diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverter.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverter.java
index b2ce5242c..9fc9dad8e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverter.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2008-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2008-2014 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.
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * {@link org.springframework.core.convert.converter.Converter} to convert arbitrary input into domain classes managed
- * by Spring Data {@link CrudRepository} s. The implementation uses a {@link ConversionService} in turn to convert the
+ * by Spring Data {@link CrudRepository}s. The implementation uses a {@link ConversionService} in turn to convert the
  * source type into the domain class' id type which is then converted into a domain class object by using a
  * {@link CrudRepository}.
  * 
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Thomas Darimont
  */
 public class DomainClassConverter<T extends ConversionService & ConverterRegistry> implements
 		ConditionalGenericConverter, ApplicationContextAware {
@@ -65,6 +66,10 @@ public class DomainClassConverter<T extends ConversionService & ConverterRegistr
 			return null;
 		}
 
+		if (sourceType.equals(targetType)) {
+			return source;
+		}
+
 		Class<?> domainType = targetType.getType();
 
 		RepositoryInformation info = repositories.getRepositoryInformationFor(domainType);
@@ -83,6 +88,10 @@ public class DomainClassConverter<T extends ConversionService & ConverterRegistr
 			return false;
 		}
 
+		if (sourceType.equals(targetType)) {
+			return true;
+		}
+
 		return conversionService.canConvert(sourceType.getType(),
 				repositories.getRepositoryInformationFor(targetType.getType()).getIdType());
 	}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverterUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverterUnitTests.java
index f78778d64..d809c2492 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverterUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/repository/support/DomainClassConverterUnitTests.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.repository.core.support.DummyRepositoryFactoryBe
  * Unit test for {@link DomainClassConverter}.
  * 
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Thomas Darimont
  */
 @RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
 public class DomainClassConverterUnitTests {
@@ -143,6 +144,19 @@ public class DomainClassConverterUnitTests {
 		assertThat(converter.matches(sourceDescriptor, targetDescriptor), is(true));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @DATACMNS-583
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void shouldReturnSourceObjectIfSourceAndTargetTypesAreTheSame() {
+
+		ApplicationContext context = initContextWithRepo();
+		converter.setApplicationContext(context);
+
+		assertThat(converter.matches(targetDescriptor, targetDescriptor), is(true));
+		assertThat((User) converter.convert(USER, targetDescriptor, targetDescriptor), is(USER));
+	}
+
 	private ApplicationContext initContextWithRepo() {
 
 		BeanDefinitionBuilder builder = BeanDefinitionBuilder.rootBeanDefinition(DummyRepositoryFactoryBean.class);