diff --git a/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php b/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php
index b0eaf66..0261496 100644
--- a/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php
+++ b/DependencyInjection/NelmioApiDocExtension.php
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ final class NelmioApiDocExtension extends Extension implements PrependExtensionI
                         new Reference('nelmio_api_doc.model_describers.jms.inner'),
                     ]);
             }
+        } else {
+            $container->removeDefinition('nelmio_api_doc.model_describers.object_fallback');
         }
 
         // Import the base configuration
diff --git a/ModelDescriber/FallbackObjectModelDescriber.php b/ModelDescriber/FallbackObjectModelDescriber.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e437d0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ModelDescriber/FallbackObjectModelDescriber.php
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the NelmioApiDocBundle package.
+ *
+ * (c) Nelmio
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\ModelDescriber;
+
+use EXSyst\Component\Swagger\Schema;
+use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Model\Model;
+use Symfony\Component\PropertyInfo\Type;
+
+class FallbackObjectModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface
+{
+    public function describe(Model $model, Schema $schema)
+    {
+    }
+
+    public function supports(Model $model): bool
+    {
+        return Type::BUILTIN_TYPE_OBJECT === $model->getType()->getBuiltinType();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php b/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php
index 0ea6257..046fcce 100644
--- a/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php
+++ b/ModelDescriber/JMSModelDescriber.php
@@ -177,11 +177,6 @@ class JMSModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwareIn
             $property->setType('string');
             $property->setFormat('date-time');
         } else {
-            // we can use property type also for custom handlers, then we don't have here real class name
-            if (!class_exists($type['name'])) {
-                return null;
-            }
-
             $model = new Model(new Type(Type::BUILTIN_TYPE_OBJECT, false, $type['name']), $groups);
             $property->setRef($this->modelRegistry->register($model));
 
diff --git a/ModelDescriber/ObjectModelDescriber.php b/ModelDescriber/ObjectModelDescriber.php
index 388d490..aae6f19 100644
--- a/ModelDescriber/ObjectModelDescriber.php
+++ b/ModelDescriber/ObjectModelDescriber.php
@@ -124,6 +124,6 @@ class ObjectModelDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface, ModelRegistryAwar
 
     public function supports(Model $model): bool
     {
-        return Type::BUILTIN_TYPE_OBJECT === $model->getType()->getBuiltinType();
+        return Type::BUILTIN_TYPE_OBJECT === $model->getType()->getBuiltinType() && class_exists($model->getType()->getClassName());
     }
 }
diff --git a/Resources/config/services.xml b/Resources/config/services.xml
index 4dd32e2..3502dde 100644
--- a/Resources/config/services.xml
+++ b/Resources/config/services.xml
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
             <tag name="nelmio_api_doc.model_describer" />
         </service>
 
+        <service id="nelmio_api_doc.model_describers.object_fallback" class="Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\ModelDescriber\FallbackObjectModelDescriber" public="false">
+            <tag name="nelmio_api_doc.model_describer" priority="-1000" />
+        </service>
+
         <!-- Form Type Extensions -->
 
         <service id="nelmio_api_doc.form.documentation_extension" class="Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Form\Extension\DocumentationExtension">
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/Entity/JMSUser.php b/Tests/Functional/Entity/JMSUser.php
index 389c09e..42577cb 100644
--- a/Tests/Functional/Entity/JMSUser.php
+++ b/Tests/Functional/Entity/JMSUser.php
@@ -126,6 +126,24 @@ class JMSUser
      */
     private $status;
 
+    /**
+     * JMS custom types handled via Custom Type Handlers.
+     *
+     * @var string
+     * @Serializer\Type("VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefined")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $virtualType1;
+
+    /**
+     * JMS custom types handled via Custom Type Handlers.
+     *
+     * @var string
+     * @Serializer\Type("VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerNotDefined")
+     * @Serializer\Expose
+     */
+    private $virtualType2;
+
     /**
      * @Serializer\Type("array<array<float>>")
      * @Serializer\Expose
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php b/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php
index b01783b..cda11f8 100644
--- a/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php
+++ b/Tests/Functional/JMSFunctionalTest.php
@@ -121,6 +121,12 @@ class JMSFunctionalTest extends WebTestCase
                     'description' => 'Only enabled users may be used in actions.',
                     'enum' => ['disabled', 'enabled'],
                 ],
+                'virtual_type1' => [
+                    '$ref' => '#/definitions/VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefined',
+                ],
+                'virtual_type2' => [
+                    '$ref' => '#/definitions/VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerNotDefined',
+                ],
                 'last_update' => [
                     'type' => 'date',
                 ],
@@ -174,6 +180,18 @@ class JMSFunctionalTest extends WebTestCase
                 ],
             ],
         ], $this->getModel('JMSUser')->toArray());
+
+        $this->assertEquals([
+        ], $this->getModel('VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerNotDefined')->toArray());
+
+        $this->assertEquals([
+            'type' => 'object',
+            'properties' => [
+                'custom_prop' => [
+                    'type' => 'string',
+                ],
+            ],
+        ], $this->getModel('VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefined')->toArray());
     }
 
     public function testModelComplexDualDocumentation()
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/ModelDescriber/VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefinedDescriber.php b/Tests/Functional/ModelDescriber/VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefinedDescriber.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ac1dac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/Functional/ModelDescriber/VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefinedDescriber.php
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the NelmioApiDocBundle package.
+ *
+ * (c) Nelmio
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\ModelDescriber;
+
+use EXSyst\Component\Swagger\Schema;
+use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Model\Model;
+use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\ModelDescriber\ModelDescriberInterface;
+use Symfony\Component\PropertyInfo\Type;
+
+class VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefinedDescriber implements ModelDescriberInterface
+{
+    public function describe(Model $model, Schema $schema)
+    {
+        $schema->setType('object');
+        $schema->getProperties()->get('custom_prop')->setType('string');
+    }
+
+    public function supports(Model $model): bool
+    {
+        return Type::BUILTIN_TYPE_OBJECT === $model->getType()->getBuiltinType()
+            && 'VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefined' === $model->getType()->getClassName();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Tests/Functional/TestKernel.php b/Tests/Functional/TestKernel.php
index 7e815f2..31d4b5c 100644
--- a/Tests/Functional/TestKernel.php
+++ b/Tests/Functional/TestKernel.php
@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@ use Bazinga\Bundle\HateoasBundle\BazingaHateoasBundle;
 use FOS\RestBundle\FOSRestBundle;
 use JMS\SerializerBundle\JMSSerializerBundle;
 use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\NelmioApiDocBundle;
+use Nelmio\ApiDocBundle\Tests\Functional\ModelDescriber\VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefinedDescriber;
 use Sensio\Bundle\FrameworkExtraBundle\SensioFrameworkExtraBundle;
 use Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\FrameworkBundle;
 use Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\Kernel\MicroKernelTrait;
 use Symfony\Bundle\TwigBundle\TwigBundle;
 use Symfony\Component\Config\Loader\LoaderInterface;
 use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerBuilder;
+use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\Definition;
 use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\Kernel;
 use Symfony\Component\Routing\RouteCollectionBuilder;
 
@@ -163,6 +165,10 @@ class TestKernel extends Kernel
                ],
             ],
         ]);
+
+        $def = new Definition(VirtualTypeClassDoesNotExistsHandlerDefinedDescriber::class);
+        $def->addTag('nelmio_api_doc.model_describer');
+        $c->setDefinition('nelmio.test.jms.virtual_type.describer', $def);
     }
 
     /**