diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/CurrentDateTimeProvider.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/CurrentDateTimeProvider.java
index 06c7d6a2c..d31575806 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/CurrentDateTimeProvider.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/CurrentDateTimeProvider.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2014 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2017 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.
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.auditing;
 
-import java.time.ZonedDateTime;
+import java.time.LocalDateTime;
 import java.time.temporal.TemporalAccessor;
 import java.util.Optional;
 
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import org.joda.time.DateTime;
  * Default {@link DateTimeProvider} simply creating new {@link DateTime} instances for each method call.
  * 
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Christoph Strobl
  * @since 1.5
  */
 public enum CurrentDateTimeProvider implements DateTimeProvider {
@@ -37,6 +38,6 @@ public enum CurrentDateTimeProvider implements DateTimeProvider {
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public Optional<TemporalAccessor> getNow() {
-		return Optional.of(ZonedDateTime.now());
+		return Optional.of(LocalDateTime.now());
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory.java
index 18149447a..3e19b442b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2015 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2017 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.
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * A factory class to {@link AuditableBeanWrapper} instances.
  * 
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Christoph Strobl
  * @since 1.5
  */
 class DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory implements AuditableBeanWrapperFactory {
@@ -190,6 +191,11 @@ class DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory implements AuditableBeanWrapperFactory
 
 				if (conversionService.canConvert(Date.class, targetType)) {
 
+					if(!conversionService.canConvert(it.getClass(), Date.class)) {
+						throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format("Cannot convert date type for member %s! From %s to java.util.Date to %s.",
+								source, it.getClass(), targetType));
+					}
+
 					Date date = conversionService.convert(it, Date.class);
 					return conversionService.convert(date, targetType);
 				}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactoryUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactoryUnitTests.java
index 6e0fd13fb..62f20fbf2 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactoryUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/auditing/DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactoryUnitTests.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package org.springframework.data.auditing;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.*;
 
 import java.time.Instant;
+import java.time.ZonedDateTime;
 import java.util.Optional;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.auditing.DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory.Refl
  * Unit tests for {@link DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactory}.
  * 
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Christoph Strobl
  * @since 1.5
  */
 public class DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactoryUnitTests {
@@ -78,4 +80,17 @@ public class DefaultAuditableBeanWrapperFactoryUnitTests {
 		});
 
 	}
+
+	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class) // DATACMNS-867
+	public void errorsWhenUnableToConvertDateViaIntermedeateJavaUtilDateConversion() {
+
+		Jsr310ThreeTenBpAuditedUser user = new Jsr310ThreeTenBpAuditedUser();
+		ZonedDateTime zonedDateTime = ZonedDateTime.now();
+
+		Optional<AuditableBeanWrapper> wrapper = factory.getBeanWrapperFor(Optional.of(user));
+
+		assertThat(wrapper).hasValueSatisfying(it -> {
+			it.setLastModifiedDate(Optional.of(zonedDateTime));
+		});
+	}
 }