diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java
index f45d7b20..f4299f8a 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/GenericConversionService.java
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ public class GenericConversionService implements ConversionService {
 		if (this.sourceClassConverters == null || this.sourceClassConverters.isEmpty()) {
 			throw new IllegalStateException("No converters have been added to this service's registry");
 		}
-		if (sourceClass.equals(targetClass)) {
+		if (targetClass.isAssignableFrom(sourceClass)) {
 			return new ConversionExecutor(sourceClass, targetClass, new NoOpConverter(sourceClass, targetClass));
 		}
 		Map sourceTargetConverters = findConvertersForSource(sourceClass);
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/DefaultConversionServiceTests.java b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/DefaultConversionServiceTests.java
index 47e04e54..d74da8bf 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/DefaultConversionServiceTests.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/convert/support/DefaultConversionServiceTests.java
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.binding.convert.support;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
@@ -31,6 +33,23 @@ import org.springframework.core.enums.ShortCodedLabeledEnum;
  */
 public class DefaultConversionServiceTests extends TestCase {
 	
+	public void testConvertCompatibleTypes() {
+		DefaultConversionService service = new DefaultConversionService();
+		service.addAlias("list", List.class);
+
+		List lst = new ArrayList();
+		assertSame(lst, service.getConversionExecutor(ArrayList.class, List.class).execute(lst));
+		assertSame(lst, service.getConversionExecutorByTargetAlias(ArrayList.class, "list").execute(lst));
+		
+		try {
+			service.getConversionExecutor(List.class, ArrayList.class);
+			fail();
+		}
+		catch (ConversionException e) {
+			// expected
+		}
+	}
+	
 	public void testOverrideConverter() {
 		Converter customConverter = new TextToBoolean("ja", "nee");