diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoader.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoader.java
index 3bde1c73875..c21e343bc05 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoader.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoader.java
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ public class SpringBootContextLoader extends AbstractContextLoader implements Ao
 		if (useMainMethod == UseMainMethod.NEVER) {
 			return null;
 		}
+		Assert.state(mergedConfig.getParent() == null,
+				() -> "UseMainMethod.%s cannot be used with @ContextHierarchy tests".formatted(useMainMethod));
 		Class<?> springBootConfiguration = Arrays.stream(mergedConfig.getClasses())
 				.filter(this::isSpringBootConfiguration).findFirst().orElse(null);
 		Assert.state(springBootConfiguration != null || useMainMethod == UseMainMethod.WHEN_AVAILABLE,
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoaderTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoaderTests.java
index 70c4dd0c845..9a4a2b21099 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/SpringBootContextLoaderTests.java
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ import org.springframework.core.env.PropertySource;
 import org.springframework.core.env.StandardEnvironment;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ActiveProfiles;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ApplicationContextFailureProcessor;
+import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
+import org.springframework.test.context.ContextHierarchy;
 import org.springframework.test.context.MergedContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.TestContext;
 import org.springframework.test.context.TestContextManager;
@@ -232,6 +234,14 @@ class SpringBootContextLoaderTests {
 		assertThat(ContextLoaderApplicationContextFailureProcessor.failedContext).isNotNull();
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void whenUseMainMethodWithContextHierarchyThrowsException() {
+		TestContext testContext = new ExposedTestContextManager(UseMainMethodWithContextHierarchy.class)
+				.getExposedTestContext();
+		assertThatIllegalStateException().isThrownBy(testContext::getApplicationContext).havingCause()
+				.withMessage("UseMainMethod.ALWAYS cannot be used with @ContextHierarchy tests");
+	}
+
 	private String[] getActiveProfiles(Class<?> testClass) {
 		TestContext testContext = new ExposedTestContextManager(testClass).getExposedTestContext();
 		ApplicationContext applicationContext = testContext.getApplicationContext();
@@ -349,6 +359,13 @@ class SpringBootContextLoaderTests {
 
 	}
 
+	@SpringBootTest(useMainMethod = UseMainMethod.ALWAYS)
+	@ContextHierarchy({ @ContextConfiguration(classes = ConfigWithMain.class),
+			@ContextConfiguration(classes = AnotherConfigWithMain.class) })
+	static class UseMainMethodWithContextHierarchy {
+
+	}
+
 	@Configuration(proxyBeanMethods = false)
 	static class Config {
 
@@ -363,6 +380,15 @@ class SpringBootContextLoaderTests {
 
 	}
 
+	@SpringBootConfiguration(proxyBeanMethods = false)
+	public static class AnotherConfigWithMain {
+
+		public static void main(String[] args) {
+			new SpringApplication(AnotherConfigWithMain.class).run("--spring.profiles.active=anotherfrommain");
+		}
+
+	}
+
 	@SpringBootConfiguration(proxyBeanMethods = false)
 	static class ConfigWithNoMain {