diff --git a/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/model/common/Type.java b/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/model/common/Type.java
index e1d6132b2..bfe2a1f60 100644
--- a/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/model/common/Type.java
+++ b/processor/src/main/java/org/mapstruct/ap/model/common/Type.java
@@ -523,6 +523,40 @@ public class Type extends ModelElement implements Comparable<Type> {
         return true;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * A valid Java expression most suitable for representing null - useful for dealing with primitives from FTL.
+     */
+    public String getNull() {
+        if ( !isPrimitive() || isArrayType() ) {
+            return "null";
+        }
+        if ( "boolean".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "false";
+        }
+        if ( "byte".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "0";
+        }
+        if ( "char".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "'\\u0000'";
+        }
+        if ( "double".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "0.0";
+        }
+        if ( "float".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "0.0f";
+        }
+        if ( "int".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "0";
+        }
+        if ( "long".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "0L";
+        }
+        if ( "short".equals( getName() ) ) {
+            return "0";
+        }
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException( getName() );
+    }
+
     @Override
     public int hashCode() {
         final int prime = 31;
diff --git a/processor/src/main/resources/org.mapstruct.ap.model.NestedPropertyMappingMethod.ftl b/processor/src/main/resources/org.mapstruct.ap.model.NestedPropertyMappingMethod.ftl
index 3f479a9a0..a04dee806 100644
--- a/processor/src/main/resources/org.mapstruct.ap.model.NestedPropertyMappingMethod.ftl
+++ b/processor/src/main/resources/org.mapstruct.ap.model.NestedPropertyMappingMethod.ftl
@@ -21,13 +21,15 @@
 <#lt>private <@includeModel object=returnType/> ${name}(<#list parameters as param><@includeModel object=param/><#if param_has_next>, </#if></#list>) {
 
     if ( ${sourceParameter.name} == null ) {
-        return null;
+        return ${returnType.null};
     }
     <#list propertyEntries as entry>
     <@includeModel object=entry.type/> ${entry.name} = <#if entry_index == 0>${sourceParameter.name}.${entry.accessor}<#else>${propertyEntries[entry_index-1].name}.${entry.accessor}</#if>;
+    <#if !entry.type.primitive>
     if ( ${entry.name} == null ) {
-        return null;
+        return ${returnType.null};
     }
+    </#if>
     <#if !entry_has_next>
     return ${entry.name};
     </#if>
diff --git a/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/SimpleMapper.java b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/SimpleMapper.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..18ec63c5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/SimpleMapper.java
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright 2012-2014 Gunnar Morling (http://www.gunnarmorling.de/)
+ *  and/or other contributors as indicated by the @authors tag. See the
+ *  copyright.txt file in the distribution for a full listing of all
+ *  contributors.
+ *
+ *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple;
+
+import org.mapstruct.Mapper;
+import org.mapstruct.Mapping;
+import org.mapstruct.Mappings;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.source.SourceRoot;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.target.TargetObject;
+import org.mapstruct.factory.Mappers;
+
+@Mapper
+public interface SimpleMapper {
+
+    SimpleMapper MAPPER = Mappers.getMapper( SimpleMapper.class );
+
+    @Mappings( { @Mapping( target = "longValue", source = "props.longValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "intValue", source = "props.intValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "doubleValue", source = "props.doubleValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "floatValue", source = "props.floatValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "shortValue", source = "props.shortValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "charValue", source = "props.charValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "byteValue", source = "props.byteValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "booleanValue", source = "props.booleanValue" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "byteArray", source = "props.byteArray" ),
+        @Mapping( target = "stringValue", source = "props.stringValue" ) } )
+    TargetObject toTargetObject(SourceRoot sourceRoot);
+
+}
diff --git a/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/SimpleNestedPropertiesTest.java b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/SimpleNestedPropertiesTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..104d9e5cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/SimpleNestedPropertiesTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright 2012-2014 Gunnar Morling (http://www.gunnarmorling.de/)
+ *  and/or other contributors as indicated by the @authors tag. See the
+ *  copyright.txt file in the distribution for a full listing of all
+ *  contributors.
+ *
+ *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertArrayEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.source.SourceProps;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.source.SourceRoot;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.target.TargetObject;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.testutil.IssueKey;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.testutil.WithClasses;
+import org.mapstruct.ap.testutil.runner.AnnotationProcessorTestRunner;
+
+/**
+ * @author Sebastian Hasait
+ */
+@WithClasses( { SourceRoot.class, SourceProps.class, TargetObject.class } )
+@IssueKey( "407" )
+@RunWith( AnnotationProcessorTestRunner.class )
+public class SimpleNestedPropertiesTest {
+
+    @Test
+    @WithClasses( { SimpleMapper.class } )
+    public void testNull() {
+        TargetObject targetObject = SimpleMapper.MAPPER.toTargetObject( null );
+
+        assertNull( targetObject );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithClasses( { SimpleMapper.class } )
+    public void testViaNull() {
+        SourceRoot sourceRoot = new SourceRoot();
+        // sourceRoot.getProps() is null
+
+        TargetObject targetObject = SimpleMapper.MAPPER.toTargetObject( sourceRoot );
+
+        assertEquals( 0L, targetObject.getLongValue() );
+        assertEquals( 0, targetObject.getIntValue() );
+        assertEquals( 0.0, targetObject.getDoubleValue(), 0.01 );
+        assertEquals( 0.0f, targetObject.getFloatValue(), 0.01f );
+        assertEquals( 0, targetObject.getShortValue() );
+        assertEquals( 0, targetObject.getCharValue() );
+        assertEquals( 0, targetObject.getByteValue() );
+        assertFalse( targetObject.isBooleanValue() );
+        assertNull( targetObject.getByteArray() );
+        assertNull( targetObject.getStringValue() );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithClasses( { SimpleMapper.class } )
+    public void testFilled() {
+        SourceRoot sourceRoot = new SourceRoot();
+        SourceProps sourceProps = new SourceProps();
+        sourceRoot.setProps( sourceProps );
+        sourceProps.setLongValue( Long.MAX_VALUE );
+        sourceProps.setIntValue( Integer.MAX_VALUE );
+        sourceProps.setDoubleValue( Double.MAX_VALUE );
+        sourceProps.setFloatValue( Float.MAX_VALUE );
+        sourceProps.setShortValue( Short.MAX_VALUE );
+        sourceProps.setCharValue( Character.MAX_VALUE );
+        sourceProps.setByteValue( Byte.MAX_VALUE );
+        sourceProps.setBooleanValue( true );
+        String stringValue = "lorem ipsum";
+        sourceProps.setByteArray( stringValue.getBytes() );
+        sourceProps.setStringValue( stringValue );
+
+        TargetObject targetObject = SimpleMapper.MAPPER.toTargetObject( sourceRoot );
+
+        assertEquals( Long.MAX_VALUE, targetObject.getLongValue() );
+        assertEquals( Integer.MAX_VALUE, targetObject.getIntValue() );
+        assertEquals( Double.MAX_VALUE, targetObject.getDoubleValue(), 0.01 );
+        assertEquals( Float.MAX_VALUE, targetObject.getFloatValue(), 0.01f );
+        assertEquals( Short.MAX_VALUE, targetObject.getShortValue() );
+        assertEquals( Character.MAX_VALUE, targetObject.getCharValue() );
+        assertEquals( Byte.MAX_VALUE, targetObject.getByteValue() );
+        assertTrue( targetObject.isBooleanValue() );
+        assertArrayEquals( stringValue.getBytes(), targetObject.getByteArray() );
+        assertEquals( stringValue, targetObject.getStringValue() );
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/source/SourceProps.java b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/source/SourceProps.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..33067ccfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/source/SourceProps.java
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright 2012-2014 Gunnar Morling (http://www.gunnarmorling.de/)
+ *  and/or other contributors as indicated by the @authors tag. See the
+ *  copyright.txt file in the distribution for a full listing of all
+ *  contributors.
+ *
+ *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.source;
+
+public class SourceProps {
+
+    private long longValue;
+    private int intValue;
+    private double doubleValue;
+    private float floatValue;
+    private short shortValue;
+    private char charValue;
+    private byte byteValue;
+    private boolean booleanValue;
+
+    private byte[] byteArray;
+
+    private String stringValue;
+
+    public long getLongValue() {
+        return longValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setLongValue(long longValue) {
+        this.longValue = longValue;
+    }
+
+    public int getIntValue() {
+        return intValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setIntValue(int intValue) {
+        this.intValue = intValue;
+    }
+
+    public double getDoubleValue() {
+        return doubleValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setDoubleValue(double doubleValue) {
+        this.doubleValue = doubleValue;
+    }
+
+    public float getFloatValue() {
+        return floatValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setFloatValue(float floatValue) {
+        this.floatValue = floatValue;
+    }
+
+    public short getShortValue() {
+        return shortValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setShortValue(short shortValue) {
+        this.shortValue = shortValue;
+    }
+
+    public char getCharValue() {
+        return charValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setCharValue(char charValue) {
+        this.charValue = charValue;
+    }
+
+    public byte getByteValue() {
+        return byteValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setByteValue(byte byteValue) {
+        this.byteValue = byteValue;
+    }
+
+    public byte[] getByteArray() {
+        return byteArray;
+    }
+
+    public void setByteArray(byte[] byteArray) {
+        this.byteArray = byteArray;
+    }
+
+    public String getStringValue() {
+        return stringValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setStringValue(String stringValue) {
+        this.stringValue = stringValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setBooleanValue(boolean booleanValue) {
+        this.booleanValue = booleanValue;
+    }
+
+    public boolean isBooleanValue() {
+        return booleanValue;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/source/SourceRoot.java b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/source/SourceRoot.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..376d46606
--- /dev/null
+++ b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/source/SourceRoot.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright 2012-2014 Gunnar Morling (http://www.gunnarmorling.de/)
+ *  and/or other contributors as indicated by the @authors tag. See the
+ *  copyright.txt file in the distribution for a full listing of all
+ *  contributors.
+ *
+ *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.source;
+
+public class SourceRoot {
+
+    private SourceProps props;
+
+    public void setProps(SourceProps props) {
+        this.props = props;
+    }
+
+    public SourceProps getProps() {
+        return props;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/target/TargetObject.java b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/target/TargetObject.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6938b8522
--- /dev/null
+++ b/processor/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/ap/test/nestedproperties/simple/target/TargetObject.java
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+/**
+ *  Copyright 2012-2014 Gunnar Morling (http://www.gunnarmorling.de/)
+ *  and/or other contributors as indicated by the @authors tag. See the
+ *  copyright.txt file in the distribution for a full listing of all
+ *  contributors.
+ *
+ *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ *  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.mapstruct.ap.test.nestedproperties.simple.target;
+
+public class TargetObject {
+
+    private long longValue;
+    private int intValue;
+    private double doubleValue;
+    private float floatValue;
+    private short shortValue;
+    private char charValue;
+    private byte byteValue;
+    private boolean booleanValue;
+
+    private byte[] byteArray;
+
+    private String stringValue;
+
+    public long getLongValue() {
+        return longValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setLongValue(long longValue) {
+        this.longValue = longValue;
+    }
+
+    public int getIntValue() {
+        return intValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setIntValue(int intValue) {
+        this.intValue = intValue;
+    }
+
+    public double getDoubleValue() {
+        return doubleValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setDoubleValue(double doubleValue) {
+        this.doubleValue = doubleValue;
+    }
+
+    public float getFloatValue() {
+        return floatValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setFloatValue(float floatValue) {
+        this.floatValue = floatValue;
+    }
+
+    public short getShortValue() {
+        return shortValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setShortValue(short shortValue) {
+        this.shortValue = shortValue;
+    }
+
+    public char getCharValue() {
+        return charValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setCharValue(char charValue) {
+        this.charValue = charValue;
+    }
+
+    public byte getByteValue() {
+        return byteValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setByteValue(byte byteValue) {
+        this.byteValue = byteValue;
+    }
+
+    public byte[] getByteArray() {
+        return byteArray;
+    }
+
+    public void setByteArray(byte[] byteArray) {
+        this.byteArray = byteArray;
+    }
+
+    public String getStringValue() {
+        return stringValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setStringValue(String stringValue) {
+        this.stringValue = stringValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setBooleanValue(boolean booleanValue) {
+        this.booleanValue = booleanValue;
+    }
+
+    public boolean isBooleanValue() {
+        return booleanValue;
+    }
+
+}