diff --git a/include/nlohmann/detail/conversions/to_json.hpp b/include/nlohmann/detail/conversions/to_json.hpp
index fde46ef7c3..d7d85a6dc7 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/detail/conversions/to_json.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/detail/conversions/to_json.hpp
@@ -226,6 +226,16 @@ struct external_constructor<value_t::array>
 template<>
 struct external_constructor<value_t::object>
 {
+    template<typename BasicJsonType>
+    static void construct(BasicJsonType& j)
+    {
+        j.m_value.destroy(j.m_type);
+        j.m_type = value_t::object;
+        j.m_value.object = j.template create<typename BasicJsonType::object_t>();
+        j.set_parents();
+        j.assert_invariant();
+    }
+
     template<typename BasicJsonType>
     static void construct(BasicJsonType& j, const typename BasicJsonType::object_t& obj)
     {
@@ -261,6 +271,28 @@ struct external_constructor<value_t::object>
     }
 };
 
+//////////////
+// wrappers //
+//////////////
+
+template<typename ArrayType>
+struct array_type_wrapper
+{
+    const ArrayType& array;
+};
+
+template<typename ObjectType>
+struct object_type_wrapper
+{
+    const ObjectType& object;
+};
+
+template<typename StringType>
+struct string_type_wrapper
+{
+    const StringType& string;
+};
+
 /////////////
 // to_json //
 /////////////
@@ -285,6 +317,17 @@ inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, typename BasicJsonType::string_t&& s)
     external_constructor<value_t::string>::construct(j, std::move(s));
 }
 
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename StringType>
+using string_type_constructible_from_data_and_size = decltype(typename BasicJsonType::string_t(
+            std::declval<const StringType&>().data(), std::declval<const StringType&>().size()));
+
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename StringType, detail::enable_if_t<
+             detail::is_detected<string_type_constructible_from_data_and_size, BasicJsonType, StringType>::value, int> = 0>
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, detail::string_type_wrapper<StringType> s)
+{
+    external_constructor<value_t::string>::construct(j, typename BasicJsonType::string_t(s.string.data(), s.string.size()));
+}
+
 template<typename BasicJsonType, typename FloatType,
          enable_if_t<std::is_floating_point<FloatType>::value, int> = 0>
 inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, FloatType val) noexcept
@@ -333,6 +376,18 @@ inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const CompatibleArrayType& arr)
     external_constructor<value_t::array>::construct(j, arr);
 }
 
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename ArrayType>
+using array_type_constructible_from_iter = decltype(typename BasicJsonType::array_t(
+            std::declval<result_of_begin<const ArrayType&>>(), std::declval<result_of_end<const ArrayType&>>()));
+
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename ArrayType, detail::enable_if_t<
+             detail::is_detected<array_type_constructible_from_iter, BasicJsonType, ArrayType>::value, int> = 0>
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, detail::array_type_wrapper<ArrayType> a)
+{
+    external_constructor<value_t::array>::construct(j,
+            typename BasicJsonType::array_t(a.array.begin(), a.array.end()));
+}
+
 template<typename BasicJsonType>
 inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const typename BasicJsonType::binary_t& bin)
 {
@@ -365,6 +420,43 @@ inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, typename BasicJsonType::object_t&& obj)
     external_constructor<value_t::object>::construct(j, std::move(obj));
 }
 
+template < typename BasicJsonType, typename ObjectType,
+           enable_if_t < is_compatible_object_type<BasicJsonType, ObjectType>::value
+                         || is_basic_json<ObjectType>::value, int > = 0 >
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const object_type_wrapper<ObjectType>& obj)
+{
+    external_constructor<value_t::object>::construct(j, obj.object);
+}
+
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename ObjectType>
+using object_type_key_constructible_from_data_and_size = decltype(
+            typename BasicJsonType::object_t::key_type(
+                std::declval<const typename ObjectType::key_type&>().data(),
+                std::declval<const typename ObjectType::key_type&>().size()));
+
+template < typename BasicJsonType, typename ObjectType,
+           enable_if_t < !is_compatible_object_type<BasicJsonType, ObjectType>::value
+                         && !is_basic_json<ObjectType>::value
+                         && detail::is_detected<object_type_key_constructible_from_data_and_size,
+                                 BasicJsonType, ObjectType>::value, int > = 0 >
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const object_type_wrapper<ObjectType>& o)
+{
+    using std::begin;
+    using std::end;
+
+    external_constructor<value_t::object>::construct(j);
+
+    auto& obj = j.template get_ref<typename BasicJsonType::object_t&>();
+    std::transform(begin(o.object), end(o.object), std::inserter(obj, obj.end()),
+                   [](const typename ObjectType::value_type & val)
+    {
+        return typename BasicJsonType::object_t::value_type
+        {
+            typename BasicJsonType::object_t::key_type(val.first.data(), val.first.size()),
+            BasicJsonType(val.second)};
+    });
+}
+
 template <
     typename BasicJsonType, typename T, std::size_t N,
     enable_if_t < !std::is_constructible<typename BasicJsonType::string_t,
diff --git a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index 629a3edef9..a7a05a0a57 100644
--- a/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -896,13 +896,22 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
                 JSONSerializer<other_number_unsigned_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get<other_number_unsigned_t>());
                 break;
             case value_t::string:
-                JSONSerializer<other_string_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_string_t&>());
+                JSONSerializer<other_string_t>::to_json(*this, detail::string_type_wrapper<other_string_t>
+                {
+                    val.template get_ref<const other_string_t&>()
+                });
                 break;
             case value_t::object:
-                JSONSerializer<other_object_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_object_t&>());
+                JSONSerializer<other_object_t>::to_json(*this, detail::object_type_wrapper<other_object_t>
+                {
+                    val.template get_ref<const other_object_t&>()
+                });
                 break;
             case value_t::array:
-                JSONSerializer<other_array_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_array_t&>());
+                JSONSerializer<other_array_t>::to_json(*this, detail::array_type_wrapper<other_array_t>
+                {
+                    val.template get_ref<const other_array_t&>()
+                });
                 break;
             case value_t::binary:
                 JSONSerializer<other_binary_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_binary_t&>());
diff --git a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
index c342172b45..9134867af8 100644
--- a/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
+++ b/single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp
@@ -5112,6 +5112,16 @@ struct external_constructor<value_t::array>
 template<>
 struct external_constructor<value_t::object>
 {
+    template<typename BasicJsonType>
+    static void construct(BasicJsonType& j)
+    {
+        j.m_value.destroy(j.m_type);
+        j.m_type = value_t::object;
+        j.m_value.object = j.template create<typename BasicJsonType::object_t>();
+        j.set_parents();
+        j.assert_invariant();
+    }
+
     template<typename BasicJsonType>
     static void construct(BasicJsonType& j, const typename BasicJsonType::object_t& obj)
     {
@@ -5147,6 +5157,28 @@ struct external_constructor<value_t::object>
     }
 };
 
+//////////////
+// wrappers //
+//////////////
+
+template<typename ArrayType>
+struct array_type_wrapper
+{
+    const ArrayType& array;
+};
+
+template<typename ObjectType>
+struct object_type_wrapper
+{
+    const ObjectType& object;
+};
+
+template<typename StringType>
+struct string_type_wrapper
+{
+    const StringType& string;
+};
+
 /////////////
 // to_json //
 /////////////
@@ -5171,6 +5203,17 @@ inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, typename BasicJsonType::string_t&& s)
     external_constructor<value_t::string>::construct(j, std::move(s));
 }
 
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename StringType>
+using string_type_constructible_from_data_and_size = decltype(typename BasicJsonType::string_t(
+            std::declval<const StringType&>().data(), std::declval<const StringType&>().size()));
+
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename StringType, detail::enable_if_t<
+             detail::is_detected<string_type_constructible_from_data_and_size, BasicJsonType, StringType>::value, int> = 0>
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, detail::string_type_wrapper<StringType> s)
+{
+    external_constructor<value_t::string>::construct(j, typename BasicJsonType::string_t(s.string.data(), s.string.size()));
+}
+
 template<typename BasicJsonType, typename FloatType,
          enable_if_t<std::is_floating_point<FloatType>::value, int> = 0>
 inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, FloatType val) noexcept
@@ -5219,6 +5262,18 @@ inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const CompatibleArrayType& arr)
     external_constructor<value_t::array>::construct(j, arr);
 }
 
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename ArrayType>
+using array_type_constructible_from_iter = decltype(typename BasicJsonType::array_t(
+            std::declval<result_of_begin<const ArrayType&>>(), std::declval<result_of_end<const ArrayType&>>()));
+
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename ArrayType, detail::enable_if_t<
+             detail::is_detected<array_type_constructible_from_iter, BasicJsonType, ArrayType>::value, int> = 0>
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, detail::array_type_wrapper<ArrayType> a)
+{
+    external_constructor<value_t::array>::construct(j,
+            typename BasicJsonType::array_t(a.array.begin(), a.array.end()));
+}
+
 template<typename BasicJsonType>
 inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const typename BasicJsonType::binary_t& bin)
 {
@@ -5251,6 +5306,43 @@ inline void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, typename BasicJsonType::object_t&& obj)
     external_constructor<value_t::object>::construct(j, std::move(obj));
 }
 
+template < typename BasicJsonType, typename ObjectType,
+           enable_if_t < is_compatible_object_type<BasicJsonType, ObjectType>::value
+                         || is_basic_json<ObjectType>::value, int > = 0 >
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const object_type_wrapper<ObjectType>& obj)
+{
+    external_constructor<value_t::object>::construct(j, obj.object);
+}
+
+template<typename BasicJsonType, typename ObjectType>
+using object_type_key_constructible_from_data_and_size = decltype(
+            typename BasicJsonType::object_t::key_type(
+                std::declval<const typename ObjectType::key_type&>().data(),
+                std::declval<const typename ObjectType::key_type&>().size()));
+
+template < typename BasicJsonType, typename ObjectType,
+           enable_if_t < !is_compatible_object_type<BasicJsonType, ObjectType>::value
+                         && !is_basic_json<ObjectType>::value
+                         && detail::is_detected<object_type_key_constructible_from_data_and_size,
+                                 BasicJsonType, ObjectType>::value, int > = 0 >
+void to_json(BasicJsonType& j, const object_type_wrapper<ObjectType>& o)
+{
+    using std::begin;
+    using std::end;
+
+    external_constructor<value_t::object>::construct(j);
+
+    auto& obj = j.template get_ref<typename BasicJsonType::object_t&>();
+    std::transform(begin(o.object), end(o.object), std::inserter(obj, obj.end()),
+                   [](const typename ObjectType::value_type & val)
+    {
+        return typename BasicJsonType::object_t::value_type
+        {
+            typename BasicJsonType::object_t::key_type(val.first.data(), val.first.size()),
+            BasicJsonType(val.second)};
+    });
+}
+
 template <
     typename BasicJsonType, typename T, std::size_t N,
     enable_if_t < !std::is_constructible<typename BasicJsonType::string_t,
@@ -19170,13 +19262,22 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
                 JSONSerializer<other_number_unsigned_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get<other_number_unsigned_t>());
                 break;
             case value_t::string:
-                JSONSerializer<other_string_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_string_t&>());
+                JSONSerializer<other_string_t>::to_json(*this, detail::string_type_wrapper<other_string_t>
+                {
+                    val.template get_ref<const other_string_t&>()
+                });
                 break;
             case value_t::object:
-                JSONSerializer<other_object_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_object_t&>());
+                JSONSerializer<other_object_t>::to_json(*this, detail::object_type_wrapper<other_object_t>
+                {
+                    val.template get_ref<const other_object_t&>()
+                });
                 break;
             case value_t::array:
-                JSONSerializer<other_array_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_array_t&>());
+                JSONSerializer<other_array_t>::to_json(*this, detail::array_type_wrapper<other_array_t>
+                {
+                    val.template get_ref<const other_array_t&>()
+                });
                 break;
             case value_t::binary:
                 JSONSerializer<other_binary_t>::to_json(*this, val.template get_ref<const other_binary_t&>());
diff --git a/tests/src/unit-alt-string.cpp b/tests/src/unit-alt-string.cpp
index 26f66ecadf..6885c31d49 100644
--- a/tests/src/unit-alt-string.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/unit-alt-string.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ SOFTWARE.
 #include "doctest_compatibility.h"
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
+using nlohmann::json;
 
+#include <iostream>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
 
@@ -328,17 +330,112 @@ TEST_CASE("alternative string type")
 
     SECTION("JSON pointer")
     {
-        // conversion from json to alt_json fails to compile (see #3425);
-        // attempted fix(*) produces: [[['b','a','r'],['b','a','z']]] (with each char being an integer)
-        // (*) disable implicit conversion for json_refs of any basic_json type
-        // alt_json j = R"(
-        // {
-        //     "foo": ["bar", "baz"]
-        // }
-        // )"_json;
         auto j = alt_json::parse(R"({"foo": ["bar", "baz"]})");
 
         CHECK(j.at(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/0")) == j["foo"][0]);
         CHECK(j.at(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/1")) == j["foo"][1]);
     }
+
+    SECTION("conversion (#3425)")
+    {
+        SECTION("string")
+        {
+            SECTION("json to alt_json")
+            {
+                json j("foo");
+                alt_json aj = j;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(j.is_string());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "\"foo\"");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+
+            SECTION("alt_json to json")
+            {
+                alt_json aj("foo");
+                json j = aj;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(aj.is_string());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "\"foo\"");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+        }
+
+        SECTION("array")
+        {
+            SECTION("json to alt_json")
+            {
+                json j{"foo"};
+                alt_json aj = j;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(j.is_array());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "[\"foo\"]");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+
+            SECTION("alt_json to json")
+            {
+                alt_json aj{"foo"};
+                json j = aj;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(aj.is_array());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "[\"foo\"]");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+        }
+
+        SECTION("object")
+        {
+            SECTION("json to alt_json")
+            {
+                json j{{"foo", {"bar", "baz"}}};
+                alt_json aj = j;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(j.is_object());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "{\"foo\":[\"bar\",\"baz\"]}");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+
+            SECTION("alt_json to json")
+            {
+                alt_json aj{{"foo", {"bar", "baz"}}};
+                json j = aj;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(aj.is_object());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "{\"foo\":[\"bar\",\"baz\"]}");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+        }
+
+        SECTION("binary")
+        {
+            SECTION("json to alt_json")
+            {
+                auto j = json::binary({1, 2, 3, 4}, 128);
+                alt_json aj = j;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(j.is_binary());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "{\"bytes\":[1,2,3,4],\"subtype\":128}");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+
+            SECTION("alt_json to json")
+            {
+                auto aj = alt_json::binary({1, 2, 3, 4}, 128);
+                json j = aj;
+
+                alt_string as = aj.dump();
+                CHECK(aj.is_binary());
+                CHECK(j.dump() == "{\"bytes\":[1,2,3,4],\"subtype\":128}");
+                CHECK(j.dump() == std::string(as.data(), as.size()));
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }