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 90e55d4acb..689a00ba29 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
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class JavaBeanBinder implements DataObjectBinder {
 	@Override
 	public <T> T bind(ConfigurationPropertyName name, Bindable<T> target, Context context,
 			DataObjectPropertyBinder 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;