diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtils.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtils.java
index 38d91691267..781dd5a5a1d 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtils.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtils.java
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ public abstract class AutowireUtils {
 	 * that declares the parameter
 	 * @param containingClass the concrete class that contains the parameter; this may
 	 * differ from the class that declares the parameter in that it may be a subclass
-	 * thereof, potentially substituting type variables
+	 * thereof, potentially substituting type variables (must not be {@code null})
 	 * @param beanFactory the {@code AutowireCapableBeanFactory} from which to resolve
 	 * the dependency (must not be {@code null})
 	 * @return the resolved object, or {@code null} if none found
@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ public abstract class AutowireUtils {
 			throws BeansException {
 
 		Assert.notNull(parameter, "Parameter must not be null");
+		Assert.notNull(containingClass, "Containing class must not be null");
 		Assert.notNull(beanFactory, "AutowireCapableBeanFactory must not be null");
 
 		AnnotatedElement annotatedParameter = getEffectiveAnnotatedParameter(parameter, parameterIndex);
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtilsTests.java b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtilsTests.java
index 7ba1b10c6f4..5e17b1e4b61 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtilsTests.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AutowireUtilsTests.java
@@ -159,15 +159,24 @@ public class AutowireUtilsTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void resolveDependencyPreconditionsForBeanFactory() throws Exception {
-		Method method = getClass().getDeclaredMethod("autowirableMethod", String.class, String.class, String.class, String.class);
-		Parameter parameter = method.getParameters()[0];
-
+	public void resolveDependencyPreconditionsForContainingClass() throws Exception {
 		exception.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-		exception.expectMessage("AutowireCapableBeanFactory must not be null");
-		AutowireUtils.resolveDependency(parameter, 0, null, null);
+		exception.expectMessage("Containing class must not be null");
+		AutowireUtils.resolveDependency(getParameter(), 0, null, null);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void resolveDependencyPreconditionsForBeanFactory() throws Exception {
+		exception.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
+		exception.expectMessage("AutowireCapableBeanFactory must not be null");
+		AutowireUtils.resolveDependency(getParameter(), 0, getClass(), null);
+	}
+
+	private Parameter getParameter() throws NoSuchMethodException {
+		Method method = getClass().getDeclaredMethod("autowirableMethod", String.class, String.class, String.class, String.class);
+		return method.getParameters()[0];
+	}
+	
 	@Test
 	public void resolveDependencyForAnnotatedParametersInTopLevelClassConstructor() throws Exception {
 		Constructor<?> constructor = AutowirableClass.class.getConstructor(String.class, String.class, String.class, String.class);