diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/function/FunctionConfiguration.java b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/function/FunctionConfiguration.java
index 5ecf3e75b..b09075a30 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/function/FunctionConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/function/FunctionConfiguration.java
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ public class FunctionConfiguration {
 							this.doSendMessage(resultElement, requestMessage);
 						}
 					}
-					else if (ObjectUtils.isArray(result)) {
+					else if (ObjectUtils.isArray(result) && !(result instanceof byte[])) {
 						for (int i = 0; i < ((Object[]) result).length; i++) {
 							this.doSendMessage(((Object[]) result)[i], requestMessage);
 						}