diff --git a/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolver.java b/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolver.java
index e4e563c56e5..3b76a9a33dc 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolver.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolver.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import javax.portlet.WindowState;
 import org.springframework.core.ExceptionDepthComparator;
 import org.springframework.core.GenericTypeResolver;
 import org.springframework.core.MethodParameter;
+import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
 import org.springframework.ui.Model;
 import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
@@ -136,10 +137,11 @@ public class AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolver extends AbstractHandlerExc
 						}
 						else {
 							Method oldMappedMethod = resolverMethods.get(handledException);
-							throw new IllegalStateException(
-									"Ambiguous exception handler mapped for " + handledException + "]: {" +
-											oldMappedMethod + ", " + method + "}.");
-
+							if (!oldMappedMethod.equals(method)) {
+								throw new IllegalStateException(
+										"Ambiguous exception handler mapped for " + handledException + "]: {" +
+												oldMappedMethod + ", " + method + "}.");
+							}
 						}
 					}
 				}
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ public class AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolver extends AbstractHandlerExc
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	protected List<Class<? extends Throwable>> getHandledExceptions(Method method) {
 		List<Class<? extends Throwable>> result = new ArrayList<Class<? extends Throwable>>();
-		ExceptionHandler exceptionHandler = method.getAnnotation(ExceptionHandler.class);
+		ExceptionHandler exceptionHandler = AnnotationUtils.findAnnotation(method, ExceptionHandler.class);
 		if (exceptionHandler != null) {
 			if (!ObjectUtils.isEmpty(exceptionHandler.value())) {
 				result.addAll(Arrays.asList(exceptionHandler.value()));
diff --git a/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolverTests.java b/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolverTests.java
index 43b4642882b..4dfe1f8681a 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolverTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolverTests.java
@@ -90,6 +90,15 @@ public class AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolverTests {
 		assertEquals("Invalid view name returned", "Y:BindException", mav.getViewName());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void inherited()	{
+		IOException ex = new IOException();
+		InheritedController controller = new InheritedController();
+		ModelAndView mav = exceptionResolver.resolveException(request, response, controller, ex);
+		assertNotNull("No ModelAndView returned", mav);
+		assertEquals("Invalid view name returned", "GenericError", mav.getViewName());
+	}
+
 	@Test(expected = IllegalStateException.class)
 	public void ambiguous() {
 		IllegalArgumentException ex = new IllegalArgumentException();
@@ -119,6 +128,16 @@ public class AnnotationMethodHandlerExceptionResolverTests {
 	}
 
 
+	@Controller
+	private static class InheritedController extends SimpleController {
+
+		@Override
+		public String handleIOException(IOException ex, PortletRequest request)	{
+			return "GenericError";
+		}
+	}
+
+
 	@Controller
 	private static class AmbiguousController {