diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/TypeConverterDelegate.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/TypeConverterDelegate.java
index 8906a45299..2ad4877376 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/TypeConverterDelegate.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/TypeConverterDelegate.java
@@ -437,6 +437,16 @@ class TypeConverterDelegate {
 	protected Collection convertToTypedCollection(
 			Collection original, String propertyName, Class requiredType, MethodParameter methodParam) {
 
+		boolean originalAllowed = requiredType.isInstance(original);
+		Class elementType = null;
+		if (methodParam != null) {
+			elementType = GenericCollectionTypeResolver.getCollectionParameterType(methodParam);
+		}
+		if (elementType == null && originalAllowed &&
+				!this.propertyEditorRegistry.hasCustomEditorForElement(null, propertyName)) {
+			return original;
+		}
+
 		Iterator it;
 		try {
 			it = original.iterator();
@@ -473,16 +483,6 @@ class TypeConverterDelegate {
 			return original;
 		}
 
-		boolean originalAllowed = requiredType.isInstance(original);
-		Class elementType = null;
-		if (methodParam != null) {
-			elementType = GenericCollectionTypeResolver.getCollectionParameterType(methodParam);
-		}
-		if (elementType == null && originalAllowed &&
-				!this.propertyEditorRegistry.hasCustomEditorForElement(null, propertyName)) {
-			return original;
-		}
-
 		int i = 0;
 		for (; it.hasNext(); i++) {
 			Object element = it.next();
@@ -503,6 +503,18 @@ class TypeConverterDelegate {
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	protected Map convertToTypedMap(Map original, String propertyName, Class requiredType, MethodParameter methodParam) {
+		boolean originalAllowed = requiredType.isInstance(original);
+		Class keyType = null;
+		Class valueType = null;
+		if (methodParam != null) {
+			keyType = GenericCollectionTypeResolver.getMapKeyParameterType(methodParam);
+			valueType = GenericCollectionTypeResolver.getMapValueParameterType(methodParam);
+		}
+		if (keyType == null && valueType == null && originalAllowed &&
+				!this.propertyEditorRegistry.hasCustomEditorForElement(null, propertyName)) {
+			return original;
+		}
+
 		Iterator it;
 		try {
 			it = original.entrySet().iterator();
@@ -539,18 +551,6 @@ class TypeConverterDelegate {
 			return original;
 		}
 
-		boolean originalAllowed = requiredType.isInstance(original);
-		Class keyType = null;
-		Class valueType = null;
-		if (methodParam != null) {
-			keyType = GenericCollectionTypeResolver.getMapKeyParameterType(methodParam);
-			valueType = GenericCollectionTypeResolver.getMapValueParameterType(methodParam);
-		}
-		if (keyType == null && valueType == null && originalAllowed &&
-				!this.propertyEditorRegistry.hasCustomEditorForElement(null, propertyName)) {
-			return original;
-		}
-
 		while (it.hasNext()) {
 			Map.Entry entry = (Map.Entry) it.next();
 			Object key = entry.getKey();
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/DerivedTestBean.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/DerivedTestBean.java
index 0dc065dd7b..74aebf7515 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/DerivedTestBean.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/DerivedTestBean.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2007 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2009 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.
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ public class DerivedTestBean extends TestBean implements Serializable, BeanNameA
 		return beanName;
 	}
 
+	public void setActualSpouse(TestBean spouse) {
+		setSpouse(spouse);
+	}
+
 	public void setSpouseRef(String name) {
 		setSpouse(new TestBean(name));
 	}
@@ -82,4 +86,4 @@ public class DerivedTestBean extends TestBean implements Serializable, BeanNameA
 		return destroyed;
 	}
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/TestBean.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/TestBean.java
index d1f191549c..7e8089e6e7 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/TestBean.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/test/beans/TestBean.java
@@ -200,10 +200,6 @@ public class TestBean implements BeanNameAware, BeanFactoryAware, ITestBean, IOt
 		this.spouses = new ITestBean[] {spouse};
 	}
 
-	public void setActualSpouse(TestBean spouse) {
-		this.spouses = new ITestBean[] {spouse};
-	}
-
 	public ITestBean getSpouse() {
 		return (spouses != null ? spouses[0] : null);
 	}
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/collections.xml b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/collections.xml
index 2aa3ba5dee..33d2f20698 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/collections.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/collections.xml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 		</property>
 	</bean>
 
-	<bean id="pDavid" class="test.beans.TestBean" scope="prototype">
+	<bean id="pDavid" class="test.beans.DerivedTestBean" scope="prototype">
 		<property name="name"><value>David</value></property>
 		<property name="age"><value>27</value></property>
 		<property name="actualSpouse" value="Jen"/>