diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/access/BeanFactoryReference.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/access/BeanFactoryReference.java
index 35c3d3f51f..c2c0a7c629 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/access/BeanFactoryReference.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/access/BeanFactoryReference.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 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.
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.beans.factory.access;
 
-import org.springframework.beans.FatalBeanException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
 
 /**
@@ -49,11 +48,10 @@ public interface BeanFactoryReference {
 	 * <p>In an EJB usage scenario this would normally be called from
 	 * {@code ejbRemove()} and {@code ejbPassivate()}.
 	 * <p>This is safe to call multiple times.
-	 * @throws FatalBeanException if the {@code BeanFactory} cannot be released
 	 * @see BeanFactoryLocator
 	 * @see org.springframework.context.access.ContextBeanFactoryReference
 	 * @see org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext#close()
 	 */
-	void release() throws FatalBeanException;
+	void release();
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ejb/interceptor/SpringBeanAutowiringInterceptor.java b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ejb/interceptor/SpringBeanAutowiringInterceptor.java
index 89d5067451..33c1596630 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ejb/interceptor/SpringBeanAutowiringInterceptor.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/ejb/interceptor/SpringBeanAutowiringInterceptor.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2013 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.
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ import org.springframework.context.access.ContextSingletonBeanFactoryLocator;
  * @see org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.AutowiredAnnotationBeanPostProcessor
  * @see org.springframework.context.access.ContextSingletonBeanFactoryLocator
  * @see #getBeanFactoryLocatorKey
- * @see org.springframework.ejb.support.AbstractEnterpriseBean#setBeanFactoryLocator
- * @see org.springframework.ejb.support.AbstractEnterpriseBean#setBeanFactoryLocatorKey
  */
 public class SpringBeanAutowiringInterceptor {
 
@@ -99,9 +97,15 @@ public class SpringBeanAutowiringInterceptor {
 			invocationContext.proceed();
 		}
 		catch (RuntimeException ex) {
+			doReleaseBean(invocationContext.getTarget());
 			throw ex;
 		}
+		catch (Error err) {
+			doReleaseBean(invocationContext.getTarget());
+			throw err;
+		}
 		catch (Exception ex) {
+			doReleaseBean(invocationContext.getTarget());
 			// Cannot declare a checked exception on WebSphere here - so we need to wrap.
 			throw new EJBException(ex);
 		}