diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/PrimaryDefaultValidatorPostProcessor.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/PrimaryDefaultValidatorPostProcessor.java
index f60b1cdf4df..7fbafabf209 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/PrimaryDefaultValidatorPostProcessor.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/PrimaryDefaultValidatorPostProcessor.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2019 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2021 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ package org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.validation;
 import org.springframework.beans.BeansException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryAware;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryUtils;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.NoSuchBeanDefinitionException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.BeanDefinition;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.ConfigurableListableBeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionRegistry;
@@ -39,6 +37,7 @@ import org.springframework.validation.beanvalidation.LocalValidatorFactoryBean;
  *
  * @author Stephane Nicoll
  * @author Matej Nedic
+ * @author Andy Wilkinson
  */
 class PrimaryDefaultValidatorPostProcessor implements ImportBeanDefinitionRegistrar, BeanFactoryAware {
 
@@ -80,10 +79,9 @@ class PrimaryDefaultValidatorPostProcessor implements ImportBeanDefinitionRegist
 	}
 
 	private boolean hasPrimarySpringValidator() {
-		String[] validatorBeans = BeanFactoryUtils.beanNamesForTypeIncludingAncestors(this.beanFactory, Validator.class,
-				false, false);
+		String[] validatorBeans = this.beanFactory.getBeanNamesForType(Validator.class, false, false);
 		for (String validatorBean : validatorBeans) {
-			BeanDefinition definition = searchForBeanDefinition(this.beanFactory, validatorBean);
+			BeanDefinition definition = this.beanFactory.getBeanDefinition(validatorBean);
 			if (definition.isPrimary()) {
 				return true;
 			}
@@ -91,15 +89,4 @@ class PrimaryDefaultValidatorPostProcessor implements ImportBeanDefinitionRegist
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	private BeanDefinition searchForBeanDefinition(ConfigurableListableBeanFactory clbf, String validatorBean) {
-		if (clbf.containsLocalBean(validatorBean)) {
-			return clbf.getBeanDefinition(validatorBean);
-		}
-		else if (clbf.getParentBeanFactory() instanceof ConfigurableListableBeanFactory) {
-			return searchForBeanDefinition((ConfigurableListableBeanFactory) clbf.getParentBeanFactory(),
-					validatorBean);
-		}
-		throw new NoSuchBeanDefinitionException(validatorBean);
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/ValidationAutoConfigurationTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/ValidationAutoConfigurationTests.java
index 35df630d129..f87959495ee 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/ValidationAutoConfigurationTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/validation/ValidationAutoConfigurationTests.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import javax.validation.constraints.Size;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.BeanPostProcessor;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionRegistry;
 import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.AutoConfigurations;
@@ -127,6 +128,37 @@ class ValidationAutoConfigurationTests {
 		});
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void whenUserProvidesSpringValidatorInParentContextThenAutoConfiguredValidatorIsPrimary() {
+		new ApplicationContextRunner().withUserConfiguration(UserDefinedSpringValidatorConfig.class).run((parent) -> {
+			this.contextRunner.withParent(parent).run((context) -> {
+				assertThat(context.getBeanNamesForType(Validator.class)).containsExactly("defaultValidator");
+				assertThat(context.getBeanNamesForType(org.springframework.validation.Validator.class))
+						.containsExactly("defaultValidator");
+				assertThat(BeanFactoryUtils.beanNamesForTypeIncludingAncestors(context.getBeanFactory(),
+						org.springframework.validation.Validator.class)).containsExactly("defaultValidator",
+								"customValidator", "anotherCustomValidator");
+				assertThat(isPrimaryBean(context, "defaultValidator")).isTrue();
+			});
+		});
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void whenUserProvidesPrimarySpringValidatorInParentContextThenAutoConfiguredValidatorIsPrimary() {
+		new ApplicationContextRunner().withUserConfiguration(UserDefinedPrimarySpringValidatorConfig.class)
+				.run((parent) -> {
+					this.contextRunner.withParent(parent).run((context) -> {
+						assertThat(context.getBeanNamesForType(Validator.class)).containsExactly("defaultValidator");
+						assertThat(context.getBeanNamesForType(org.springframework.validation.Validator.class))
+								.containsExactly("defaultValidator");
+						assertThat(BeanFactoryUtils.beanNamesForTypeIncludingAncestors(context.getBeanFactory(),
+								org.springframework.validation.Validator.class)).containsExactly("defaultValidator",
+										"customValidator", "anotherCustomValidator");
+						assertThat(isPrimaryBean(context, "defaultValidator")).isTrue();
+					});
+				});
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void validationIsEnabled() {
 		this.contextRunner.withUserConfiguration(SampleService.class).run((context) -> {