diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcher.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcher.java
index 01994949d5d..9602d7cc1b0 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcher.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcher.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.util;
 
+import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
  * @author Alef Arendsen
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @author Rob Harrop
+ * @author Arjen Poutsma
  * @since 16.07.2003
  */
 public class AntPathMatcher implements PathMatcher {
@@ -288,4 +290,73 @@ public class AntPathMatcher implements PathMatcher {
 		return variables;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Given a full path, returns a {@link Comparator} suitable for sorting patterns in order of explicitness.
+	 *
+	 * <p>The returned <code>Comparator</code> will {@linkplain java.util.Collections#sort(java.util.List,
+	 * java.util.Comparator) sort} a list so that more specific patterns (without uri templates or wild cards) come before
+	 * generic patterns. So given a list with the following patterns:
+	 * <ol>
+	 * <li><code>/hotels/new</code></li>
+	 * <li><code>/hotels/{hotel}</code></li>
+	 * <li><code>/hotels/*</code></li>
+	 * </ol>
+	 * the returned comparator will sort this list so that the order will be as indicated. 
+	 *
+	 * @param path the full path to use for comparison
+	 * @return a comparator capable of sorting patterns in order of explicitness
+	 */
+	public Comparator<String> getPatternComparator(String path) {
+		return new AntPatternComparator(path);
+	}
+
+	private static class AntPatternComparator implements Comparator<String>{
+
+		private final String path;
+
+		private AntPatternComparator(String path) {
+			this.path = path;
+		}
+
+		public int compare(String pattern1, String pattern2) {
+			if (pattern1 == null && pattern2 == null) {
+				return 0;
+			}
+			else if (pattern1 == null) {
+				return 1;
+			}
+			else if (pattern2 == null) {
+				return -1;
+			}
+			boolean pattern1EqualsPath = pattern1.equals(path);
+			boolean pattern2EqualsPath = pattern2.equals(path);
+			if (pattern1EqualsPath && pattern2EqualsPath) {
+				return 0;
+			}
+			else if (pattern1EqualsPath) {
+				return -1;
+			}
+			else if (pattern2EqualsPath) {
+				return 1;
+			}
+			int wildCardCount1 = StringUtils.countOccurrencesOf(pattern1, "*");
+			int wildCardCount2 = StringUtils.countOccurrencesOf(pattern2, "*");
+			if (wildCardCount1 < wildCardCount2) {
+				return -1;
+			}
+			else if (wildCardCount2 < wildCardCount1) {
+				return 1;
+			}
+			int bracketCount1 = StringUtils.countOccurrencesOf(pattern1, "{");
+			int bracketCount2 = StringUtils.countOccurrencesOf(pattern1, "{");
+			if (bracketCount1 < bracketCount2) {
+				return -1;
+			}
+			else if (bracketCount1 < bracketCount2) {
+				return 1;
+			}
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PathMatcher.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PathMatcher.java
index 4ebbf32176b..6804af56362 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PathMatcher.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PathMatcher.java
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@
 
 package org.springframework.util;
 
+import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 /**
  * Strategy interface for <code>String</code>-based path matching.
- * 
+ *
  * <p>Used by {@link org.springframework.core.io.support.PathMatchingResourcePatternResolver},
  * {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.AbstractUrlHandlerMapping},
  * {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.multiaction.PropertiesMethodNameResolver},
@@ -102,4 +103,16 @@ public interface PathMatcher {
 	 * @return a map, containing variable names as keys; variables values as values
 	 */
 	Map<String, String> extractUriTemplateVariables(String pattern, String path);
+
+	/**
+	 * Given a full path, returns a {@link Comparator} suitable for sorting patterns in order of explicitness.
+	 *
+	 * <p>The full algorithm used depends on the underlying implementation, but generally, the returned
+	 * <code>Comparator</code> will {@linkplain java.util.Collections#sort(java.util.List, java.util.Comparator) sort} a
+	 * list so that more specific patterns come before generic patterns.
+	 *
+	 * @param path the full path to use for comparison
+	 * @return a comparator capable of sorting patterns in order of explicitness
+	 */
+	Comparator<String> getPatternComparator(String path);
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcherTests.java b/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcherTests.java
index 26219d36388..c6d76d0e404 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcherTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcherTests.java
@@ -16,8 +16,11 @@
 
 package org.springframework.util;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
@@ -320,5 +323,98 @@ public class AntPathMatcherTests {
 		assertEquals(Collections.singletonMap("B", "b"), result);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void patternComparator() {
+		Comparator<String> comparator = pathMatcher.getPatternComparator("/hotels/new");
+
+		assertEquals(0, comparator.compare(null, null));
+		assertEquals(1, comparator.compare(null, "/hotels/new"));
+		assertEquals(-1, comparator.compare("/hotels/new", null));
+
+		assertEquals(0, comparator.compare("/hotels/new", "/hotels/new"));
+
+		assertEquals(-1, comparator.compare("/hotels/new", "/hotels/*"));
+		assertEquals(1, comparator.compare("/hotels/*", "/hotels/new"));
+		assertEquals(0, comparator.compare("/hotels/*", "/hotels/*"));
+
+		assertEquals(-1, comparator.compare("/hotels/new", "/hotels/{hotel}"));
+		assertEquals(1, comparator.compare("/hotels/{hotel}", "/hotels/new"));
+		assertEquals(0, comparator.compare("/hotels/{hotel}", "/hotels/{hotel}"));
+
+		assertEquals(-1, comparator.compare("/hotels/{hotel}", "/hotels/*"));
+		assertEquals(1, comparator.compare("/hotels/*", "/hotels/{hotel}"));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void patternComparatorSort() {
+		Comparator<String> comparator = pathMatcher.getPatternComparator("/hotels/new");
+		List<String> paths = new ArrayList<String>(3);
+
+		paths.add(null);
+		paths.add("/hotels/new");
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/new", paths.get(0));
+		assertNull(paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/new");
+		paths.add(null);
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/new", paths.get(0));
+		assertNull(paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/*");
+		paths.add("/hotels/new");
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/new", paths.get(0));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/*", paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/new");
+		paths.add("/hotels/*");
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/new", paths.get(0));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/*", paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/**");
+		paths.add("/hotels/*");
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/*", paths.get(0));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/**", paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/*");
+		paths.add("/hotels/**");
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/*", paths.get(0));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/**", paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/{hotel}");
+		paths.add("/hotels/new");
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/new", paths.get(0));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/{hotel}", paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/new");
+		paths.add("/hotels/{hotel}");
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/new", paths.get(0));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/{hotel}", paths.get(1));
+		paths.clear();
+
+		paths.add("/hotels/*");
+		paths.add("/hotels/{hotel}");
+		paths.add("/hotels/new");
+		Collections.shuffle(paths);
+		Collections.sort(paths, comparator);
+		assertEquals("/hotels/new", paths.get(0));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/{hotel}", paths.get(1));
+		assertEquals("/hotels/*", paths.get(2));
+		paths.clear();
+	}
 
 }