diff --git a/extensions/smallrye-graphql/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/smallrye/graphql/deployment/SmallRyeGraphQLProcessor.java b/extensions/smallrye-graphql/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/smallrye/graphql/deployment/SmallRyeGraphQLProcessor.java
index 50a616dc55d9b..177613933e365 100644
--- a/extensions/smallrye-graphql/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/smallrye/graphql/deployment/SmallRyeGraphQLProcessor.java
+++ b/extensions/smallrye-graphql/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/smallrye/graphql/deployment/SmallRyeGraphQLProcessor.java
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ private Class[] getGraphQLJavaClasses() {
         classes.add(graphql.schema.GraphQLSchema.class);
         classes.add(graphql.schema.GraphQLTypeReference.class);
         classes.add(List.class);
+        classes.add(Collection.class);
         return classes.toArray(new Class[] {});
     }
 
diff --git a/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/main/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResource.java b/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/main/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResource.java
index d5dcd75dab4bd..e3708cb98a71f 100644
--- a/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/main/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResource.java
+++ b/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/main/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResource.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.time.LocalTime;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.eclipse.microprofile.config.inject.ConfigProperty;
@@ -36,6 +37,13 @@ public Greetings load(Greetings greetings) {
     public List<Greeting> buildInOptions(@Source Greeting greeting) {
         List<Greeting> options = new ArrayList<>();
         options.add(new Hello());
+        return options;
+    }
+
+    @Name("options2")
+    // make sure that returning Collection.class does not break native mode
+    public Collection<Greeting> buildInOptionsCollection(@Source Greeting greeting) {
+        List<Greeting> options = new ArrayList<>();
         options.add(new Morning());
         return options;
     }
diff --git a/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/test/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResourceTest.java b/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/test/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResourceTest.java
index fb313728f51c5..9ff8af8a1d9e4 100644
--- a/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/test/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResourceTest.java
+++ b/integration-tests/smallrye-graphql/src/test/java/io/quarkus/it/smallrye/graphql/GreetingResourceTest.java
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ void testEndpoint() {
                 "    options{\n" +
                 "       message\n" +
                 "    }\n" +
+                "    options2{\n" +
+                "       message\n" +
+                "    }\n" +
                 "  }\n" +
                 "  farewell:farewell{\n" +
                 "    type\n" +