diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/BeanFactory.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/BeanFactory.java
index 5a7493909b2..c43b9052218 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/BeanFactory.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/BeanFactory.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2009 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2010 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.
@@ -153,8 +153,14 @@ public interface BeanFactory {
 	 * Return the bean instance that uniquely matches the given object type, if any.
 	 * @param requiredType type the bean must match; can be an interface or superclass.
 	 * {@literal null} is disallowed.
-	 * @return bean matching required type
+	 * <p>This method goes into {@link ListableBeanFactory} by-type lookup territory
+	 * but may also be translated into a conventional by-name lookup based on the name
+	 * of the given type. For more extensive retrieval operations across sets of beans,
+	 * use {@link ListableBeanFactory} and/or {@link BeanFactoryUtils}.
+	 * @return an instance of the single bean matching the required type
 	 * @throws NoSuchBeanDefinitionException if there is not exactly one matching bean found
+	 * @since 3.0
+	 * @see ListableBeanFactory
 	 */
 	<T> T getBean(Class<T> requiredType) throws BeansException;