diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscoverer.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscoverer.java
index 929d07a65..7626cb356 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscoverer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscoverer.java
@@ -166,6 +166,11 @@ public interface PreferredConstructorDiscoverer<T, P extends PersistentProperty<
 
 							KFunction<T> primaryConstructor = KClasses
 									.getPrimaryConstructor(JvmClassMappingKt.getKotlinClass(type.getType()));
+
+							if (primaryConstructor == null) {
+								return DEFAULT.discover(type, entity);
+							}
+
 							Constructor<T> javaConstructor = ReflectJvmMapping.getJavaConstructor(primaryConstructor);
 
 							return javaConstructor != null ? buildPreferredConstructor(javaConstructor, type, entity) : null;
diff --git a/src/test/kotlin/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscovererUnitTests.kt b/src/test/kotlin/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscovererUnitTests.kt
index a21c83ddd..9916ae61d 100644
--- a/src/test/kotlin/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscovererUnitTests.kt
+++ b/src/test/kotlin/org/springframework/data/mapping/model/PreferredConstructorDiscovererUnitTests.kt
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ class PreferredConstructorDiscovererUnitTests {
 		Assertions.assertThat(constructor.parameters.size).isEqualTo(1)
 	}
 
+	@Test // DATACMNS-1170
+	fun `should fall back to no-args constructor if no primary constructor available`() {
+
+		val constructor = PreferredConstructorDiscoverer.discover<TwoConstructorsWithoutDefault, SamplePersistentProperty>(TwoConstructorsWithoutDefault::class.java)
+
+		Assertions.assertThat(constructor.parameters).isEmpty()
+	}
+
 	@Test // DATACMNS-1126
 	fun `should discover annotated constructor`() {
 
@@ -69,6 +77,17 @@ class PreferredConstructorDiscovererUnitTests {
 
 	data class Simple(val firstname: String)
 
+	class TwoConstructorsWithoutDefault {
+
+		var firstname: String? = null
+
+		constructor() {}
+
+		constructor(firstname: String?) {
+			this.firstname = firstname
+		}
+	}
+
 	class TwoConstructors(val firstname: String) {
 		constructor(firstname: String, lastname: String) : this(firstname)
 	}