diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/BodyConverter.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/BodyConverter.groovy
index 77b0ab8b14..c62f589b28 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/BodyConverter.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/BodyConverter.groovy
@@ -81,22 +81,10 @@ class BodyConverter {
 		}
 		DslPart p = isRoot ? createRootDslPart(v) : parent
 		if (v instanceof Map) {
-			if (!isRoot) {
-				p = p.object()
-			}
 			processMap(v as Map, p as PactDslJsonBody, dslPropertyValueExtractor)
-			if (!isRoot) {
-				p = p.closeObject()
-			}
 		}
 		else if (v instanceof Collection) {
-			if (!isRoot) {
-				p = p.array()
-			}
 			processCollection(v as Collection, p as PactDslJsonArray, dslPropertyValueExtractor)
-			if (!isRoot) {
-				p = p.closeArray()
-			}
 		}
 		return p
 	}
@@ -123,8 +111,15 @@ class BodyConverter {
 			else if (v instanceof Number) {
 				jsonArray.number(v)
 			}
-			else {
-				traverse(it, jsonArray, dslPropertyValueExtractor)
+			else if (v instanceof Map) {
+				PactDslJsonBody current = jsonArray.object()
+				traverse(v, current, dslPropertyValueExtractor)
+				current.closeObject()
+			}
+			else if (v instanceof Collection) {
+				PactDslJsonArray current = jsonArray.array()
+				traverse(v, current, dslPropertyValueExtractor)
+				current.closeArray()
 			}
 		})
 	}
@@ -146,11 +141,16 @@ class BodyConverter {
 			else if (v instanceof Number) {
 				jsonObject.numberValue(k, v)
 			}
-			else {
+			else if (v instanceof Map) {
 				PactDslJsonBody current = jsonObject.object(k)
 				traverse(v, current, dslPropertyValueExtractor)
 				current.closeObject()
 			}
+			else if (v instanceof Collection) {
+				PactDslJsonArray current = jsonObject.array(k)
+				traverse(v, current, dslPropertyValueExtractor)
+				current.closeArray()
+			}
 		})
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/PactContractConverterSpec.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/PactContractConverterSpec.groovy
index 149c476e93..dc6924c04f 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/PactContractConverterSpec.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-tools/spring-cloud-contract-pact/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/spec/pact/PactContractConverterSpec.groovy
@@ -800,6 +800,42 @@ class PactContractConverterSpec extends Specification {
 		then:
 			contracts == expectedContracts
 	}
+
+	@Issue("1277")
+	def "should work properly with json body"() {
+		when:
+			converter.convertTo([
+					Contract.make {
+						request {
+							method 'PUT'
+							url '/api/admins/1'
+							body('''{
+  "username" : "username",
+  "password" : "password",
+  "roles" : [ "ADMIN" ]
+}''')
+							headers {
+								header('''Content-Type''', '''application/json;charset=UTF-8''')
+							}
+						}
+						response {
+							status 200
+							body('''{
+  "admin" : {
+    "adminId" : 1,
+    "username" : "username",
+    "roles" : [ "ADMIN" ]
+  }
+}''')
+							headers {
+								header('''Content-Type''', '''application/json;charset=UTF-8''')
+							}
+						}
+					}
+			])
+		then:
+			noExceptionThrown()
+	}
 }