diff --git a/binding.go b/binding.go
index e8f6513..fa0477f 100644
--- a/binding.go
+++ b/binding.go
@@ -387,17 +387,91 @@ func convertValue(rawValue any, targetType reflect.Type) (any, error) {
 		return val, nil
 
 	case reflect.Slice:
-		// Handle []string
+		// Preserve the existing []string convenience behavior (comma-separated strings).
 		if targetType.Elem().Kind() == reflect.String {
 			return parseStringSlice(rawValue)
 		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported slice type: %s", targetType)
+
+		rawValueRef := reflect.ValueOf(rawValue)
+		if rawValueRef.Kind() != reflect.Slice && rawValueRef.Kind() != reflect.Array {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot convert %T to %s", rawValue, targetType)
+		}
+
+		result := reflect.MakeSlice(targetType, rawValueRef.Len(), rawValueRef.Len())
+		for i := 0; i < rawValueRef.Len(); i++ {
+			elem, err := convertCollectionElement(rawValueRef.Index(i).Interface(), targetType.Elem())
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot convert slice element %d: %w", i, err)
+			}
+			result.Index(i).Set(reflect.ValueOf(elem))
+		}
+		return result.Interface(), nil
+
+	case reflect.Map:
+		if targetType.Key().Kind() != reflect.String {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported map key type: %s", targetType.Key())
+		}
+
+		rawValueRef := reflect.ValueOf(rawValue)
+		if rawValueRef.Kind() != reflect.Map {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot convert %T to %s", rawValue, targetType)
+		}
+
+		result := reflect.MakeMapWithSize(targetType, rawValueRef.Len())
+		for _, rawKey := range rawValueRef.MapKeys() {
+			if rawKey.Kind() != reflect.String {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot convert map key type %s to string", rawKey.Type())
+			}
+
+			elem, err := convertCollectionElement(rawValueRef.MapIndex(rawKey).Interface(), targetType.Elem())
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot convert map value for key %q: %w", rawKey.String(), err)
+			}
+			result.SetMapIndex(reflect.ValueOf(rawKey.String()).Convert(targetType.Key()), reflect.ValueOf(elem))
+		}
+		return result.Interface(), nil
 
 	default:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported target type: %s", targetType)
 	}
 }
 
+func convertCollectionElement(rawValue any, targetType reflect.Type) (any, error) {
+	// Collection elements/values that are structs need real binding, not "return raw map as-is".
+	if rawValue != nil &&
+		targetType.Kind() == reflect.Struct &&
+		targetType != timeType &&
+		targetType != durationType &&
+		!isOptionalType(targetType) {
+		return convertStructValue(rawValue, targetType)
+	}
+
+	return convertValue(rawValue, targetType)
+}
+
+func convertStructValue(rawValue any, targetType reflect.Type) (any, error) {
+	rawValueRef := reflect.ValueOf(rawValue)
+	if !rawValueRef.IsValid() || rawValueRef.Kind() != reflect.Map {
+		return convertValue(rawValue, targetType)
+	}
+
+	nestedData := make(map[string]mergedEntry, rawValueRef.Len())
+	for _, rawKey := range rawValueRef.MapKeys() {
+		if rawKey.Kind() != reflect.String {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot bind nested struct %s with non-string key type %s", targetType, rawKey.Type())
+		}
+		nestedData[strings.ToLower(rawKey.String())] = mergedEntry{value: rawValueRef.MapIndex(rawKey).Interface()}
+	}
+
+	nestedTarget := reflect.New(targetType).Elem()
+	fieldErrors := bindStruct(nestedTarget, nestedData, nil, "", "")
+	if len(fieldErrors) > 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot bind nested struct %s at %s: %s", targetType, fieldErrors[0].FieldPath, fieldErrors[0].Message)
+	}
+
+	return nestedTarget.Interface(), nil
+}
+
 // parseBool parses a boolean value from a string.
 // Accepts: "true", "false", "1", "0", "yes", "no" (case-insensitive)
 func parseBool(s string) (bool, error) {
diff --git a/loader_test.go b/loader_test.go
index 8e73a0b..542401f 100644
--- a/loader_test.go
+++ b/loader_test.go
@@ -734,6 +734,93 @@ func TestLoad_NestedStruct(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestLoad_NestedCollections(t *testing.T) {
+	type ClickHouseConfig struct {
+		Host string
+		Port int
+	}
+
+	type Config struct {
+		ClickhouseList []ClickHouseConfig
+		ClickhouseMap  map[string]ClickHouseConfig
+	}
+
+	t.Run("binds slice and direct map values", func(t *testing.T) {
+		source := &mockSource{
+			data: map[string]any{
+				"clickhouse_list": []any{
+					map[string]any{"host": "ch1", "port": 9000},
+					map[string]any{"host": "ch2", "port": 9001},
+				},
+				"clickhouse_map": map[string]any{
+					"primary":   map[string]any{"host": "ch1", "port": 9000},
+					"replica":   map[string]any{"host": "ch2", "port": 9001},
+					"analytics": map[string]any{"host": "ch3", "port": 9002},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		cfg, err := NewLoader[Config]().WithSource(source).Load(context.Background())
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Load failed: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		wantList := []ClickHouseConfig{
+			{Host: "ch1", Port: 9000},
+			{Host: "ch2", Port: 9001},
+		}
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(cfg.ClickhouseList, wantList) {
+			t.Errorf("ClickhouseList = %#v, want %#v", cfg.ClickhouseList, wantList)
+		}
+
+		wantMap := map[string]ClickHouseConfig{
+			"primary":   {Host: "ch1", Port: 9000},
+			"replica":   {Host: "ch2", Port: 9001},
+			"analytics": {Host: "ch3", Port: 9002},
+		}
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(cfg.ClickhouseMap, wantMap) {
+			t.Errorf("ClickhouseMap = %#v, want %#v", cfg.ClickhouseMap, wantMap)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("invalid nested collection type reports invalid_type", func(t *testing.T) {
+		source := &mockSource{
+			data: map[string]any{
+				"clickhouse_list": []any{
+					map[string]any{"host": "ch1", "port": "not-an-int"},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		cfg, err := NewLoader[Config]().WithSource(source).Load(context.Background())
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected invalid_type error")
+		}
+		if cfg != nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected nil cfg on invalid_type error")
+		}
+
+		valErr, ok := err.(*ValidationError)
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("expected ValidationError, got %T", err)
+		}
+		if len(valErr.FieldErrors) == 0 {
+			t.Fatal("expected at least one field error")
+		}
+
+		fieldErr := valErr.FieldErrors[0]
+		if fieldErr.Code != ErrCodeInvalidType {
+			t.Fatalf("expected code %q, got %q", ErrCodeInvalidType, fieldErr.Code)
+		}
+		if fieldErr.FieldPath != "ClickhouseList" {
+			t.Fatalf("expected FieldPath %q, got %q", "ClickhouseList", fieldErr.FieldPath)
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(fieldErr.Message, "slice element 0") {
+			t.Fatalf("expected index context in error message, got %q", fieldErr.Message)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 // TestLoad_SourceError verifies that source load errors are propagated.
 func TestLoad_SourceError(t *testing.T) {
 	type Config struct {