diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java
index 51fc665aa9..13d19e0e95 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoder.java
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public class StringDecoder extends AbstractDecoder<String> {
 	 * and decode a single consolidated String or re-emit items as they are provided
 	 */
 	public StringDecoder(boolean reduceToSingleBuffer) {
-		super(new MimeType("text", "plain", DEFAULT_CHARSET));
+		super(new MimeType("text", "*", DEFAULT_CHARSET));
 		this.reduceToSingleBuffer = reduceToSingleBuffer;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java
index d8494312b9..33463f96dd 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/codec/support/StringDecoderTests.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ public class StringDecoderTests extends AbstractAllocatingTestCase {
 	@Test
 	public void canDecode() {
 		assertTrue(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN));
+		assertTrue(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), MediaType.TEXT_HTML));
 		assertFalse(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(Integer.class), MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN));
 		assertFalse(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON));
 	}