diff --git a/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
index e356b44dd00b..b8b65e1c137e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ https://github.com/elastic/beats/compare/v7.0.0-alpha2...master[Check the HEAD d
 - Include ip and boolean type when generating index pattern. {pull}10995[10995]
 - Cancelling enrollment of a beat will not enroll the beat. {issue}10150[10150]
 - Add missing fields and test cases for libbeat add_kubernetes_metadata processor. {issue}11133[11133], {pull}11134[11134]
+- decode_json_field: process objects and arrays only {pull}11312[11312]
 - decode_json_field: do not process arrays when flag not set. {pull}11318[11318]
 - Report faulting file when config reload fails. {pull}[11304]11304
 - Remove IP fields from default_field in Elasticsearch template.
diff --git a/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields.go b/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields.go
index 684648e169c4..74d7311f1aa4 100644
--- a/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields.go
+++ b/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package actions
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -146,6 +147,8 @@ func unmarshal(maxDepth int, text string, fields *interface{}, processArray bool
 		str, isString := v.(string)
 		if !isString {
 			return v, false
+		} else if !isStructured(str) {
+			return str, false
 		}
 
 		var tmp interface{}
@@ -193,6 +196,10 @@ func decodeJSON(text string, to *interface{}) error {
 		return errors.New("multiple json elements found")
 	}
 
+	if _, err := dec.Token(); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	switch O := interface{}(*to).(type) {
 	case map[string]interface{}:
 		jsontransform.TransformNumbers(O)
@@ -203,3 +210,10 @@ func decodeJSON(text string, to *interface{}) error {
 func (f decodeJSONFields) String() string {
 	return "decode_json_fields=" + strings.Join(f.fields, ", ")
 }
+
+func isStructured(s string) bool {
+	s = strings.TrimSpace(s)
+	end := len(s) - 1
+	return end > 0 && ((s[0] == '[' && s[end] == ']') ||
+		(s[0] == '{' && s[end] == '}'))
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields_test.go b/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields_test.go
index 50309652dfb8..13aa10a00c34 100644
--- a/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/processors/actions/decode_json_fields_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 package actions
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -199,6 +200,67 @@ func TestTargetRootOption(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, expected.String(), actual.String())
 }
 
+func TestNotJsonObjectOrArray(t *testing.T) {
+	var cases = []struct {
+		MaxDepth int
+		Expected common.MapStr
+	}{
+		{
+			MaxDepth: 1,
+			Expected: common.MapStr{
+				"msg": common.MapStr{
+					"someDate":           "2016-09-28T01:40:26.760+0000",
+					"someNumber":         1475026826760,
+					"someNumberAsString": "1475026826760",
+					"someString":         "foobar",
+					"someString2":        "2017 is awesome",
+					"someMap":            "{\"a\":\"b\"}",
+					"someArray":          "[1,2,3]",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			MaxDepth: 10,
+			Expected: common.MapStr{
+				"msg": common.MapStr{
+					"someDate":           "2016-09-28T01:40:26.760+0000",
+					"someNumber":         1475026826760,
+					"someNumberAsString": "1475026826760",
+					"someString":         "foobar",
+					"someString2":        "2017 is awesome",
+					"someMap":            common.MapStr{"a": "b"},
+					"someArray":          []int{1, 2, 3},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, testCase := range cases {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("TestNotJsonObjectOrArrayDepth-%v", testCase.MaxDepth), func(t *testing.T) {
+			input := common.MapStr{
+				"msg": `{
+					"someDate": "2016-09-28T01:40:26.760+0000",
+					"someNumberAsString": "1475026826760",
+					"someNumber": 1475026826760,
+					"someString": "foobar",
+					"someString2": "2017 is awesome",
+					"someMap": "{\"a\":\"b\"}",
+					"someArray": "[1,2,3]"
+				  }`,
+			}
+
+			testConfig, _ = common.NewConfigFrom(map[string]interface{}{
+				"fields":        fields,
+				"process_array": true,
+				"max_depth":     testCase.MaxDepth,
+			})
+
+			actual := getActualValue(t, testConfig, input)
+			assert.Equal(t, testCase.Expected.String(), actual.String())
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestArrayWithArraysDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 	input := common.MapStr{
 		"msg": `{
@@ -222,6 +284,7 @@ func TestArrayWithArraysDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Equal(t, expected.String(), actual.String())
 }
+
 func TestArrayWithArraysEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 	input := common.MapStr{
 		"msg": `{
@@ -246,6 +309,30 @@ func TestArrayWithArraysEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, expected.String(), actual.String())
 }
 
+func TestArrayWithInvalidArray(t *testing.T) {
+	input := common.MapStr{
+		"msg": `{
+			"arrayOfMap": "[]]"
+		  }`,
+	}
+
+	testConfig, _ = common.NewConfigFrom(map[string]interface{}{
+		"fields":        fields,
+		"max_depth":     10,
+		"process_array": true,
+	})
+
+	actual := getActualValue(t, testConfig, input)
+
+	expected := common.MapStr{
+		"msg": common.MapStr{
+			"arrayOfMap": "[]]",
+		},
+	}
+
+	assert.Equal(t, expected.String(), actual.String())
+}
+
 func getActualValue(t *testing.T, config *common.Config, input common.MapStr) common.MapStr {
 	logp.TestingSetup()