diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
index 7012842ad9..2d0e48a5b2 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import org.springframework.core.GenericCollectionTypeResolver;
 import org.springframework.core.MethodParameter;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
-import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
 
 /**
  * Context about a type to convert to.
@@ -136,7 +135,7 @@ public class TypeDescriptor {
 
 	/**
 	 * Determine the declared (non-generic) type of the wrapped parameter/field.
-	 * @return the declared type
+	 * @return the declared type, or null if this is {@link TypeDescriptor#NULL}.
 	 */
 	public Class<?> getType() {
 		if (this.type != null) {
@@ -162,14 +161,6 @@ public class TypeDescriptor {
 		return (type != null ? ClassUtils.resolvePrimitiveIfNecessary(type) : type);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Does the underyling declared type equal the type provided?
-	 * @param type the type to test against
-	 */
-	public boolean typeEquals(Class<?> type) {
-		return ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(getType(), type);
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Returns the name of this type: the fully qualified class name.
 	 */
diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/CollectionToMapConverter.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/CollectionToMapConverter.java
index 0d7fb4d1d2..357367fe83 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/CollectionToMapConverter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/support/CollectionToMapConverter.java
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ final class CollectionToMapConverter implements ConditionalGenericConverter {
 		}
 		if (keysCompatible && valuesCompatible) {
 			Map target = CollectionFactory.createMap(targetType.getType(), sourceCollection.size());
-			if (sourceElementType.typeEquals(String.class)) {
+			if (String.class.equals(sourceElementType.getType())) {
 				for (Object element : sourceCollection) {
 					String[] property = parseProperty((String) element);
 					target.put(property[0], property[1]);
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ final class CollectionToMapConverter implements ConditionalGenericConverter {
 			Map target = CollectionFactory.createMap(targetType.getType(), sourceCollection.size());
 			MapEntryConverter converter = new MapEntryConverter(sourceElementType, sourceElementType, targetKeyType,
 					targetValueType, keysCompatible, valuesCompatible, conversionService);
-			if (sourceElementType.typeEquals(String.class)) {
+			if (String.class.equals(sourceElementType.getType())) {
 				for (Object element : sourceCollection) {
 					String[] property = parseProperty((String) element);
 					Object targetKey = converter.convertKey(property[0]);