diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
index f3cd2bb6b..2e37ecbdd 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/convert/MappingMongoConverter.java
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ public class MappingMongoConverter extends AbstractMongoConverter implements App
 				} else if (prop.isCollection() && sourceValue instanceof BasicDBList) {
 					
 					BasicDBList dbObjList = (BasicDBList) sourceValue;
-					Collection<Object> items = CollectionFactory.createCollection(propertyType, dbObjList.size());
+					Collection<Object> items = prop.isArray() ? new ArrayList<Object>() : CollectionFactory.createCollection(propertyType, dbObjList.size());
 					
 					for (int i = 0; i < dbObjList.size(); i++) {
 						Object dbObjItem = dbObjList.get(i);