diff --git a/mapstructure.go b/mapstructure.go
index 9da5586..11bde03 100644
--- a/mapstructure.go
+++ b/mapstructure.go
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@
 	switch k {
 	case reflect.Bool:
 		fallthrough
+	case reflect.Interface:
+		fallthrough
 	case reflect.String:
 		return decodeBasic(name, data, val)
 	case reflect.Int:
diff --git a/mapstructure_test.go b/mapstructure_test.go
index c74fea6..453fc56 100644
--- a/mapstructure_test.go
+++ b/mapstructure_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 	Vbool   bool
 	Vextra  string
 	vsilent bool
+	Vdata   interface{}
 }
 
 type Map struct {
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@
 		"vint":    42,
 		"vbool":   true,
 		"vsilent": true,
+		"vdata":   42,
 	}
 
 	var result Basic
@@ -73,6 +75,10 @@
 	if result.vsilent != false {
 		t.Error("vsilent should not be set, it is unexported")
 	}
+
+	if result.Vdata != 42 {
+		t.Error("vdata should be valid")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestBasic_IntWithFloat(t *testing.T) {