diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java
index 81a86da68..1446b570c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQuery.java
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ class StringQuery {
 			return Type.STARTING_WITH;
 		}
 
-		throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format("Illegal like pattern %s!", expression));
+		return Type.LIKE;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class StringQuery {
 	static class LikeBinding {
 
 		private static final List<Type> SUPPORTED_TYPES = Arrays.asList(Type.CONTAINING, Type.STARTING_WITH,
-				Type.ENDING_WITH);
+				Type.ENDING_WITH, Type.LIKE);
 
 		private final String name;
 		private final Integer position;
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ class StringQuery {
 					return String.format("%%%s", value.toString());
 				case CONTAINING:
 					return String.format("%%%s%%", value.toString());
+				case LIKE:
 				default:
 					return value;
 			}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQueryUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQueryUnitTests.java
index 408a304d3..fc31b0055 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQueryUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/query/StringQueryUnitTests.java
@@ -25,18 +25,39 @@ import org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.query.StringQuery.LikeBinding;
 import org.springframework.data.repository.query.parser.Part.Type;
 
 /**
+ * Unit tests for {@link StringQuery}.
+ * 
  * @author Oliver Gierke
  */
 public class StringQueryUnitTests {
 
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAJPA-341
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void doesNotConsiderPlainLikeABinding() {
+
+		String source = "select from User u where u.firstname like :firstname";
+		StringQuery query = new StringQuery(source);
+
+		assertThat(query.hasLikeBindings(), is(true));
+		assertThat(query.getQuery(), is(source));
+
+		List<LikeBinding> bindings = query.getLikeBindings();
+		assertThat(bindings, hasSize(1));
+
+		LikeBinding binding = bindings.get(0);
+		assertThat(binding.getType(), is(Type.LIKE));
+		assertThat(binding.hasName("firstname"), is(true));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void detectsPositionalLikeBindings() {
 
 		StringQuery query = new StringQuery("select u from User u where u.firstname like %?1% or u.lastname like %?2");
 
 		assertThat(query.hasLikeBindings(), is(true));
-		assertThat(query.getQuery(),
-				is("select u from User u where u.firstname like ?1 or u.lastname like ?2"));
+		assertThat(query.getQuery(), is("select u from User u where u.firstname like ?1 or u.lastname like ?2"));
 
 		List<LikeBinding> bindings = query.getLikeBindings();
 		assertThat(bindings, hasSize(2));