diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java
index a3273e0b47b..6db4d94f14c 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2008 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.
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import java.security.AccessController;
 import java.security.PrivilegedAction;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Iterator;
@@ -1249,7 +1250,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory extends AbstractBeanFac
 					}
 					deepCopy.add(pv);
 				}
-				else if (originalValue instanceof TypedStringValue && convertible) {
+				else if (originalValue instanceof TypedStringValue && convertible &&
+						!(convertedValue instanceof Collection || ObjectUtils.isArray(convertedValue))) {
 					pv.setConvertedValue(convertedValue);
 					deepCopy.add(pv);
 				}
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/UtilNamespaceHandlerTests.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/UtilNamespaceHandlerTests.java
index bff9bd544e8..3345bf52fb3 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/UtilNamespaceHandlerTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/UtilNamespaceHandlerTests.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.TreeMap;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 import test.beans.CustomEnum;
@@ -158,6 +159,37 @@ public class UtilNamespaceHandlerTests extends TestCase {
 		Set innerSet = (Set) map.get("foo");
 		assertEquals(1, innerSet.size());
 		assertTrue(innerSet.contains("bar"));
+
+		TestBean bean2 = (TestBean) this.beanFactory.getBean("nestedCollectionsBean");
+		assertEquals(list, bean2.getSomeList());
+		assertEquals(set, bean2.getSomeSet());
+		assertEquals(map, bean2.getSomeMap());
+		assertFalse(list == bean2.getSomeList());
+		assertFalse(set == bean2.getSomeSet());
+		assertFalse(map == bean2.getSomeMap());
+	}
+
+	public void testNestedShortcutCollections() throws Exception {
+		TestBean bean = (TestBean) this.beanFactory.getBean("nestedShortcutCollections");
+
+		assertEquals(1, bean.getStringArray().length);
+		assertEquals("fooStr", bean.getStringArray()[0]);
+
+		List list = bean.getSomeList();
+		assertEquals(1, list.size());
+		assertEquals("foo", list.get(0));
+
+		Set set = bean.getSomeSet();
+		assertEquals(1, set.size());
+		assertTrue(set.contains("bar"));
+
+		TestBean bean2 = (TestBean) this.beanFactory.getBean("nestedShortcutCollections");
+		assertTrue(Arrays.equals(bean.getStringArray(), bean2.getStringArray()));
+		assertFalse(bean.getStringArray() == bean2.getStringArray());
+		assertEquals(list, bean2.getSomeList());
+		assertEquals(set, bean2.getSomeSet());
+		assertFalse(list == bean2.getSomeList());
+		assertFalse(set == bean2.getSomeSet());
 	}
 
 	public void testNestedInCollections() throws Exception {
@@ -175,6 +207,14 @@ public class UtilNamespaceHandlerTests extends TestCase {
 		Map map = bean.getSomeMap();
 		assertEquals(1, map.size());
 		assertEquals(CustomEnum.VALUE_1, map.get("min"));
+
+		TestBean bean2 = (TestBean) this.beanFactory.getBean("nestedCustomTagBean");
+		assertEquals(list, bean2.getSomeList());
+		assertEquals(set, bean2.getSomeSet());
+		assertEquals(map, bean2.getSomeMap());
+		assertFalse(list == bean2.getSomeList());
+		assertFalse(set == bean2.getSomeSet());
+		assertFalse(map == bean2.getSomeMap());
 	}
 
 	public void testCircularCollections() throws Exception {
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/testUtilNamespace.xml b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/testUtilNamespace.xml
index e99c99d72e1..8426c5d95ee 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/testUtilNamespace.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/testUtilNamespace.xml
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 		<value>Rob Harrop</value>
 	</util:set>
 
-	<bean id="nestedCollectionsBean" class="test.beans.TestBean">
+	<bean id="nestedCollectionsBean" class="test.beans.TestBean" scope="prototype">
 		<property name="someList">
 			<util:list>
 				<value>foo</value>
@@ -89,6 +89,12 @@
 		</property>
 	</bean>
 
+	<bean id="nestedShortcutCollections" class="test.beans.TestBean" scope="prototype">
+		<property name="stringArray" value="fooStr"/>
+		<property name="someList" value="foo"/>
+		<property name="someSet" value="bar"/>
+	</bean>
+
 	<bean id="nestedCustomTagBean" class="test.beans.TestBean" scope="prototype">
 		<property name="someList">
 			<list>
diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java
index f56cc9e0bed..9442226ed1a 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ObjectUtils.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2008 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.
@@ -82,10 +82,18 @@ public abstract class ObjectUtils {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Return whether the given array is empty: that is, <code>null</code>
-	 * or of zero length.
+	 * Determine whether the given object is an array:
+	 * either an Object array or a primitive array.
+	 * @param obj the object to check
+	 */
+	public static boolean isArray(Object obj) {
+		return (obj != null && obj.getClass().isArray());
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Determine whether the given array is empty:
+	 * i.e. <code>null</code> or of zero length.
 	 * @param array the array to check
-	 * @return whether the given array is empty
 	 */
 	public static boolean isEmpty(Object[] array) {
 		return (array == null || array.length == 0);