diff --git a/lib/errors.js b/lib/errors.js
index 001b31f9e..4676059bc 100644
--- a/lib/errors.js
+++ b/lib/errors.js
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ internals.annotate = function (stripColorCodes) {
         let ref = obj;
         for (let j = 0; j < path.length && ref; ++j) {
             const seg = path[j];
-            if (j + 1 < path.length) {
+            if (j + 1 < path.length && typeof ref[seg] !== 'string') {
                 ref = ref[seg];
             }
             else {
@@ -279,10 +279,12 @@ internals.annotate = function (stripColorCodes) {
                     }
                     else if (lookup[error.path]) {
                         const replacement = lookup[error.path];
-                        const appended = replacement.replace('_$end$_', `, ${pos}_$end$_`);
-                        ref[appended] = ref[replacement];
-                        lookup[error.path] = appended;
-                        delete ref[replacement];
+                        if (typeof ref[replacement] !== 'string') {
+                            const appended = replacement.replace('_$end$_', `, ${pos}_$end$_`);
+                            ref[appended] = ref[replacement];
+                            lookup[error.path] = appended;
+                            delete ref[replacement];
+                        }
                     }
                     else {
                         ref[`_$miss$_${seg}|${pos}_$end$_`] = '__missing__';
diff --git a/test/errors.js b/test/errors.js
index 668513893..8e52a2228 100644
--- a/test/errors.js
+++ b/test/errors.js
@@ -609,5 +609,25 @@ describe('errors', () => {
                 done();
             });
         });
+
+        it('pinpoints an error in a stringified JSON object', (done) => {
+
+            const object = {
+                a: '{"c":"string"}'
+            };
+
+            const schema = {
+                a: Joi.object({
+                    b: Joi.string()
+                })
+            };
+
+            Joi.validate(object, schema, { abortEarly: false }, (err, value) => {
+
+                expect(err).to.exist();
+                expect(err.annotate(true)).to.equal('{\n  \"a\" [1]: \"{\\\"c\\\":\\\"string\\\"}\"\n}\n\n[1] \"c\" is not allowed');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
     });
 });
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index b87ce97a1..b4b1d79d0 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -1760,6 +1760,25 @@ describe('Joi', () => {
             }).to.throw('invalid value');
             done();
         });
+
+        it('throws a validation error and not a TypeError when parameter is given as a json string with incorrect property', (done) => {
+
+            const schema = {
+                a: Joi.object({
+                    b: Joi.string()
+                })
+            };
+
+            const input = {
+                a: '{"c":"string"}'
+            };
+
+            expect(() => {
+
+                Joi.attempt(input, schema);
+            }).to.throw(/\"c\" is not allowed/);
+            done();
+        });
     });
 
     describe('compile()', () => {