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 be26087f72b..af7bcbb6ea1 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
@@ -814,9 +814,17 @@ public class AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter extends WebContentGenerator
 			ResponseStatus responseStatusAnn = AnnotationUtils.findAnnotation(handlerMethod, ResponseStatus.class);
 			if (responseStatusAnn != null) {
 				HttpStatus responseStatus = responseStatusAnn.value();
+				String reason = responseStatusAnn.reason();
+				if (!StringUtils.hasText(reason)) {
+					webRequest.getResponse().setStatus(responseStatus.value());
+				}
+				else {
+					webRequest.getResponse().sendError(responseStatus.value(), reason);
+				}
+
 				// to be picked up by the RedirectView
 				webRequest.getRequest().setAttribute(View.RESPONSE_STATUS_ATTRIBUTE, responseStatus);
-				webRequest.getResponse().setStatus(responseStatus.value());
+
 				responseArgumentUsed = true;
 			}
 
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 726c6161939..1808d19fb49 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
@@ -1307,6 +1307,7 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerTests {
 		servlet.service(request, response);
 		assertEquals("something", response.getContentAsString());
 		assertEquals(201, response.getStatus());
+		assertEquals("It's alive!", response.getErrorMessage());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -2382,7 +2383,7 @@ public class ServletAnnotationControllerTests {
 	public static class ResponseStatusController {
 
 		@RequestMapping("/something")
-		@ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.CREATED)
+		@ResponseStatus(value = HttpStatus.CREATED, reason = "It's alive!")
 		public void handle(Writer writer) throws IOException {
 			writer.write("something");
 		}