diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/sqoop/mapreduce/AvroImportMapper.java b/src/java/org/apache/sqoop/mapreduce/AvroImportMapper.java
index 2c5abd8e..30db288b 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/sqoop/mapreduce/AvroImportMapper.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/sqoop/mapreduce/AvroImportMapper.java
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ private Object toAvro(Object o) {
       BlobRef br = (BlobRef) o;
       // If blob data is stored in an external .lob file, save the ref file
       // as Avro bytes. If materialized inline, save blob data as Avro bytes.
-      return br.isExternal() ? br.toString().getBytes() : br.getData();
+      byte[] bytes = br.isExternal() ? br.toString().getBytes() : br.getData();
+      return ByteBuffer.wrap(bytes);
     } else if (o instanceof ClobRef) {
       throw new UnsupportedOperationException("ClobRef not suported");
     }