diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/converters/StringToLocale.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/converters/StringToLocale.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dffcd757
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/converters/StringToLocale.java
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2004-2008 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.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ * 
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.binding.convert.converters;
+
+import java.util.Locale;
+
+import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
+
+/**
+ * Converts a String to a Locale using {@link StringUtils#parseLocaleString(String)}.
+ * 
+ * @author Keith Donald
+ */
+public class StringToLocale extends StringToObject {
+
+	public StringToLocale() {
+		super(Locale.class);
+	}
+
+	public Object toObject(String string, Class objectClass) throws Exception {
+		return StringUtils.parseLocaleString(string);
+	}
+
+	public String toString(Object object) throws Exception {
+		Locale locale = (Locale) object;
+		return locale.toString();
+	}
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/DefaultConversionService.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/DefaultConversionService.java
index bce4f67b..21b22958 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/DefaultConversionService.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/DefaultConversionService.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import org.springframework.binding.convert.converters.StringToDouble;
 import org.springframework.binding.convert.converters.StringToFloat;
 import org.springframework.binding.convert.converters.StringToInteger;
 import org.springframework.binding.convert.converters.StringToLabeledEnum;
+import org.springframework.binding.convert.converters.StringToLocale;
 import org.springframework.binding.convert.converters.StringToLong;
 import org.springframework.binding.convert.converters.StringToShort;
 import org.springframework.core.enums.LabeledEnum;
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ public class DefaultConversionService extends GenericConversionService {
 		addConverter(new StringToBigDecimal());
 		addConverter(new StringToClass());
 		addConverter(new StringToLabeledEnum());
+		addConverter(new StringToLocale());
 		addConverter(new StringToDate());
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/StaticConversionExecutorImplTests.java b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/StaticConversionExecutorImplTests.java
index 8c6fa4ca..aca83925 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/StaticConversionExecutorImplTests.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/service/StaticConversionExecutorImplTests.java
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@ public class StaticConversionExecutorImplTests extends TestCase {
 	private StaticConversionExecutor conversionExecutor;
 
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
-		conversionExecutor = new StaticConversionExecutor(String.class, Date.class, new StringToDate());
+		StringToDate stringToDate = new StringToDate();
+		conversionExecutor = new StaticConversionExecutor(String.class, Date.class, stringToDate);
 	}
 
 	public void testTypeConversion() {
-		assertTrue(conversionExecutor.execute("10-10-2008").getClass().equals(Date.class));
+		assertTrue(conversionExecutor.execute("2008-10-10").getClass().equals(Date.class));
 	}
 
 	public void testAssignmentCompatibleTypeConversion() {