diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java b/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java
index 310b04c47..5867cceff 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractBinderTests<B extends AbstractTestBinder<? extends
 		moduleOutputChannel.send(message);
 		Assert.isTrue(latch.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS), "Failed to receive message");
 
-		assertThat(new String(inboundMessageRef.get().getPayload(),StandardCharsets.UTF_8)).isEqualTo("foo");
+		assertThat(inboundMessageRef.get().getPayload()).isEqualTo("foo".getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
 		assertThat(inboundMessageRef.get().getHeaders().get(BinderHeaders.BINDER_ORIGINAL_CONTENT_TYPE)).isNull();
 		assertThat(inboundMessageRef.get().getHeaders().get(MessageHeaders.CONTENT_TYPE).toString()).isEqualTo("text/plain");
 		producerBinding.unbind();
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream-integration-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/config/LegacyContentTypeTests.java b/spring-cloud-stream-integration-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/config/LegacyContentTypeTests.java
index db349d77e..9b59403c1 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream-integration-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/config/LegacyContentTypeTests.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream-integration-tests/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/config/LegacyContentTypeTests.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public class LegacyContentTypeTests {
 			@Override
 			public void handleMessage(Message<?> message) throws MessagingException {
 				assertThat(message.getPayload()).isInstanceOf(byte[].class);
-				assertThat(new String(((byte[])message.getPayload()), StandardCharsets.UTF_8)).isEqualTo("{\"message\":\"Hi\"}");
+				assertThat(((byte[])message.getPayload())).isEqualTo("{\"message\":\"Hi\"}".getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
 				assertThat(message.getHeaders().get(MessageHeaders.CONTENT_TYPE).toString()).isEqualTo("application/json");
 				latch.countDown();
 			}
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binding/MessageConverterConfigurer.java b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binding/MessageConverterConfigurer.java
index 5a513f53c..4316eeceb 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binding/MessageConverterConfigurer.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binding/MessageConverterConfigurer.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.BeansException;
-import org.springframework.beans.DirectFieldAccessor;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryAware;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.ConfigurableListableBeanFactory;
@@ -334,7 +333,10 @@ public class MessageConverterConfigurer implements MessageChannelAndSourceConfig
 				throw new IllegalStateException("Failed to convert message: '" + message + "' to outbound message.");
 			}
 			
-			if (ct != null && !ct.equals(oct)) {		
+			/*
+			 * The below code is only to support message format defined in v1.x and can/will be removed in the future
+			 */
+			if (ct != null && !ct.equals(oct) && oct != null) {		
 				@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 				Map<String, Object> headersMap = (Map<String, Object>) ReflectionUtils.getField(MessageConverterConfigurer.this.headersField, message.getHeaders());
 				headersMap.put(MessageHeaders.CONTENT_TYPE, MimeType.valueOf(ct));
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/converter/ApplicationJsonMessageMarshallingConverter.java b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/converter/ApplicationJsonMessageMarshallingConverter.java
index 9c0daf194..d4aba23ea 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/converter/ApplicationJsonMessageMarshallingConverter.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/converter/ApplicationJsonMessageMarshallingConverter.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class ApplicationJsonMessageMarshallingConverter extends MappingJackson2MessageC
 
 	@Override
 	protected Object convertToInternal(Object payload, @Nullable MessageHeaders headers, @Nullable Object conversionHint) {
-		if (payload instanceof byte[]){
+		if (payload instanceof byte[]) {
 			return payload;
 		}
 		else if (payload instanceof String) {