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 13d19e0e95..090adca2d0 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
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import reactor.core.publisher.Flux;
 import org.springframework.core.ResolvableType;
 import org.springframework.core.io.buffer.DataBuffer;
 import org.springframework.util.MimeType;
+import org.springframework.util.MimeTypeUtils;
 
 /**
  * Decode from a bytes stream to a String stream.
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ 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", "*", DEFAULT_CHARSET));
+		super(new MimeType("text", "*", DEFAULT_CHARSET), MimeTypeUtils.ALL);
 		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 33463f96dd..44af9239a5 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
@@ -48,8 +48,9 @@ public class StringDecoderTests extends AbstractAllocatingTestCase {
 	public void canDecode() {
 		assertTrue(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN));
 		assertTrue(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), MediaType.TEXT_HTML));
+		assertTrue(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON));
 		assertFalse(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(Integer.class), MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN));
-		assertFalse(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON));
+		assertFalse(decoder.canDecode(ResolvableType.forClass(Pojo.class), MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON));
 	}
 
 	@Test
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/client/reactive/WebClientIntegrationTests.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/client/reactive/WebClientIntegrationTests.java
index 0d3f15c7cd..5f37a963fb 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/client/reactive/WebClientIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/client/reactive/WebClientIntegrationTests.java
@@ -130,6 +130,28 @@ public class WebClientIntegrationTests {
 		assertEquals("text/plain", request.getHeader(HttpHeaders.ACCEPT));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void shouldGetJsonAsMonoOfString() throws Exception {
+
+		HttpUrl baseUrl = server.url("/json");
+		String content = "{\"bar\":\"barbar\",\"foo\":\"foofoo\"}";
+		this.server.enqueue(new MockResponse().setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json")
+				.setBody(content));
+
+		Mono<String> result = this.webClient
+				.perform(get(baseUrl.toString())
+						.accept(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON))
+				.extract(body(String.class));
+
+		TestSubscriber<String> ts = new TestSubscriber();
+		result.subscribe(ts);
+		ts.awaitAndAssertNextValues(content).assertComplete();
+		RecordedRequest request = server.takeRequest();
+		assertEquals(1, server.getRequestCount());
+		assertEquals("/json", request.getPath());
+		assertEquals("application/json", request.getHeader(HttpHeaders.ACCEPT));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void shouldGetJsonAsMonoOfPojo() throws Exception {