diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/query/AbstractMongoQuery.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/query/AbstractMongoQuery.java
index 190c83b82..71bd0d2ed 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/query/AbstractMongoQuery.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/query/AbstractMongoQuery.java
@@ -79,22 +79,24 @@ public abstract class AbstractMongoQuery implements RepositoryQuery {
 		MongoParameterAccessor accessor = new MongoParametersParameterAccessor(method, parameters);
 		Query query = createQuery(new ConvertingParameterAccessor(operations.getConverter(), accessor));
 
+		Object result = null;
+
 		if (method.isGeoNearQuery() && method.isPageQuery()) {
 
 			MongoParameterAccessor countAccessor = new MongoParametersParameterAccessor(method, parameters);
 			Query countQuery = createCountQuery(new ConvertingParameterAccessor(operations.getConverter(), countAccessor));
 
-			return new GeoNearExecution(accessor).execute(query, countQuery);
+			result = new GeoNearExecution(accessor).execute(query, countQuery);
 		} else if (method.isGeoNearQuery()) {
 			return new GeoNearExecution(accessor).execute(query);
 		} else if (method.isCollectionQuery()) {
-			return new CollectionExecution(accessor.getPageable()).execute(query);
+			result = new CollectionExecution(accessor.getPageable()).execute(query);
 		} else if (method.isPageQuery()) {
-			return new PagedExecution(accessor.getPageable()).execute(query);
+			result = new PagedExecution(accessor.getPageable()).execute(query);
+		} else {
+			result = new SingleEntityExecution(isCountQuery()).execute(query);
 		}
 
-		Object result = new SingleEntityExecution(isCountQuery()).execute(query);
-
 		if (result == null) {
 			return result;
 		}
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
index a3ffd2dc7..ac43dfbcd 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2011-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2011-2014 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.
@@ -738,4 +738,16 @@ public abstract class AbstractPersonRepositoryIntegrationTests {
 		assertThat(result.size(), is(1));
 		assertThat(result.get(0), is(dave));
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-871
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void findsPersonsByFirstnameAsArray() {
+
+		Person[] result = repository.findByThePersonsFirstnameAsArray("Leroi");
+
+		assertThat(result, is(arrayWithSize(1)));
+		assertThat(result, is(arrayContaining(leroi)));
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/PersonRepository.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/PersonRepository.java
index 52285f763..49ef92444 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/PersonRepository.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/repository/PersonRepository.java
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ public interface PersonRepository extends MongoRepository<Person, String>, Query
 	@Query(value = "{ 'firstname' : ?0 }", fields = "{ 'firstname': 1, 'lastname': 1}")
 	List<Person> findByThePersonsFirstname(String firstname);
 
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAMONGO-871
+	 */
+	@Query(value = "{ 'firstname' : ?0 }")
+	Person[] findByThePersonsFirstnameAsArray(String firstname);
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns all {@link Person}s with a firstname matching the given one (*-wildcard supported).
 	 *