diff --git a/pkg/conversion/converter.go b/pkg/conversion/converter.go
index a77f321551f13..61025b617253a 100644
--- a/pkg/conversion/converter.go
+++ b/pkg/conversion/converter.go
@@ -583,7 +583,12 @@ func (c *Converter) defaultConvert(sv, dv reflect.Value, scope *scope) error {
 			return nil
 		}
 		dv.Set(reflect.New(dt.Elem()))
-		return c.convert(sv.Elem(), dv.Elem(), scope)
+		switch st.Kind() {
+		case reflect.Ptr, reflect.Interface:
+			return c.convert(sv.Elem(), dv.Elem(), scope)
+		default:
+			return c.convert(sv, dv.Elem(), scope)
+		}
 	case reflect.Map:
 		if sv.IsNil() {
 			// Don't copy a nil ptr!
diff --git a/pkg/conversion/converter_test.go b/pkg/conversion/converter_test.go
index 6ba1bac9cc80a..2a110546bbd79 100644
--- a/pkg/conversion/converter_test.go
+++ b/pkg/conversion/converter_test.go
@@ -39,6 +39,34 @@ func TestConverter_byteSlice(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestConverter_MismatchedTypes(t *testing.T) {
+	c := NewConverter()
+
+	err := c.RegisterConversionFunc(
+		func(in *[]string, out *int, s Scope) error {
+			if str, err := strconv.Atoi((*in)[0]); err != nil {
+				return err
+			} else {
+				*out = str
+				return nil
+			}
+		},
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	src := []string{"5"}
+	var dest *int
+	err = c.Convert(&src, &dest, 0, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if e, a := 5, *dest; e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %#v, got %#v", e, a)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestConverter_DefaultConvert(t *testing.T) {
 	type A struct {
 		Foo string