diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/AnnotationDrivenBeanDefinitionParser.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/AnnotationDrivenBeanDefinitionParser.java
index 49ba49a4e42..9a18935981a 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/AnnotationDrivenBeanDefinitionParser.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/AnnotationDrivenBeanDefinitionParser.java
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ class AnnotationDrivenBeanDefinitionParser implements BeanDefinitionParser {
 		handlerMappingDef.getPropertyValues().add("order", 0);
 		handlerMappingDef.getPropertyValues().add("contentNegotiationManager", contentNegotiationManager);
 		String methodMappingName = parserContext.getReaderContext().registerWithGeneratedName(handlerMappingDef);
+		if (element.hasAttribute("enableMatrixVariables")) {
+			Boolean enableMatrixVariables = Boolean.valueOf(element.getAttribute("enableMatrixVariables"));
+			handlerMappingDef.getPropertyValues().add("removeSemicolonContent", !enableMatrixVariables);
+		}
 
 		RuntimeBeanReference conversionService = getConversionService(element, source, parserContext);
 		RuntimeBeanReference validator = getValidator(element, source, parserContext);
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMapping.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMapping.java
index 9d121fc11a5..7efaf91ab20 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMapping.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMapping.java
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractHandlerMapping extends WebApplicationObjectSupport
 
 	/**
 	 * Set if ";" (semicolon) content should be stripped from the request URI.
-	 * <p>The default value is {@code false}.
+	 * <p>The default value is {@code true}.
 	 * @see org.springframework.web.util.UrlPathHelper#setRemoveSemicolonContent(boolean)
 	 */
 	public void setRemoveSemicolonContent(boolean removeSemicolonContent) {
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMethodMapping.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMethodMapping.java
index deca4899059..27958ebbcad 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMethodMapping.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/handler/AbstractHandlerMethodMapping.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
+
 import javax.servlet.ServletException;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 
@@ -37,7 +38,6 @@ import org.springframework.util.ReflectionUtils.MethodFilter;
 import org.springframework.web.method.HandlerMethod;
 import org.springframework.web.method.HandlerMethodSelector;
 import org.springframework.web.servlet.HandlerMapping;
-import org.springframework.web.util.UrlPathHelper;
 
 /**
  * Abstract base class for {@link HandlerMapping} implementations that define a
@@ -62,12 +62,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractHandlerMethodMapping<T> extends AbstractHandlerMap
 	private final MultiValueMap<String, T> urlMap = new LinkedMultiValueMap<String, T>();
 
 
-	public AbstractHandlerMethodMapping() {
-		UrlPathHelper pathHelper = new UrlPathHelper();
-		pathHelper.setRemoveSemicolonContent(false);
-		setUrlPathHelper(pathHelper);
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Whether to detect handler methods in beans in ancestor ApplicationContexts.
 	 * <p>Default is "false": Only beans in the current ApplicationContext are
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestCondition.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestCondition.java
index 3e657e02b90..b523bba2541 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestCondition.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestCondition.java
@@ -42,13 +42,6 @@ import org.springframework.web.util.UrlPathHelper;
  */
 public final class PatternsRequestCondition extends AbstractRequestCondition<PatternsRequestCondition> {
 
-	private static UrlPathHelper pathHelperNoSemicolonContent;
-
-	static {
-		pathHelperNoSemicolonContent = new UrlPathHelper();
-		pathHelperNoSemicolonContent.setRemoveSemicolonContent(true);
-	}
-
 	private final Set<String> patterns;
 
 	private final UrlPathHelper pathHelper;
@@ -217,15 +210,10 @@ public final class PatternsRequestCondition extends AbstractRequestCondition<Pat
 		}
 
 		String lookupPath = this.pathHelper.getLookupPathForRequest(request);
-		String lookupPathNoSemicolonContent = (lookupPath.indexOf(';') != -1) ?
-				pathHelperNoSemicolonContent.getLookupPathForRequest(request) : null;
 
 		List<String> matches = new ArrayList<String>();
 		for (String pattern : patterns) {
 			String match = getMatchingPattern(pattern, lookupPath);
-			if (match == null && lookupPathNoSemicolonContent != null) {
-				match = getMatchingPattern(pattern, lookupPathNoSemicolonContent);
-			}
 			if (match != null) {
 				matches.add(match);
 			}
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-3.2.xsd b/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-3.2.xsd
index 627d289ccd2..2537aa15fca 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-3.2.xsd
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-3.2.xsd
@@ -231,6 +231,17 @@
 					</xsd:appinfo>
 				</xsd:annotation>
 			</xsd:attribute>
+			<xsd:attribute name="enableMatrixVariables" type="xsd:boolean">
+				<xsd:annotation>
+					<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
+	Matrix variables can appear in any path segment, each matrix variable separated with a ";" (semicolon).
+	For example "/cars;color=red;year=2012". By default they're removed from the URL. If this property
+	is set to true, matrix variables are not removed from the URL, and the request mapping pattern
+	must use URI variable in path segments where matrix variables are expected. For example "/{cars}".
+	Matrix variables can then be injected into a controller method with @MatrixVariable.
+					]]></xsd:documentation>
+				</xsd:annotation>
+			</xsd:attribute>
 			<xsd:attribute name="ignoreDefaultModelOnRedirect" type="xsd:boolean">
 				<xsd:annotation>
 					<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-4.0.xsd b/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-4.0.xsd
index 24af2f0d145..d3af4431319 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-4.0.xsd
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc-4.0.xsd
@@ -231,6 +231,17 @@
 					</xsd:appinfo>
 				</xsd:annotation>
 			</xsd:attribute>
+			<xsd:attribute name="enableMatrixVariables" type="xsd:boolean">
+				<xsd:annotation>
+					<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
+	Matrix variables can appear in any path segment, each matrix variable separated with a ";" (semicolon).
+	For example "/cars;color=red;year=2012". By default they're removed from the URL. If this property
+	is set to true, matrix variables are not removed from the URL, and the request mapping pattern
+	must use URI variable in path segments where matrix variables are expected. For example "/{cars}".
+	Matrix variables can then be injected into a controller method with @MatrixVariable.
+					]]></xsd:documentation>
+				</xsd:annotation>
+			</xsd:attribute>
 			<xsd:attribute name="ignoreDefaultModelOnRedirect" type="xsd:boolean">
 				<xsd:annotation>
 					<xsd:documentation><![CDATA[
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/MvcNamespaceTests.java b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/MvcNamespaceTests.java
index 8ff997204f1..367ab9f7005 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/MvcNamespaceTests.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/MvcNamespaceTests.java
@@ -16,13 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.web.servlet.config;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
-
 import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
@@ -30,6 +23,7 @@ import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
+
 import javax.servlet.RequestDispatcher;
 import javax.validation.constraints.NotNull;
 
@@ -86,6 +80,8 @@ import org.springframework.web.servlet.resource.DefaultServletHttpRequestHandler
 import org.springframework.web.servlet.resource.ResourceHttpRequestHandler;
 import org.springframework.web.servlet.theme.ThemeChangeInterceptor;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
 /**
  * @author Keith Donald
  * @author Arjen Poutsma
@@ -117,6 +113,7 @@ public class MvcNamespaceTests {
 		RequestMappingHandlerMapping mapping = appContext.getBean(RequestMappingHandlerMapping.class);
 		assertNotNull(mapping);
 		assertEquals(0, mapping.getOrder());
+		assertTrue(mapping.getUrlPathHelper().shouldRemoveSemicolonContent());
 		mapping.setDefaultHandler(handlerMethod);
 
 		MockHttpServletRequest request = new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/foo.json");
@@ -182,6 +179,10 @@ public class MvcNamespaceTests {
 	public void testCustomValidator() throws Exception {
 		loadBeanDefinitions("mvc-config-custom-validator.xml", 12);
 
+		RequestMappingHandlerMapping mapping = appContext.getBean(RequestMappingHandlerMapping.class);
+		assertNotNull(mapping);
+		assertFalse(mapping.getUrlPathHelper().shouldRemoveSemicolonContent());
+
 		RequestMappingHandlerAdapter adapter = appContext.getBean(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.class);
 		assertNotNull(adapter);
 		assertEquals(true, new DirectFieldAccessor(adapter).getPropertyValue("ignoreDefaultModelOnRedirect"));
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestConditionTests.java b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestConditionTests.java
index 72f6639713f..749d6314aaf 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestConditionTests.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/condition/PatternsRequestConditionTests.java
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.condition;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
-
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -27,7 +23,8 @@ import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.mock.web.test.MockHttpServletRequest;
-import org.springframework.web.util.UrlPathHelper;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
 /**
  * @author Rossen Stoyanchev
@@ -186,16 +183,6 @@ public class PatternsRequestConditionTests {
 		assertNull(match);
 	}
 
-	@Test
-	public void matchIgnorePathParams() {
-		UrlPathHelper pathHelper = new UrlPathHelper();
-		pathHelper.setRemoveSemicolonContent(false);
-		PatternsRequestCondition condition = new PatternsRequestCondition(new String[] {"/foo/bar"}, pathHelper, null, true, true);
-		PatternsRequestCondition match = condition.getMatchingCondition(new MockHttpServletRequest("GET", "/foo;q=1/bar;s=1"));
-
-		assertNotNull(match);
-	}
-
 	@Test
 	public void compareEqualPatterns() {
 		PatternsRequestCondition c1 = new PatternsRequestCondition("/foo*");
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/RequestMappingInfoHandlerMappingTests.java b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/RequestMappingInfoHandlerMappingTests.java
index 099197c07de..748698643b4 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/RequestMappingInfoHandlerMappingTests.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/RequestMappingInfoHandlerMappingTests.java
@@ -16,13 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertArrayEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
-import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
-
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -61,6 +54,8 @@ import org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.condition.ProducesRequestCondition;
 import org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.condition.RequestMethodsRequestCondition;
 import org.springframework.web.util.UrlPathHelper;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
 /**
  * Test fixture with {@link RequestMappingInfoHandlerMapping}.
  *
@@ -90,6 +85,7 @@ public class RequestMappingInfoHandlerMappingTests {
 
 		this.handlerMapping = new TestRequestMappingInfoHandlerMapping();
 		this.handlerMapping.registerHandler(testController);
+		this.handlerMapping.setRemoveSemicolonContent(false);
 	}
 
 	@Test
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/test/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/mvc-config-custom-validator.xml b/spring-webmvc/src/test/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/mvc-config-custom-validator.xml
index 910b765ea8b..6efe9e15573 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/test/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/mvc-config-custom-validator.xml
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/test/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/mvc-config-custom-validator.xml
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
     xmlns:mvc="http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc"
 	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
-		http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc/spring-mvc-3.1.xsd">
+		http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc/spring-mvc-3.2.xsd">
 
-	<mvc:annotation-driven validator="validator" ignoreDefaultModelOnRedirect="true" />
+	<mvc:annotation-driven validator="validator" 
+		ignoreDefaultModelOnRedirect="true" enableMatrixVariables="true" />
 	
 	<bean id="validator" class="org.springframework.web.servlet.config.MvcNamespaceTests$TestValidator" />
 	
diff --git a/src/reference/docbook/mvc.xml b/src/reference/docbook/mvc.xml
index a9e8489af34..1b8a2e0c283 100644
--- a/src/reference/docbook/mvc.xml
+++ b/src/reference/docbook/mvc.xml
@@ -1173,9 +1173,7 @@ public void findPet(
         <para>Note that to enable the use of matrix variables, you must set the
         <classname>removeSemicolonContent</classname> property of
         <classname>RequestMappingHandlerMapping</classname> to <code>false</code>.
-        By default it is set to <code>true</code> with the exception of the
-        MVC namespace and the MVC Java config both of which automatically enable
-        the use of matrix variables.</para>
+        By default it is set to <code>false</code>.</para>
 
       </section>