diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.1.xsd b/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.1.xsd
index e5400988e7c..d26bebf5323 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.1.xsd
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.1.xsd
@@ -82,19 +82,28 @@
 			<xsd:attribute name="profile" use="optional" type="xsd:string">
 				<xsd:annotation>
 					<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
-	The set of profiles for which this <beans> element may be parsed. Multiple profiles can be
-	separated by any number of spaces, commas, or semi-colons (or indeed any mixture of the three).
-	If one or more of the specified profiles are active at time of parsing, the <beans> element
-	will be parsed, and all of its <bean> elements registered, &lt;import&gt; elements followed,
-	etc.  If none of the specified profiles are active at time of parsing, then the entire element
-	and its contents will be ignored.
+	The set of profiles for which this <beans> element should be parsed. Multiple profiles
+	can be separated by spaces, commas, or semi-colons.
+
+	If one or more of the specified profiles are active at time of parsing, the <beans>
+	element will be parsed, and all of its <bean> elements registered, &lt;import&gt;
+	elements followed, etc.  If none of the specified profiles are active at time of
+	parsing, then the entire element and its contents will be ignored.
+
+	If a profile is prefixed with the NOT operator '!', e.g.
+
+		<beans profile="p1,!p2">
+
+	indicates that the <beans> element should be parsed if profile "p1" is active or
+	if profile "p2" is not active.
 
 	Profiles are activated in one of two ways:
 		Programmatic:
 			ConfigurableEnvironment#setActiveProfiles(String...)
 			ConfigurableEnvironment#setDefaultProfiles(String...)
 
-		Properties (typically through -D system properties, environment variables, or servlet context init params):
+		Properties (typically through -D system properties, environment variables, or
+		servlet context init params):
 			spring.profiles.active=p1,p2
 			spring.profiles.default=p1,p2
 					]]></xsd:documentation>
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.2.xsd b/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.2.xsd
index 48194aeaa68..ba053e86576 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.2.xsd
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/resources/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/spring-beans-3.2.xsd
@@ -82,19 +82,28 @@
 			<xsd:attribute name="profile" use="optional" type="xsd:string">
 				<xsd:annotation>
 					<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
-	The set of profiles for which this <beans> element may be parsed. Multiple profiles can be
-	separated by any number of spaces, commas, or semi-colons (or indeed any mixture of the three).
-	If one or more of the specified profiles are active at time of parsing, the <beans> element
-	will be parsed, and all of its <bean> elements registered, &lt;import&gt; elements followed,
-	etc.  If none of the specified profiles are active at time of parsing, then the entire element
-	and its contents will be ignored.
+	The set of profiles for which this <beans> element should be parsed. Multiple profiles
+	can be separated by spaces, commas, or semi-colons.
+
+	If one or more of the specified profiles are active at time of parsing, the <beans>
+	element will be parsed, and all of its <bean> elements registered, &lt;import&gt;
+	elements followed, etc.  If none of the specified profiles are active at time of
+	parsing, then the entire element and its contents will be ignored.
+
+	If a profile is prefixed with the NOT operator '!', e.g.
+
+		<beans profile="p1,!p2">
+
+	indicates that the <beans> element should be parsed if profile "p1" is active or
+	if profile "p2" is not active.
 
 	Profiles are activated in one of two ways:
 		Programmatic:
 			ConfigurableEnvironment#setActiveProfiles(String...)
 			ConfigurableEnvironment#setDefaultProfiles(String...)
 
-		Properties (typically through -D system properties, environment variables, or servlet context init params):
+		Properties (typically through -D system properties, environment variables, or
+		servlet context init params):
 			spring.profiles.active=p1,p2
 			spring.profiles.default=p1,p2
 					]]></xsd:documentation>
diff --git a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/context/annotation/Profile.java b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/context/annotation/Profile.java
index d7670601323..ab793599c01 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/context/annotation/Profile.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/context/annotation/Profile.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2011 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2012 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.
@@ -25,36 +25,44 @@ import org.springframework.core.env.AbstractEnvironment;
 import org.springframework.core.env.ConfigurableEnvironment;
 
 /**
- * Indicates that a component is eligible for registration when one or more {@linkplain #value
- * specified profiles} are active.
+ * Indicates that a component is eligible for registration when one or more {@linkplain
+ * #value specified profiles} are active.
  *
- * <p>A <em>profile</em> is a named logical grouping that may be activated programatically via
- * {@link ConfigurableEnvironment#setActiveProfiles} or declaratively through setting the
- * {@link AbstractEnvironment#ACTIVE_PROFILES_PROPERTY_NAME spring.profiles.active} property,
- * usually through JVM system properties, as an environment variable, or for web applications
- * as a Servlet context parameter in {@code web.xml}.
+ * <p>A <em>profile</em> is a named logical grouping that may be activated
+ * programmatically via {@link ConfigurableEnvironment#setActiveProfiles} or declaratively
+ * through setting the {@link AbstractEnvironment#ACTIVE_PROFILES_PROPERTY_NAME
+ * spring.profiles.active} property, usually through JVM system properties, as an
+ * environment variable, or for web applications as a Servlet context parameter in
+ * {@code web.xml}.
  *
  * <p>The {@code @Profile} annotation may be used in any of the following ways:
  * <ul>
- *   <li>as a type-level annotation on any class directly or indirectly annotated with
- *   {@code @Component}, including {@link Configuration @Configuration} classes
- *   <li>as a meta-annotation, for the purpose of composing custom stereotype annotations
+ * <li>as a type-level annotation on any class directly or indirectly annotated with
+ * {@code @Component}, including {@link Configuration @Configuration} classes
+ * <li>as a meta-annotation, for the purpose of composing custom stereotype annotations
  * </ul>
  *
  * <p>If a {@code @Configuration} class is marked with {@code @Profile}, all of the
- * {@code @Bean} methods and {@link Import @Import} annotations associated with that class will
- * be bypassed unless one or more the specified profiles are active.  This is very similar to
- * the behavior in Spring XML: if the {@code profile} attribute of the {@code beans} element is
- * supplied e.g., {@code <beans profile="p1,p2">}, the {@code beans} element will not be parsed unless
- * profiles 'p1' and/or 'p2' have been activated.  Likewise, if a {@code @Component} or
- * {@code @Configuration} class is marked with <code>@Profile({"p1", "p2"})</code>, that class will
- * not be registered/processed unless profiles 'p1' and/or 'p2' have been activated.
+ * {@code @Bean} methods and {@link Import @Import} annotations associated with that class
+ * will be bypassed unless one or more the specified profiles are active. This is very
+ * similar to the behavior in Spring XML: if the {@code profile} attribute of the
+ * {@code beans} element is supplied e.g., {@code <beans profile="p1,p2">}, the
+ * {@code beans} element will not be parsed unless profiles 'p1' and/or 'p2' have been
+ * activated.  Likewise, if a {@code @Component} or {@code @Configuration} class is marked
+ * with {@code @Profile({"p1", "p2"})}, that class will not be registered/processed unless
+ * profiles 'p1' and/or 'p2' have been activated.
  *
- * <p>If the {@code @Profile} annotation is omitted, registration will occur, regardless of which,
- * if any, profiles are active.
+ * <p>If a given profile is prefixed with the NOT operator ({@code !}), the annotated
+ * will be registered if the profile is <em>not</em> active. e.g., for
+ * {@code @Profile({"p1", "!p2"})}, registration will occur if profile 'p1' is active or
+ * if profile 'p2' is not active.
  *
- * <p>When defining Spring beans via XML, the {@code "profile"} attribute of the {@code <beans>}
- * element may be used. See the documentation in {@code spring-beans-3.1.xsd} for details.
+ * <p>If the {@code @Profile} annotation is omitted, registration will occur, regardless
+ * of which (if any) profiles are active.
+ *
+ * <p>When defining Spring beans via XML, the {@code "profile"} attribute of the
+ * {@code <beans>} element may be used. See the documentation in
+ * {@code spring-beans} XSD (version 3.1 or greater) for details.
  *
  * @author Chris Beams
  * @since 3.1
diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/AbstractEnvironment.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/AbstractEnvironment.java
index 65574834a9a..58f4d0bfe27 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/AbstractEnvironment.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/AbstractEnvironment.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 import static java.lang.String.*;
+
 import static org.springframework.util.StringUtils.*;
 
 /**
@@ -300,31 +301,43 @@ public abstract class AbstractEnvironment implements ConfigurableEnvironment {
 
 	public boolean acceptsProfiles(String... profiles) {
 		Assert.notEmpty(profiles, "Must specify at least one profile");
-		boolean activeProfileFound = false;
-		Set<String> activeProfiles = this.doGetActiveProfiles();
-		Set<String> defaultProfiles = this.doGetDefaultProfiles();
 		for (String profile : profiles) {
-			this.validateProfile(profile);
-			if (activeProfiles.contains(profile)
-					|| (activeProfiles.isEmpty() && defaultProfiles.contains(profile))) {
-				activeProfileFound = true;
-				break;
+			if (profile != null && profile.length() > 0 && profile.charAt(0) == '!') {
+				return !this.isProfileActive(profile.substring(1));
+			}
+			if (this.isProfileActive(profile)) {
+				return true;
 			}
 		}
-		return activeProfileFound;
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Return whether the given profile is active, or if active profiles are empty
+	 * whether the profile should be active by default.
+	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException per {@link #validateProfile(String)}
+	 * @since 3.2
+	 */
+	protected boolean isProfileActive(String profile) {
+		this.validateProfile(profile);
+		return this.doGetActiveProfiles().contains(profile)
+				|| (this.doGetActiveProfiles().isEmpty() && this.doGetDefaultProfiles().contains(profile));
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Validate the given profile, called internally prior to adding to the set of
 	 * active or default profiles.
 	 * <p>Subclasses may override to impose further restrictions on profile syntax.
-	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the profile is null, empty or whitespace-only
+	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the profile is null, empty, whitespace-only or
+	 * begins with the profile NOT operator (!).
 	 * @see #acceptsProfiles
 	 * @see #addActiveProfile
 	 * @see #setDefaultProfiles
 	 */
 	protected void validateProfile(String profile) {
 		Assert.hasText(profile, "Invalid profile [" + profile + "]: must contain text");
+		Assert.isTrue(profile.charAt(0) != '!',
+				"Invalid profile [" + profile + "]: must not begin with the ! operator");
 	}
 
 	public MutablePropertySources getPropertySources() {
diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/Environment.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/Environment.java
index 792c1034d53..a0347acd5a7 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/Environment.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/env/Environment.java
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ public interface Environment extends PropertyResolver {
 	/**
 	 * Return whether one or more of the given profiles is active or, in the case of no
 	 * explicit active profiles, whether one or more of the given profiles is included in
-	 * the set of default profiles
+	 * the set of default profiles. If a profile begins with '!' the logic is inverted,
+	 * i.e. the method will return true if the given profile is <em>not</em> active. For
+	 * example, {@code env.acceptsProfiles("p1", "!p2")} will return true if profile 'p1'
+	 * is active or 'p2' is not active.
 	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if called with zero arguments
 	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if any profile is null, empty or whitespace-only
 	 * @see #getActiveProfiles
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/env/StandardEnvironmentTests.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/env/StandardEnvironmentTests.java
index 8fca6ec6d83..d0515bcc32a 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/env/StandardEnvironmentTests.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/env/StandardEnvironmentTests.java
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@
 package org.springframework.core.env;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
+
 import java.security.AccessControlException;
 import java.security.Permission;
+
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -147,6 +149,11 @@ public class StandardEnvironmentTests {
 		environment.setActiveProfiles("");
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected=IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void setActiveProfiles_withNotOperator() {
+		environment.setActiveProfiles("p1", "!p2");
+	}
+
 	@Test(expected=IllegalArgumentException.class)
 	public void setDefaultProfiles_withNullProfileArray() {
 		environment.setDefaultProfiles((String[])null);
@@ -162,6 +169,11 @@ public class StandardEnvironmentTests {
 		environment.setDefaultProfiles("");
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected=IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void setDefaultProfiles_withNotOperator() {
+		environment.setDefaultProfiles("d1", "!d2");
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void addActiveProfile() {
 		assertThat(environment.getActiveProfiles().length, is(0));
@@ -284,6 +296,20 @@ public class StandardEnvironmentTests {
 		assertThat(environment.acceptsProfiles("p1"), is(true));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void acceptsProfiles_withNotOperator() {
+		assertThat(environment.acceptsProfiles("p1"), is(false));
+		assertThat(environment.acceptsProfiles("!p1"), is(true));
+		environment.addActiveProfile("p1");
+		assertThat(environment.acceptsProfiles("p1"), is(true));
+		assertThat(environment.acceptsProfiles("!p1"), is(false));
+	}
+
+	@Test(expected=IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void acceptsProfiles_withInvalidNotOperator() {
+		environment.acceptsProfiles("p1", "!");
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void environmentSubclass_withCustomProfileValidation() {
 		ConfigurableEnvironment env = new AbstractEnvironment() {