diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReader.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReader.java
index da6bf8cb7..2a718661c 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReader.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReader.java
@@ -1425,7 +1425,8 @@ public class ParameterBindingJsonReader extends AbstractBsonReader {
 		// Spring Data Customization START
 
 		if (patternToken.getType() == JsonTokenType.STRING || patternToken.getType() == JsonTokenType.UNQUOTED_STRING) {
-			return bindableValueFor(patternToken).getValue().toString();
+			Object value = bindableValueFor(patternToken).getValue();
+			return value != null ? value.toString() : null;
 		}
 
 		throw new JsonParseException("JSON reader expected a string but found '%s'.", patternToken.getValue());
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReaderUnitTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReaderUnitTests.java
index bd82d7d7d..9689c21b3 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReaderUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/util/json/ParameterBindingJsonReaderUnitTests.java
@@ -209,6 +209,13 @@ class ParameterBindingJsonReaderUnitTests {
 		assertThat(target).isEqualTo(Document.parse("{ 'end_date' : { $gte : { $date : " + time + " } } } "));
 	}
 
+	@Test // GH-4282
+	public void shouldReturnNullAsSuch() {
+
+		String json = "{ 'value' : ObjectId(?0) }";
+		assertThatExceptionOfType(IllegalArgumentException.class).isThrownBy(() -> parse(json, new Object[] { null }));
+	}
+
 	@Test // DATAMONGO-2418
 	void shouldNotAccessSpElEvaluationContextWhenNoSpElPresentInBindableTarget() {