			} catch (EvaluationException e) {
-				throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unable to get model binding; cannot access property '"
-						+ propertyExpression.getExpressionString() + "'", e);
-			}
 			return new BindingImpl(propertyExpression, configuration.getFormatter());
 		}
 
@@ -694,7 +688,7 @@ public class GenericBinder implements Binder {
 					builder.arg("label", new ResolvableArgument(property));
 					builder.arg("value", sourceValue);
 					builder.defaultMessage("Successfully bound user value " + StylerUtils.style(sourceValue)
-							+ "to property '" + property + "'");
+							+ " to property '" + property + "'");
 					return builder.build();
 				}
 			};
diff --git a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinderTests.java b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinderTests.java
index 2d99bd1f2f1..362ac9de5ce 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinderTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/ui/binding/support/GenericBinderTests.java
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ public class GenericBinderTests {
 		binder.registerFormatter(new GenericCollectionPropertyType(List.class, Address.class), new AddressListFormatter());
 		Map<String, String> values = new LinkedHashMap<String, String>();
 		values.put("addresses", "4655 Macy Lane:Melbourne:FL:35452,1234 Rostock Circle:Palm Bay:FL:32901,1977 Bel Aire Estates:Coker:AL:12345");		
-		binder.bind(values);
+		BindingResults results = binder.bind(values);
 		Assert.assertEquals(3, bean.addresses.size());
 		assertEquals("4655 Macy Lane", bean.addresses.get(0).street);
 		assertEquals("Melbourne", bean.addresses.get(0).city);
diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericTypeConverter.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericTypeConverter.java
index 8ef76df56a9..16486c20f56 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericTypeConverter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/GenericTypeConverter.java
@@ -159,29 +159,69 @@ public class GenericTypeConverter implements TypeConverter, ConverterRegistry {
 							+ "request an interface or concrete implementation instead");
 				}
 				return new ArrayToCollection(sourceType, targetType, this);
-			}
-		}
-		if (targetType.isArray()) {
-			if (sourceType.isCollection()) {
-				return new CollectionToArray(sourceType, targetType, this);
+			} else if (targetType.isMap()) {
+				if (sourceType.getElementType().equals(String.class)) {
+					// string array to map; with string element values in format foo=bar
+					return null;
+				} else {
+					return null;
+				}
 			} else {
+				// array to object
 				return null;
 			}
 		}
 		if (sourceType.isCollection()) {
-			if (targetType.isCollection()) {
+			if (targetType.isCollection()) {	
 				return new CollectionToCollection(sourceType, targetType, this);
+			} else if (targetType.isArray()) {
+				return new CollectionToArray(sourceType, targetType, this);
+			} else if (targetType.isMap()) {
+				if (sourceType.getElementType().equals(String.class)) {
+					// string collection to map; with string element values in format foo=bar
+					return null;
+				} else {
+					return null;
+				}
 			} else {
+				// collection to object
 				return null;
 			}
 		}
 		if (sourceType.isMap()) {
 			if (targetType.isMap()) {
 				return new MapToMap(sourceType, targetType, this);
+			} else if (targetType.isArray()) {
+				if (targetType.getElementType().equals(String.class)) {
+					// map to string array; with string element values in format foo=bar
+					return null;
+				} else {
+					return null;
+				}				
+			} else if (targetType.isCollection()) {
+				if (targetType.getElementType().equals(String.class)) {
+					// map to string collection; with string element values in format foo=bar
+					return null;
+				} else {
+					return null;
+				}				
 			} else {
+				// map to object
 				return null;
 			}
 		}
+		if (targetType.isArray()) {
+			// object to array
+			return null;
+		}
+		if (targetType.isCollection()) {
+			// object to collection
+			return null;
+		}
+		if (targetType.isMap()) {
+			// object to map
+			return null;
+		}
 		if (sourceType.isAssignableTo(targetType)) {
 			return NoOpConversionExecutor.INSTANCE;
 		}