diff --git a/spring-cloud-function-adapters/spring-cloud-function-adapter-aws/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/function/adapter/aws/AWSLambdaUtils.java b/spring-cloud-function-adapters/spring-cloud-function-adapter-aws/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/function/adapter/aws/AWSLambdaUtils.java
index 62eb968e1..8ceb4e300 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-function-adapters/spring-cloud-function-adapter-aws/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/function/adapter/aws/AWSLambdaUtils.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-function-adapters/spring-cloud-function-adapter-aws/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/function/adapter/aws/AWSLambdaUtils.java
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@ public final class AWSLambdaUtils {
 				}
 				result.add(value);
 			}
-
 			if (result.size() > 1) {
 				output = result;
 			}
@@ -166,17 +165,15 @@ public final class AWSLambdaUtils {
 			else {
 				output = null;
 			}
-			if (output != null && output instanceof Message<?>) {
-				if (output instanceof Message<?>) {
-					responseMessage = (Message<byte[]>) output;
-				}
-				else {
-					if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-						logger.debug("OUTPUT: " + output + " - " + output.getClass().getName());
-					}
-					byte[] payload = objectMapper.toJson(output);
-					responseMessage = MessageBuilder.withPayload(payload).build();
+			if (output instanceof Message<?> && ((Message<?>) output).getPayload() instanceof byte[]) {
+				responseMessage = (Message<byte[]>) output;
+			}
+			else if (output != null) {
+				if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+					logger.debug("OUTPUT: " + output + " - " + output.getClass().getName());
 				}
+				byte[] payload = objectMapper.toJson(output);
+				responseMessage = MessageBuilder.withPayload(payload).build();
 			}
 		}
 		else {