diff --git a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/context/event/ApplicationContextEventTests.java b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/context/event/ApplicationContextEventTests.java
index cc26a34e560..184ccdb22ef 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/context/event/ApplicationContextEventTests.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/context/event/ApplicationContextEventTests.java
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ class ApplicationContextEventTests extends AbstractApplicationEventListenerTests
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	void initMethodPublishesEvent() {
+	void initMethodPublishesEvent() {  // gh-25799
 		GenericApplicationContext context = new GenericApplicationContext();
 		context.registerBeanDefinition("listener", new RootBeanDefinition(BeanThatListens.class));
 		context.registerBeanDefinition("messageSource", new RootBeanDefinition(StaticMessageSource.class));
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ class ApplicationContextEventTests extends AbstractApplicationEventListenerTests
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	void initMethodPublishesAsyncEvent() {
+	void initMethodPublishesAsyncEvent() {  // gh-25799
 		GenericApplicationContext context = new GenericApplicationContext();
 		context.registerBeanDefinition("listener", new RootBeanDefinition(BeanThatListens.class));
 		context.registerBeanDefinition("messageSource", new RootBeanDefinition(StaticMessageSource.class));
@@ -596,6 +596,21 @@ class ApplicationContextEventTests extends AbstractApplicationEventListenerTests
 		context.close();
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void initMethodPublishesAsyncEventBeforeListenerInitialized() {  // gh-20904
+		GenericApplicationContext context = new GenericApplicationContext();
+		context.registerBeanDefinition("messageSource", new RootBeanDefinition(StaticMessageSource.class));
+		context.registerBeanDefinition("initMethod", new RootBeanDefinition(AsyncEventPublishingInitMethod.class));
+		context.registerBeanDefinition("listener", new RootBeanDefinition(BeanThatListens.class));
+		context.refresh();
+
+		context.publishEvent(new MyEvent(this));
+		BeanThatListens listener = context.getBean(BeanThatListens.class);
+		assertThat(listener.getEventCount()).isEqualTo(3);
+
+		context.close();
+	}
+
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("serial")
 	public static class MyEvent extends ApplicationEvent {