diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonExpectationsHelper.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonExpectationsHelper.java
index a4c5ca1fcb..3fe7cb3f68 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonExpectationsHelper.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/util/JsonExpectationsHelper.java
@@ -32,26 +32,71 @@ public class JsonExpectationsHelper {
 	/**
 	 * Parse the expected and actual strings as JSON and assert the two
 	 * are "similar" - i.e. they contain the same attribute-value pairs
-	 * regardless of order and formatting.
+	 * regardless of formatting with a lenient checking (extensible, and non-strict
+	 * array ordering).
 	 *
 	 * @param expected the expected JSON content
 	 * @param actual the actual JSON content
 	 * @since 4.1
+	 * @see #assertJsonEqual(String, String, boolean)
 	 */
 	public void assertJsonEqual(String expected, String actual) throws Exception {
-		JSONAssert.assertEquals(expected, actual, false);
+		assertJsonEqual(expected, actual, false);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Parse the expected and actual strings as JSON and assert the two
+	 * are "similar" - i.e. they contain the same attribute-value pairs
+	 * regardless of formatting.
+	 *
+	 * <p>Can compare in two modes, depending on {@code strict} parameter value:
+	 * <ul>
+	 *     <li>{@code true}: strict checking. Not extensible, and strict array ordering.</li>
+	 *     <li>{@code false}: lenient checking. Extensible, and non-strict array ordering.</li>
+	 * </ul>
+	 *
+	 * @param expected the expected JSON content
+	 * @param actual the actual JSON content
+	 * @param strict enables strict checking
+	 * @since 4.2
+	 */
+	public void assertJsonEqual(String expected, String actual, boolean strict) throws Exception {
+		JSONAssert.assertEquals(expected, actual, strict);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Parse the expected and actual strings as JSON and assert the two
 	 * are "not similar" - i.e. they contain different attribute-value pairs
-	 * regardless of order and formatting.
+	 * regardless of formatting with a lenient checking (extensible, and non-strict
+	 * array ordering).
 	 *
 	 * @param expected the expected JSON content
 	 * @param actual the actual JSON content
 	 * @since 4.1
+	 * @see #assertJsonNotEqual(String, String, boolean)
 	 */
 	public void assertJsonNotEqual(String expected, String actual) throws Exception {
-		JSONAssert.assertNotEquals(expected, actual, false);
+		assertJsonNotEqual(expected, actual, false);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Parse the expected and actual strings as JSON and assert the two
+	 * are "not similar" - i.e. they contain different attribute-value pairs
+	 * regardless of formatting.
+	 *
+	 * <p>Can compare in two modes, depending on {@code strict} parameter value:
+	 * <ul>
+	 *     <li>{@code true}: strict checking. Not extensible, and strict array ordering.</li>
+	 *     <li>{@code false}: lenient checking. Extensible, and non-strict array ordering.</li>
+	 * </ul>
+	 *
+	 * @param expected the expected JSON content
+	 * @param actual the actual JSON content
+	 * @param strict enables strict checking
+	 * @since 4.2
+	 */
+	public void assertJsonNotEqual(String expected, String actual, boolean strict) throws Exception {
+		JSONAssert.assertNotEquals(expected, actual, strict);
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchers.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchers.java
index 7502381930..1a1e57c438 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchers.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchers.java
@@ -213,20 +213,42 @@ public class ContentResultMatchers {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Parse the response content and the given string as JSON and assert the two
-	 * are "similar" &mdash; i.e. they contain the same attribute-value pairs
-	 * regardless of order and formatting.
-	 * <p>Use of this matcher requires the <a
-	 * href="http://jsonassert.skyscreamer.org/">JSONassert<a/> library.
+	 * Parse the expected and actual strings as JSON and assert the two
+	 * are "similar" - i.e. they contain the same attribute-value pairs
+	 * regardless of formatting with a lenient checking (extensible, and non-strict array
+	 * ordering).
+	 *
 	 * @param jsonContent the expected JSON content
 	 * @since 4.1
 	 */
 	public ResultMatcher json(final String jsonContent) {
+		return json(jsonContent, false);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Parse the response content and the given string as JSON and assert the two
+	 * are "similar" - i.e. they contain the same attribute-value pairs
+	 * regardless of formatting.
+	 *
+	 * <p>Can compare in two modes, depending on {@code strict} parameter value:
+	 * <ul>
+	 *     <li>{@code true}: strict checking. Not extensible, and strict array ordering.</li>
+	 *     <li>{@code false}: lenient checking. Extensible, and non-strict array ordering.</li>
+	 * </ul>
+	 *
+	 * <p>Use of this matcher requires the <a
+	 * href="http://jsonassert.skyscreamer.org/">JSONassert<a/> library.
+	 *
+	 * @param jsonContent the expected JSON content
+	 * @param strict enables strict checking
+	 * @since 4.2
+	 */
+	public ResultMatcher json(final String jsonContent, final boolean strict) {
 		return new ResultMatcher() {
 			@Override
 			public void match(MvcResult result) throws Exception {
 				String content = result.getResponse().getContentAsString();
-				jsonHelper.assertJsonEqual(jsonContent, content);
+				jsonHelper.assertJsonEqual(jsonContent, content, strict);
 			}
 		};
 	}
diff --git a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchersTests.java b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchersTests.java
index 528b4376b1..db1baee851 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchersTests.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/web/servlet/result/ContentResultMatchersTests.java
@@ -79,17 +79,28 @@ public class ContentResultMatchersTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void json() throws Exception {
-		new ContentResultMatchers().json("{\n \"foo\" : \"bar\"         \n}").match(getStubMvcResult());
+	public void jsonLenientMatch() throws Exception {
+		new ContentResultMatchers().json("{\n \"foo\" : \"bar\"  \n}").match(getStubMvcResult());
+		new ContentResultMatchers().json("{\n \"foo\" : \"bar\"  \n}", false).match(getStubMvcResult());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void jsonStrictMatch() throws Exception {
+		new ContentResultMatchers().json("{\n \"foo\":\"bar\",   \"foo array\":[\"foo\",\"bar\"] \n}", true).match(getStubMvcResult());
+		new ContentResultMatchers().json("{\n \"foo array\":[\"foo\",\"bar\"], \"foo\":\"bar\" \n}", true).match(getStubMvcResult());
 	}
 
 	@Test(expected=AssertionError.class)
-	public void jsonNoMatch() throws Exception {
+	public void jsonLenientNoMatch() throws Exception {
 		new ContentResultMatchers().json("{\n\"fooo\":\"bar\"\n}").match(getStubMvcResult());
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected=AssertionError.class)
+	public void jsonStrictNoMatch() throws Exception {
+		new ContentResultMatchers().json("{\"foo\":\"bar\",   \"foo array\":[\"bar\",\"foo\"]}", true).match(getStubMvcResult());
+	}
 
-	private static final String CONTENT = "{\"foo\":\"bar\"}";
+	private static final String CONTENT = "{\"foo\":\"bar\",\"foo array\":[\"foo\",\"bar\"]}";
 
 	private StubMvcResult getStubMvcResult() throws Exception {
 		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();