diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConverters.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConverters.java
index 807541aa327..8ccb13c3bb1 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConverters.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConverters.java
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ class DefaultHttpMessageConverters implements HttpMessageConverters {
 		}
 
 		void addMessageConvertersListConfigurer(Consumer<List<HttpMessageConverter<?>>> configurer) {
-			this.convertersListConfigurer = (this.convertersListConfigurer != null) ? this.convertersListConfigurer.andThen(this.convertersListConfigurer) : configurer;
+			this.convertersListConfigurer = (this.convertersListConfigurer != null) ?
+					this.convertersListConfigurer.andThen(this.convertersListConfigurer) : configurer;
 		}
 
 		List<HttpMessageConverter<?>> getBaseConverters() {
@@ -475,13 +476,12 @@ class DefaultHttpMessageConverters implements HttpMessageConverters {
 			if (this.registerDefaults) {
 				allConverters.addAll(this.getCoreConverters());
 			}
-			if (this.configurer != null) {
-				allConverters.forEach(this.configurer);
-			}
 			if (this.convertersListConfigurer != null) {
 				this.convertersListConfigurer.accept(allConverters);
 			}
-
+			if (this.configurer != null) {
+				allConverters.forEach(this.configurer);
+			}
 			return new DefaultHttpMessageConverters(allConverters);
 		}
 	}
@@ -586,13 +586,12 @@ class DefaultHttpMessageConverters implements HttpMessageConverters {
 			if (this.registerDefaults) {
 				allConverters.addAll(this.getCoreConverters());
 			}
-			if (this.configurer != null) {
-				allConverters.forEach(this.configurer);
-			}
 			if (this.convertersListConfigurer != null) {
 				this.convertersListConfigurer.accept(allConverters);
 			}
-
+			if (this.configurer != null) {
+				allConverters.forEach(this.configurer);
+			}
 			return new DefaultHttpMessageConverters(allConverters);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/HttpMessageConverters.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/HttpMessageConverters.java
index 68a6a859cbf..254bc359216 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/HttpMessageConverters.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/converter/HttpMessageConverters.java
@@ -167,18 +167,21 @@ public interface HttpMessageConverters extends Iterable<HttpMessageConverter<?>>
 		 */
 		T addCustomConverter(HttpMessageConverter<?> customConverter);
 
+		/**
+		 * Add a consumer for mutating the list of selected message converters.
+		 * <p>This operation happens before converters are
+		 * {@link #configureMessageConverters(Consumer) configured individually}.</p>
+		 * @param configurer the configurer to use
+		 * @since 7.0.3
+		 */
+		T configureMessageConvertersList(Consumer<List<HttpMessageConverter<?>>> configurer);
+
 		/**
 		 * Add a consumer for configuring the selected message converters.
 		 * @param configurer the configurer to use
 		 */
 		T configureMessageConverters(Consumer<HttpMessageConverter<?>> configurer);
 
-		/**
-		 * Add a consumer for configuring the message converters list just before it's returned.
-		 * @param configurer the configurer to use
-		 */
-		T configureMessageConvertersList(Consumer<List<HttpMessageConverter<?>>> configurer);
-
 		/**
 		 * Build and return the {@link HttpMessageConverters} instance configured by this builder.
 		 */
diff --git a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConvertersTests.java b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConvertersTests.java
index ba20cd3b779..35a58330df2 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConvertersTests.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/converter/DefaultHttpMessageConvertersTests.java
@@ -17,11 +17,9 @@
 package org.springframework.http.converter;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 import java.util.stream.StreamSupport;
 
-import org.assertj.core.util.Lists;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Nested;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
@@ -214,24 +212,14 @@ class DefaultHttpMessageConvertersTests {
 		}
 
 		@Test
-		void shouldConfigureConverterOrder() {
+		void shouldAppendCustomConverterToList() {
 			var customConverter = new CustomHttpMessageConverter();
-			var converted = HttpMessageConverters.forClient()
-					.addCustomConverter(customConverter)
-					.configureMessageConvertersList(converter -> converter.sort(Comparator.comparing(s -> s.getClass().equals(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class) ? 1 : -1))).build();
-
-			var messageConvertersBack = Lists.newArrayList(converted);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersBack.size()).isGreaterThan(1);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersBack.get(messageConvertersBack.size() - 1).getClass()).isEqualTo(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class);
-
-			var convertedFront = HttpMessageConverters.forClient()
-					.addCustomConverter(customConverter)
-					.configureMessageConvertersList(converter -> converter.sort(Comparator.comparing(s -> s.getClass().equals(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class) ? -1 : 1))).build();
-
-			var messageConvertersFront = Lists.newArrayList(convertedFront);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersFront.get(0).getClass()).isEqualTo(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersFront.size()).isGreaterThan(1);
+			var messageConverters = HttpMessageConverters.forClient()
+					.registerDefaults()
+					.configureMessageConvertersList(converters -> converters.add(customConverter))
+					.build();
 
+			assertThat(messageConverters).last().isInstanceOf(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class);
 		}
 
 	}
@@ -344,24 +332,14 @@ class DefaultHttpMessageConvertersTests {
 		}
 
 		@Test
-		void shouldConfigureConverterOrder() {
+		void shouldAppendCustomConverterToList() {
 			var customConverter = new CustomHttpMessageConverter();
-			var converted = HttpMessageConverters.forServer()
-					.addCustomConverter(customConverter)
-					.configureMessageConvertersList(converter -> converter.sort(Comparator.comparing(s -> s.getClass().equals(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class) ? 1 : -1))).build();
-
-			var messageConvertersBack = Lists.newArrayList(converted);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersBack.size()).isGreaterThan(1);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersBack.get(messageConvertersBack.size() - 1).getClass()).isEqualTo(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class);
-
-			var convertedFront = HttpMessageConverters.forServer()
-					.addCustomConverter(customConverter)
-					.configureMessageConvertersList(converter -> converter.sort(Comparator.comparing(s -> s.getClass().equals(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class) ? -1 : 1))).build();
-
-			var messageConvertersFront = Lists.newArrayList(convertedFront);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersFront.size()).isGreaterThan(1);
-			assertThat(messageConvertersFront.get(0).getClass()).isEqualTo(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class);
+			var messageConverters = HttpMessageConverters.forServer()
+					.registerDefaults()
+					.configureMessageConvertersList(converters -> converters.add(customConverter))
+					.build();
 
+			assertThat(messageConverters).last().isInstanceOf(CustomHttpMessageConverter.class);
 		}
 	}