diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/json/JsonValueWriter.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/json/JsonValueWriter.java
index 1d8046a0f60..a48c304f4c9 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/json/JsonValueWriter.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/json/JsonValueWriter.java
@@ -115,10 +115,7 @@ class JsonValueWriter {
 				throw new UncheckedIOException(ex);
 			}
 		}
-		else if (value instanceof Path p) {
-			writeString(p.toString());
-		}
-		else if (value instanceof Iterable<?> iterable) {
+		else if (value instanceof Iterable<?> iterable && canWriteAsArray(iterable)) {
 			writeArray(iterable::forEach);
 		}
 		else if (ObjectUtils.isArray(value)) {
@@ -135,6 +132,10 @@ class JsonValueWriter {
 		}
 	}
 
+	private <V> boolean canWriteAsArray(Iterable<?> iterable) {
+		return !(iterable instanceof Path);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Start a new {@link Series} (JSON object or array).
 	 * @param series the series to start