diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php b/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php
index a71789f7e7..2aeb1a8a6e 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/PropertyAccess/PropertyAccessor.php
@@ -40,10 +40,8 @@ class PropertyAccessor implements PropertyAccessorInterface
      */
     public function getValue($objectOrArray, $propertyPath)
     {
-        if (is_string($propertyPath)) {
+        if (!$propertyPath instanceof PropertyPathInterface) {
             $propertyPath = new PropertyPath($propertyPath);
-        } elseif (!$propertyPath instanceof PropertyPathInterface) {
-            throw new UnexpectedTypeException($propertyPath, 'string or Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\PropertyPathInterface');
         }
 
         $propertyValues = & $this->readPropertiesUntil($objectOrArray, $propertyPath, $propertyPath->getLength());
@@ -56,10 +54,8 @@ class PropertyAccessor implements PropertyAccessorInterface
      */
     public function setValue(&$objectOrArray, $propertyPath, $value)
     {
-        if (is_string($propertyPath)) {
+        if (!$propertyPath instanceof PropertyPathInterface) {
             $propertyPath = new PropertyPath($propertyPath);
-        } elseif (!$propertyPath instanceof PropertyPathInterface) {
-            throw new UnexpectedTypeException($propertyPath, 'string or Symfony\Component\PropertyAccess\PropertyPathInterface');
         }
 
         $propertyValues = & $this->readPropertiesUntil($objectOrArray, $propertyPath, $propertyPath->getLength() - 1);