diff --git a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormatterRegistrar.java b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormatterRegistrar.java
index eb413a6ea7..aedf118437 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormatterRegistrar.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormatterRegistrar.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 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.
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public class DateFormatterRegistrar implements FormatterRegistrar {
 	 * @param dateFormatter the date formatter
 	 */
 	public void setFormatter(DateFormatter dateFormatter) {
-		Assert.notNull(dateFormatter,"DateFormatter must not be null");
+		Assert.notNull(dateFormatter, "DateFormatter must not be null");
 		this.dateFormatter = dateFormatter;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeConverters.java b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeConverters.java
index 6943ad4241..b49b607255 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeConverters.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeConverters.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 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.
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import org.springframework.format.datetime.DateFormatterRegistrar;
  * Installs lower-level type converters required to integrate Joda Time support into Spring's field formatting system.
  *
  * @author Keith Donald
+ * @author Phillip Webb
  * @since 3.0
  */
 final class JodaTimeConverters {
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ final class JodaTimeConverters {
 		registry.addConverter(new DateTimeToCalendarConverter());
 		registry.addConverter(new DateTimeToLongConverter());
 		registry.addConverter(new CalendarToReadableInstantConverter());
+		registry.addConverter(new DateToReadableInstantConverter());
 	}
 
 
@@ -159,4 +161,14 @@ final class JodaTimeConverters {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Used when printing a java.util.Date field with a ReadableInstantPrinter.
+	 * @see MillisecondInstantPrinter
+	 * @see JodaDateTimeFormatAnnotationFormatterFactory
+	 */
+	private static class DateToReadableInstantConverter implements Converter<Date, ReadableInstant> {
+		public ReadableInstant convert(Date source) {
+			return new DateTime(source);
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormattingTests.java b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormattingTests.java
index 087e8e9521..5698ed0651 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormattingTests.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/DateFormattingTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 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.
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ import org.junit.Ignore;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.beans.MutablePropertyValues;
 import org.springframework.context.i18n.LocaleContextHolder;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.core.convert.support.DefaultConversionService;
 import org.springframework.format.annotation.DateTimeFormat;
 import org.springframework.format.annotation.DateTimeFormat.ISO;
-import org.springframework.format.datetime.DateFormatterRegistrar;
 import org.springframework.format.support.FormattingConversionService;
 import org.springframework.validation.DataBinder;
 
@@ -186,6 +186,14 @@ public class DateFormattingTests {
 		assertEquals("10/31/09", binder.getBindingResult().getFieldValue("children[0].dateAnnotated"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void dateToString() throws Exception {
+		Date date = new Date();
+		Object actual = this.conversionService.convert(date, TypeDescriptor.valueOf(Date.class), TypeDescriptor.valueOf(String.class));
+		String expected = new DateFormatter().print(date, Locale.US);
+		assertEquals(expected, actual);
+	}
+
 	@SuppressWarnings("unused")
 	private static class SimpleDateBean {
 
diff --git a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeFormattingTests.java b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeFormattingTests.java
index 597a3820b5..237df0509f 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeFormattingTests.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/format/datetime/joda/JodaTimeFormattingTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 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.
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import org.junit.Test;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.MutablePropertyValues;
 import org.springframework.context.i18n.LocaleContextHolder;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.core.convert.support.DefaultConversionService;
 import org.springframework.format.annotation.DateTimeFormat;
 import org.springframework.format.annotation.DateTimeFormat.ISO;
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 /**
  * @author Keith Donald
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
+ * @author Phillip Webb
  */
 public class JodaTimeFormattingTests {
 
@@ -456,6 +458,14 @@ public class JodaTimeFormattingTests {
 		assertEquals("2009-10-31T07:00:00.000-05:00", binder.getBindingResult().getFieldValue("mutableDateTimeAnnotated"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void dateToString() throws Exception {
+		Date date = new Date();
+		Object actual = this.conversionService.convert(date, TypeDescriptor.valueOf(Date.class), TypeDescriptor.valueOf(String.class));
+		String expected = JodaTimeContextHolder.getFormatter(org.joda.time.format.DateTimeFormat.shortDateTime(), Locale.US).print(new DateTime(date));
+		assertEquals(expected, actual);
+	}
+
 	@SuppressWarnings("unused")
 	private static class JodaTimeBean {