diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/properties/bind/JavaBeanBinder.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/properties/bind/JavaBeanBinder.java
index 835b0087bc5c..39f589bddb59 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/properties/bind/JavaBeanBinder.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/properties/bind/JavaBeanBinder.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2018 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2019 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ class JavaBeanBinder implements BeanBinder {
 	@Override
 	public <T> T bind(ConfigurationPropertyName name, Bindable<T> target, Context context,
 			BeanPropertyBinder propertyBinder) {
-		boolean hasKnownBindableProperties = hasKnownBindableProperties(name, context);
+		boolean hasKnownBindableProperties = target.getValue() != null
+				&& hasKnownBindableProperties(name, context);
 		Bean<T> bean = Bean.get(target, hasKnownBindableProperties);
 		if (bean == null) {
 			return null;