diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolver.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolver.java
index 59afdc4e7d3..afbe048e436 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolver.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolver.java
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType;
 import java.lang.reflect.Type;
 import java.lang.reflect.TypeVariable;
 import java.lang.reflect.WildcardType;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -205,7 +204,7 @@ public abstract class GenericTypeResolver {
 				return doResolveTypeArguments(ownerClass, (Class) rawType, genericIfc);
 			}
 		}
-		else if (genericIfc.isAssignableFrom((Class) ifc)) {
+		else if (ifc != null && genericIfc.isAssignableFrom((Class) ifc)) {
 			return doResolveTypeArguments(ownerClass, (Class) ifc, genericIfc);
 		}
 		return null;
diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolverTests.java b/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolverTests.java
index e419c0bc1f6..c1568ff8cda 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolverTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/GenericTypeResolverTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2010 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2011 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.
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ package org.springframework.core;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 import org.junit.Test;
+
 import org.springframework.util.ReflectionUtils;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
 /**
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
  */
@@ -55,6 +57,12 @@ public class GenericTypeResolverTests {
 		assertEquals(null, GenericTypeResolver.resolveReturnTypeArgument(ReflectionUtils.findMethod(MyTypeWithMethods.class, "object"), MyInterfaceType.class));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testNullIfNotResolvable() {
+		GenericClass<String> obj = new GenericClass<String>();
+		assertNull(GenericTypeResolver.resolveTypeArgument(obj.getClass(), GenericClass.class));
+	}
+
 
 	public interface MyInterfaceType<T> {
 	}
@@ -83,4 +91,7 @@ public class GenericTypeResolverTests {
 		public MyInterfaceType raw() { return null; }
 	}
 
+	static class GenericClass<T> {
+	}
+
 }