diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php b/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php
index 92caf1e826..a71789f7e7 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@ class PropertyAccessor implements PropertyAccessorInterface
             $objectOrArray = & $propertyValues[$i][self::VALUE];
 
             if ($overwrite) {
-                if (!is_object($objectOrArray) && !is_array($objectOrArray)) {
-                    throw new UnexpectedTypeException($objectOrArray, 'object or array');
-                }
-
                 $property = $propertyPath->getElement($i);
                 //$singular = $propertyPath->singulars[$i];
                 $singular = null;
@@ -108,13 +104,13 @@ class PropertyAccessor implements PropertyAccessorInterface
      */
     private function &readPropertiesUntil(&$objectOrArray, PropertyPathInterface $propertyPath, $lastIndex)
     {
+        if (!is_object($objectOrArray) && !is_array($objectOrArray)) {
+            throw new UnexpectedTypeException($objectOrArray, 'object or array');
+        }
+
         $propertyValues = array();
 
         for ($i = 0; $i < $lastIndex; ++$i) {
-            if (!is_object($objectOrArray) && !is_array($objectOrArray)) {
-                throw new UnexpectedTypeException($objectOrArray, 'object or array');
-            }
-
             $property = $propertyPath->getElement($i);
             $isIndex = $propertyPath->isIndex($i);
 
@@ -137,6 +133,11 @@ class PropertyAccessor implements PropertyAccessorInterface
 
             $objectOrArray = & $propertyValue[self::VALUE];
 
+            // the final value of the path must not be validated
+            if ($i + 1 < $propertyPath->getLength() && !is_object($objectOrArray) && !is_array($objectOrArray)) {
+                throw new UnexpectedTypeException($objectOrArray, 'object or array');
+            }
+
             $propertyValues[] = & $propertyValue;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/Tests/PropertyAccessorTest.php b/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/Tests/PropertyAccessorTest.php
index ca49be6012..fec4e14b09 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/Tests/PropertyAccessorTest.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/Tests/PropertyAccessorTest.php
@@ -29,6 +29,20 @@ class PropertyAccessorTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         $this->propertyAccessor = new PropertyAccessor();
     }
 
+    public function getPathsWithUnexpectedType()
+    {
+        return array(
+            array('', 'foobar'),
+            array('foo', 'foobar'),
+            array(null, 'foobar'),
+            array(123, 'foobar'),
+            array((object) array('prop' => null), 'prop.foobar'),
+            array((object) array('prop' => (object) array('subProp' => null)), 'prop.subProp.foobar'),
+            array(array('index' => null), '[index][foobar]'),
+            array(array('index' => array('subIndex' => null)), '[index][subIndex][foobar]'),
+        );
+    }
+
     public function testGetValueReadsArray()
     {
         $array = array('firstName' => 'Bernhard');
@@ -198,27 +212,13 @@ class PropertyAccessorTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
     }
 
     /**
+     * @dataProvider getPathsWithUnexpectedType
      * @expectedException \Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\Exception\UnexpectedTypeException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage Expected argument of type "object or array"
      */
-    public function testGetValueThrowsExceptionIfNotObjectOrArray()
+    public function testGetValueThrowsExceptionIfNotObjectOrArray($objectOrArray, $path)
     {
-        $this->propertyAccessor->getValue('baz', 'foobar');
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @expectedException \Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\Exception\UnexpectedTypeException
-     */
-    public function testGetValueThrowsExceptionIfNull()
-    {
-        $this->propertyAccessor->getValue(null, 'foobar');
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @expectedException \Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\Exception\UnexpectedTypeException
-     */
-    public function testGetValueThrowsExceptionIfEmpty()
-    {
-        $this->propertyAccessor->getValue('', 'foobar');
+        $this->propertyAccessor->getValue($objectOrArray, $path);
     }
 
     public function testGetValueWhenArrayValueIsNull()
@@ -311,33 +311,13 @@ class PropertyAccessorTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
     }
 
     /**
+     * @dataProvider getPathsWithUnexpectedType
      * @expectedException \Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\Exception\UnexpectedTypeException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage Expected argument of type "object or array"
      */
-    public function testSetValueThrowsExceptionIfNotObjectOrArray()
+    public function testSetValueThrowsExceptionIfNotObjectOrArray($objectOrArray, $path)
     {
-        $value = 'baz';
-
-        $this->propertyAccessor->setValue($value, 'foobar', 'bam');
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @expectedException \Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\Exception\UnexpectedTypeException
-     */
-    public function testSetValueThrowsExceptionIfNull()
-    {
-        $value = null;
-
-        $this->propertyAccessor->setValue($value, 'foobar', 'bam');
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @expectedException \Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\Exception\UnexpectedTypeException
-     */
-    public function testSetValueThrowsExceptionIfEmpty()
-    {
-        $value = '';
-
-        $this->propertyAccessor->setValue($value, 'foobar', 'bam');
+        $this->propertyAccessor->setValue($objectOrArray, $path, 'value');
     }
 
     /**