diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverter.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverter.java
index 5b6c9773f..81480bcae 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverter.java
@@ -1248,14 +1248,19 @@ private void updateCriteria(Criteria criteria, ElasticsearchPersistentEntity<?>
 				PropertyValueConverter propertyValueConverter = Objects
 						.requireNonNull(persistentProperty.getPropertyValueConverter());
 				criteria.getQueryCriteriaEntries().forEach(criteriaEntry -> {
-					Object value = criteriaEntry.getValue();
-					if (value.getClass().isArray()) {
-						Object[] objects = (Object[]) value;
-						for (int i = 0; i < objects.length; i++) {
-							objects[i] = propertyValueConverter.write(objects[i]);
+
+					if (criteriaEntry.getKey().hasValue()) {
+						Object value = criteriaEntry.getValue();
+
+						if (value.getClass().isArray()) {
+							Object[] objects = (Object[]) value;
+
+							for (int i = 0; i < objects.length; i++) {
+								objects[i] = propertyValueConverter.write(objects[i]);
+							}
+						} else {
+							criteriaEntry.setValue(propertyValueConverter.write(value));
 						}
-					} else {
-						criteriaEntry.setValue(propertyValueConverter.write(value));
 					}
 				});
 			}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java
index ca0c2e162..535983eeb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/query/Criteria.java
@@ -954,7 +954,23 @@ public enum OperationKey { //
 		/**
 		 * @since 4.3
 		 */
-		NOT_EMPTY
+		NOT_EMPTY;
+
+		/**
+		 * @return true if this key does not have an associated value
+		 * @since 4.4
+		 */
+		public boolean hasNoValue() {
+			return this == OperationKey.EXISTS || this == OperationKey.EMPTY || this == OperationKey.NOT_EMPTY;
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * @return true if this key does have an associated value
+		 * @since 4.4
+		 */
+		public boolean hasValue() {
+			return !hasNoValue();
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -967,9 +983,8 @@ public static class CriteriaEntry {
 
 		protected CriteriaEntry(OperationKey key) {
 
-			boolean keyIsValid = key == OperationKey.EXISTS || key == OperationKey.EMPTY || key == OperationKey.NOT_EMPTY;
-			Assert.isTrue(keyIsValid,
-					"key must be OperationKey.EXISTS, OperationKey.EMPTY or OperationKey.EMPTY for this call");
+			Assert.isTrue(key.hasNoValue(),
+					"key must be OperationKey.EXISTS, OperationKey.EMPTY or OperationKey.NOT_EMPTY for this call");
 
 			this.key = key;
 		}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverterUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverterUnitTests.java
index 9990e5637..d669d6443 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverterUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/core/convert/MappingElasticsearchConverterUnitTests.java
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.geo.GeoPoint;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.mapping.PropertyValueConverter;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.mapping.SimpleElasticsearchMappingContext;
+import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.query.Criteria;
+import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.query.CriteriaQuery;
+import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.query.Query;
 import org.springframework.data.elasticsearch.core.query.SeqNoPrimaryTerm;
 import org.springframework.data.geo.Box;
 import org.springframework.data.geo.Circle;
@@ -1496,6 +1499,16 @@ void shouldReadUsingValueConverters() throws JSONException {
 		assertThat(entity.getDontConvert()).isEqualTo("Monty Python's Flying Circus");
 	}
 
+	@Test // #2080
+	@DisplayName("should not try to call property converter on updating criteria exists")
+	void shouldNotTryToCallPropertyConverterOnUpdatingCriteriaExists() {
+
+		// don't care if the query makes no sense, we just add all criteria without values
+		Query query = new CriteriaQuery(Criteria.where("fieldWithClassBasedConverter").exists().empty().notEmpty());
+
+		mappingElasticsearchConverter.updateQuery(query, EntityWithCustomValueConverters.class);
+	}
+
 	private Map<String, Object> writeToMap(Object source) {
 
 		Document sink = Document.create();
@@ -2449,6 +2462,7 @@ public Object read(Object value) {
 			return reverse(value);
 		}
 	}
+	// endregion
 
 	private static String reverse(Object o) {
 
@@ -2456,5 +2470,4 @@ private static String reverse(Object o) {
 
 		return new StringBuilder().append(o.toString()).reverse().toString();
 	}
-	// endregion
 }