diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
index eaf06b8db..29802fb99 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
@@ -2329,8 +2329,10 @@ public class MappingMongoConverter extends AbstractMongoConverter implements App
 			if (source instanceof Collection) {
 
 				Class<?> rawType = typeHint.getType();
-				if (!Object.class.equals(rawType)) {
+				if (!Object.class.equals(rawType) && !String.class.equals(rawType)) {
+
 					if (!rawType.isArray() && !ClassUtils.isAssignable(Iterable.class, rawType)) {
+
 						throw new MappingException(
 								String.format(INCOMPATIBLE_TYPES, source, source.getClass(), rawType, getPath()));
 					}
@@ -2359,11 +2361,6 @@ public class MappingMongoConverter extends AbstractMongoConverter implements App
 				return (S) dbRefConverter.convert(context, (DBRef) source, typeHint);
 			}
 
-			if (source instanceof Collection) {
-				throw new MappingException(
-						String.format(INCOMPATIBLE_TYPES, source, BasicDBList.class, typeHint.getType(), getPath()));
-			}
-
 			if (BsonUtils.supportsBson(source)) {
 				return (S) documentConverter.convert(context, BsonUtils.asBson(source), typeHint);
 			}
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
index 79e15e0f0..10c189c11 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/convert/MappingMongoConverterUnitTests.java
@@ -2858,6 +2858,14 @@ class MappingMongoConverterUnitTests {
 		assertThat(converter.read(Cyclic.class, source).cycle.value).isEqualTo("v2");
 	}
 
+	@Test // GH-4371
+	void shouldConvertTypesToStringTargetType() {
+
+		org.bson.Document source = org.bson.Document.parse("{\n" + "  city : [\"Gotham\", \"Metropolis\"]\n" + "}\n");
+
+		assertThat(converter.read(Address.class, source).city).isEqualTo("Gotham,Metropolis");
+	}
+
 	static class GenericType<T> {
 		T content;
 	}