diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/ResponseStatus.java b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/ResponseStatus.java
index ea241ff198f..d07c65d8a86 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/ResponseStatus.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/ResponseStatus.java
@@ -25,12 +25,14 @@ import java.lang.annotation.Target;
 import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus;
 
 /**
- * Marks an exception class with the status code and reason that should be returned whenever said exception is thrown.
+ * Marks a method or exception class with the status code and reason that should be returned. The status code is applied
+ * to the HTTP response when the handler method is invoked, or whenever said exception is thrown.
  *
  * @author Arjen Poutsma
+ * @see org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.annotation.ResponseStatusExceptionResolver
  * @since 3.0
  */
-@Target(ElementType.TYPE)
+@Target({ElementType.TYPE, ElementType.METHOD})
 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 @Documented
 public @interface ResponseStatus {
diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java
index e712a60ff4f..e6b82218e90 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.ModelAttribute;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMethod;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestParam;
+import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.ResponseStatus;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.SessionAttributes;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.support.HandlerMethodInvoker;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.support.HandlerMethodResolver;
@@ -672,6 +673,13 @@ public class AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter extends WebContentGenerator implemen
 				ExtendedModelMap implicitModel,
 				ServletWebRequest webRequest) {
 
+			if (handlerMethod.isAnnotationPresent(ResponseStatus.class)) {
+				ResponseStatus responseStatus = handlerMethod.getAnnotation(ResponseStatus.class);
+				HttpServletResponse response = webRequest.getResponse();
+				response.setStatus(responseStatus.value().value());
+				responseArgumentUsed = true;
+			}
+
 			if (returnValue instanceof ModelAndView) {
 				ModelAndView mav = (ModelAndView) returnValue;
 				mav.getModelMap().mergeAttributes(implicitModel);
diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java
index 5ee4c427c6f..6689f77b9c6 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/annotation/ServletAnnotationControllerTests.java
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import org.springframework.context.annotation.AnnotationConfigUtils;
 import org.springframework.core.MethodParameter;
 import org.springframework.http.HttpInputMessage;
 import org.springframework.http.HttpOutputMessage;
+import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus;
 import org.springframework.http.MediaType;
 import org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConverter;
 import org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageNotReadableException;
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestHeader;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMethod;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestParam;
+import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.ResponseStatus;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.support.WebArgumentResolver;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.support.WebBindingInitializer;
 import org.springframework.web.context.WebApplicationContext;
@@ -911,6 +913,17 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerTests {
 		assertEquals("text", response.getContentAsString());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void responseStatus() throws ServletException, IOException {
+		initServlet(ResponseStatusController.class);
+
+		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/something");
+		MockHttpServletResponse response = new MockHttpServletResponse();
+		servlet.service(request, response);
+		assertEquals("something", response.getContentAsString());
+		assertEquals(201, response.getStatus());
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Controllers
 	 */
@@ -1503,6 +1516,15 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerTests {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@Controller
+	public static class ResponseStatusController {
+
+		@RequestMapping("/something")
+		@ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.CREATED)
+		public void handle(Writer writer) throws IOException {
+			writer.write("something");
+		}
+	}
 
 	public static class MyMessageConverter implements HttpMessageConverter {