diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java
index 4628023bb8a..5eae6665105 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  * types, in arbitrary order (except for validation results, which need to
  * follow right after the corresponding command object, if desired):
  * <ul>
- * <li>Request and/or response objects (typically from the Servlet API).
+ * <li>Request and/or response objects from the Servlet API.
  * You may choose any specific request/response type, e.g.
  * {@link javax.servlet.ServletRequest} / {@link javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest}.
  * <li>Session object: typically {@link javax.servlet.http.HttpSession}.
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  * the response's content. This will be the raw OutputStream/Writer as
  * exposed by the Servlet API.
  * <li>{@link org.springframework.http.HttpMethod} for the HTTP request method</li>
- * <li>{@link PathVariable @PathVariable} annotated parameters (Servlet-only)
+ * <li>{@link PathVariable @PathVariable} annotated parameters
  * for access to URI template values (i.e. /hotels/{hotel}). Variable values will be
  * converted to the declared method argument type. By default, the URI template
  * will match against the regular expression {@code [^\.]*} (i.e. any character
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  * Additionally, {@code @PathVariable} can be used on a
  * {@link java.util.Map Map&lt;String, String&gt;} to gain access to all
  * URI template variables.
- * <li>{@link MatrixVariable @MatrixVariable} annotated parameters (Servlet-only)
+ * <li>{@link MatrixVariable @MatrixVariable} annotated parameters
  * for access to name-value pairs located in URI path segments. Matrix variables
  * must be represented with a URI template variable. For example /hotels/{hotel}
  * where the incoming URL may be "/hotels/42;q=1".
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  * {@link org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap MultiValueMap&lt;String, String&gt;}, or
  * {@link org.springframework.http.HttpHeaders HttpHeaders} method parameter to
  * gain access to all request headers.
- * <li>{@link RequestBody @RequestBody} annotated parameters (Servlet-only)
+ * <li>{@link RequestBody @RequestBody} annotated parameters
  * for access to the Servlet request HTTP contents. The request stream will be
  * converted to the declared method argument type using
  * {@linkplain org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConverter message
@@ -98,9 +98,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  * {@link org.springframework.validation.Errors} argument.
  * Instead a {@link org.springframework.web.bind.MethodArgumentNotValidException}
  * exception is raised.
- * <li>{@link RequestPart @RequestPart} annotated parameters
- * (Servlet-only, {@literal @MVC 3.1-only})
- * for access to the content
+ * <li>{@link RequestPart @RequestPart} annotated parameters for access to the content
  * of a part of "multipart/form-data" request. The request part stream will be
  * converted to the declared method argument type using
  * {@linkplain org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConverter message
@@ -116,15 +114,15 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  * <li>{@link RequestAttribute @RequestAttribute} annotated parameters for access
  * to request attributes.
  * <li>{@link org.springframework.http.HttpEntity HttpEntity&lt;?&gt;} parameters
- * (Servlet-only) for access to the Servlet request HTTP headers and contents.
+ * for access to the Servlet request HTTP headers and contents.
  * The request stream will be converted to the entity body using
  * {@linkplain org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConverter message
  * converters}.
  * <li>{@link java.util.Map} / {@link org.springframework.ui.Model} /
  * {@link org.springframework.ui.ModelMap} for enriching the implicit model
  * that will be exposed to the web view.
- * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.support.RedirectAttributes}
- * (Servlet-only, {@literal @MVC 3.1-only}) to specify the exact set of attributes
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.support.RedirectAttributes},
+ * to specify the exact set of attributes
  * to use in case of a redirect and also to add flash attributes (attributes
  * stored temporarily on the server-side to make them available to the request
  * after the redirect). {@code RedirectAttributes} is used instead of the
@@ -147,7 +145,6 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  * attributes that have been indicated by the {@link SessionAttributes @SessionAttributes}
  * annotation at the handler type level).
  * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.util.UriComponentsBuilder}
- * (Servlet-only, {@literal @MVC 3.1-only})
  * for preparing a URL relative to the current request's host, port, scheme,
  * context path, and the literal part of the servlet mapping.
  * </ul>
@@ -160,64 +157,63 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
  *
  * <p>The following return types are supported for handler methods:
  * <ul>
- * <li>A {@code ModelAndView} object (from Servlet MVC),
+ * <li>{@code ModelAndView} object (from Servlet MVC),
  * with the model implicitly enriched with command objects and the results
  * of {@link ModelAttribute @ModelAttribute} annotated reference data accessor methods.
- * <li>A {@link org.springframework.ui.Model Model} object, with the view name implicitly
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.ui.Model Model} object, with the view name implicitly
  * determined through a {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.RequestToViewNameTranslator}
  * and the model implicitly enriched with command objects and the results
  * of {@link ModelAttribute @ModelAttribute} annotated reference data accessor methods.
- * <li>A {@link java.util.Map} object for exposing a model,
+ * <li>{@link java.util.Map} object for exposing a model,
  * with the view name implicitly determined through a
  * {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.RequestToViewNameTranslator}
  * and the model implicitly enriched with command objects and the results
  * of {@link ModelAttribute @ModelAttribute} annotated reference data accessor methods.
- * <li>A {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.View} object, with the
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.servlet.View} object, with the
  * model implicitly determined through command objects and
  * {@link ModelAttribute @ModelAttribute} annotated reference data accessor methods.
  * The handler method may also programmatically enrich the model by
  * declaring a {@link org.springframework.ui.Model} argument (see above).
- * <li>A {@link String} value which is interpreted as view name,
+ * <li>{@link String} value which is interpreted as view name,
  * with the model implicitly determined through command objects and
  * {@link ModelAttribute @ModelAttribute} annotated reference data accessor methods.
  * The handler method may also programmatically enrich the model by
  * declaring a {@link org.springframework.ui.ModelMap} argument
  * (see above).
- * <li>{@link ResponseBody @ResponseBody} annotated methods (Servlet-only)
+ * <li>{@link ResponseBody @ResponseBody} annotated methods
  * for access to the Servlet response HTTP contents. The return value will
  * be converted to the response stream using
  * {@linkplain org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConverter message
  * converters}.
- * <li>An {@link org.springframework.http.HttpEntity HttpEntity&lt;?&gt;} or
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.http.HttpEntity HttpEntity&lt;?&gt;} or
  * {@link org.springframework.http.ResponseEntity ResponseEntity&lt;?&gt;} object
- * (Servlet-only) to access to the Servlet response HTTP headers and contents.
+ * to access to the Servlet response HTTP headers and contents.
  * The entity body will be converted to the response stream using
  * {@linkplain org.springframework.http.converter.HttpMessageConverter message
  * converters}.
- * <li>An {@link org.springframework.http.HttpHeaders HttpHeaders} object to
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.http.HttpHeaders HttpHeaders} object to
  * return a response with no body.</li>
- * <li>A {@link Callable} which is used by Spring MVC to obtain the return
- * value asynchronously in a separate thread transparently managed by Spring MVC
- * on behalf of the application.
- * <li>A {@link org.springframework.web.context.request.async.DeferredResult}
- * which the application uses to produce a return value in a separate
- * thread of its own choosing, as an alternative to returning a Callable.
- * <li>A {@link org.springframework.util.concurrent.ListenableFuture}
- * which the application uses to produce a return value in a separate
- * thread of its own choosing, as an alternative to returning a Callable.
- * <li>A {@link java.util.concurrent.CompletionStage} (implemented by
- * {@link java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture} for example)
- * which the application uses to produce a return value in a separate
- * thread of its own choosing, as an alternative to returning a Callable.
- * <li>A {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ResponseBodyEmitter}
- * can be used to write multiple objects to the response asynchronously;
- * also supported as the body within {@code ResponseEntity}.</li>
- * <li>An {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.SseEmitter}
- * can be used to write Server-Sent Events to the response asynchronously;
- * also supported as the body within {@code ResponseEntity}.</li>
- * <li>A {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.StreamingResponseBody}
- * can be used to write to the response asynchronously;
- * also supported as the body within {@code ResponseEntity}.</li>
+ * <li>{@link Callable} -- async computation in a Spring MVC managed thread.</li>
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.context.request.async.DeferredResult DeferredResult} --
+ * async result produced later from an application managed, or any thread.
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.util.concurrent.ListenableFuture ListenableFuture}
+ * alternative, equivalent to {@code DeferredResult}.</li>
+ * <li>{@link java.util.concurrent.CompletionStage CompletionStage} and
+ * {@link java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture CompletableFuture} --
+ * alternative, equivalent to {@code DeferredResult}.</li>
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ResponseBodyEmitter} --
+ * {@code @ResponseBody}-style, asynchronous writing of a stream of Objects to the
+ * response body.</li>
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.SseEmitter} --
+ * variant of {@code ResponseBodyEmitter} for a Server-Sent Events formatted stream.</li>
+ * <li>{@link org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.StreamingResponseBody} --
+ * async writing directly to the response body {@link java.io.OutputStream}.</li>
+ * <li>Reactive types (e.g. Reactor {@code Flux}/{@code Mono}, RxJava 1 &amp; 2
+ * {@code Observable}/{@code Single}, or others via
+ * {@link org.springframework.core.ReactiveAdapterRegistry ReactiveAdapterRegistry}) --
+ * alternatives, equivalent to {@code DeferredResult} or {@code ResponseBodyEmitter}
+ * and {@code SseEmitter} depending also on the requested media types (e.g.
+ * "text/event-stream", "application/json+stream").</li>
  * <li>{@code void} if the method handles the response itself (by
  * writing the response content directly, declaring an argument of type
  * {@link javax.servlet.ServletResponse} / {@link javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse}
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/annotation/AsyncSupportConfigurer.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/annotation/AsyncSupportConfigurer.java
index 3955a9672a6..201374d220b 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/annotation/AsyncSupportConfigurer.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/annotation/AsyncSupportConfigurer.java
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ public class AsyncSupportConfigurer {
 	 * highly recommended to change that default in production since the simple
 	 * executor does not re-use threads.
 	 *
+	 * <p>As of 5.0 this executor is also used when a controller returns a reactive
+	 * type that does streaming (e.g. "text/event-stream" or
+	 * "application/stream+json") for the blocking writes to the
+	 * {@link javax.servlet.ServletOutputStream}.
+	 *
 	 * @param taskExecutor the task executor instance to use by default
 	 */
 	public AsyncSupportConfigurer setTaskExecutor(AsyncTaskExecutor taskExecutor) {
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc.xsd b/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc.xsd
index e61eb3ef0fd..17549a10977 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc.xsd
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/resources/org/springframework/web/servlet/config/spring-mvc.xsd
@@ -231,9 +231,14 @@
 						<xsd:attribute name="task-executor" type="xsd:string">
 							<xsd:annotation>
 								<xsd:documentation source="java:org.springframework.core.task.AsyncTaskExecutor"><![CDATA[
-	The bean name of a default AsyncTaskExecutor to use when a controller method returns a {@link Callable}.
+	The bean name of a default AsyncTaskExecutor to use when a controller method returns a "Callable".
 	Controller methods can override this default on a per-request basis by returning an AsyncTask.
 	By default, a SimpleAsyncTaskExecutor is used which does not re-use threads and is not recommended for production.
+
+	As of 5.0 this executor is also used when a controller returns a reactive type that does streaming
+	(e.g. "text/event-stream" or "application/stream+json") for the blocking writes to the
+	"javax.servlet.ServletOutputStream".
+
 								]]></xsd:documentation>
 								<xsd:appinfo>
 									<tool:annotation kind="ref">
diff --git a/src/docs/asciidoc/web/web-mvc.adoc b/src/docs/asciidoc/web/web-mvc.adoc
index 6226a5179fc..0ed8ba1222b 100644
--- a/src/docs/asciidoc/web/web-mvc.adoc
+++ b/src/docs/asciidoc/web/web-mvc.adoc
@@ -1408,18 +1408,18 @@ of `java.util.Optional` in those cases is equivalent to having `required=false`.
 ==== Supported method return types
 The following are the supported return types:
 
-* A `ModelAndView` object, with the model implicitly enriched with command objects and
+* `ModelAndView` object, with the model implicitly enriched with command objects and
   the results of `@ModelAttribute` annotated reference data accessor methods.
-* A `Model` object, with the view name implicitly determined through a
+* `Model` object, with the view name implicitly determined through a
   `RequestToViewNameTranslator` and the model implicitly enriched with command objects
   and the results of `@ModelAttribute` annotated reference data accessor methods.
-* A `Map` object for exposing a model, with the view name implicitly determined through
+* `Map` object for exposing a model, with the view name implicitly determined through
   a `RequestToViewNameTranslator` and the model implicitly enriched with command objects
   and the results of `@ModelAttribute` annotated reference data accessor methods.
-* A `View` object, with the model implicitly determined through command objects and
+* `View` object, with the model implicitly determined through command objects and
   `@ModelAttribute` annotated reference data accessor methods. The handler method may
   also programmatically enrich the model by declaring a `Model` argument (see above).
-* A `String` value that is interpreted as the logical view name, with the model
+* `String` value that is interpreted as the logical view name, with the model
   implicitly determined through command objects and `@ModelAttribute` annotated
   reference data accessor methods. The handler method may also programmatically enrich
   the model by declaring a `Model` argument (see above).
@@ -1431,22 +1431,25 @@ The following are the supported return types:
 * If the method is annotated with `@ResponseBody`, the return type is written to the
   response HTTP body. The return value will be converted to the declared method argument
   type using ``HttpMessageConverter``s. See <<mvc-ann-responsebody>>.
-* An `HttpEntity<?>` or `ResponseEntity<?>` object to provide access to the Servlet
+* `HttpEntity<?>` or `ResponseEntity<?>` object to provide access to the Servlet
   response HTTP headers and contents. The entity body will be converted to the response
   stream using ``HttpMessageConverter``s. See <<mvc-ann-httpentity>>.
-* An `HttpHeaders` object to return a response with no body.
-* A `Callable<?>` can be returned when the application wants to produce the return value
-  asynchronously in a thread managed by Spring MVC.
-* A `DeferredResult<?>` can be returned when the application wants to produce the return
-  value from a thread of its own choosing.
-* A `ListenableFuture<?>` or `CompletableFuture<?>`/`CompletionStage<?>` can be returned
-  when the application wants to produce the value from a thread pool submission.
-* A `ResponseBodyEmitter` can be returned to write multiple objects to the response
+* `HttpHeaders` object to return a response with no body.
+* `Callable<?>` async computation in a Spring MVC managed thread.
+* `DeferredResult<?>` async result produced later from an application managed, or any thread.
+* `ListenableFuture<?>` as an alternative equivalent to using `DeferredResult`.
+* `CompletableFuture<?>` or `CompletionStage<?>` as an alternative equivalent to `DeferredResult`.
+* `ResponseBodyEmitter` can be returned to write multiple objects to the response
   asynchronously; also supported as the body within a `ResponseEntity`.
-* An `SseEmitter` can be returned to write Server-Sent Events to the response
+* `SseEmitter` can be returned to write Server-Sent Events to the response
   asynchronously; also supported as the body within a `ResponseEntity`.
-* A `StreamingResponseBody` can be returned to write to the response OutputStream
+* `StreamingResponseBody` can be returned to write to the response OutputStream
   asynchronously; also supported as the body within a `ResponseEntity`.
+* Reactive types from Reactor 3, RxJava 2, RxJava 1 or others registered through
+  the configured `ReactiveAdapterRegistry` can be returned as an alternative
+  equivalent to using `DeferredResult` for single-valued types, or
+  `ResponseBodyEmitter` and `SseEmitter` for multi-valued reactive types where a streaming
+  media type (e.g. "text/event-stream", "application/json+stream") is requested.
 * Any other return type is considered to be a single model attribute to be exposed to
   the view, using the attribute name specified through `@ModelAttribute` at the method
   level (or the default attribute name based on the return type class name). The model
@@ -2517,6 +2520,49 @@ Note that `StreamingResponseBody` can also be used as the body in a
 the response.
 
 
+[[mvc-ann-async-reactive-types]]
+==== Async Requests with Reactive Types
+
+If using the reactive `WebClient` from `spring-webflux`, or another client, or
+a data store with reactive support, you can return reactive types directly from
+Spring MVC controller methods.
+
+* If the return type has single-value stream semantics such as Reactor `Mono` or
+RxJava `Single` it is adapted and equivalent to using `DeferredResult`.
+* If the return type has multi-value stream semantics such as Reactor `Flux` or
+RxJava `Observable` / `Flowable` and if the media type indicates streaming, e.g.
+"application/stream+json" or "text/event-stream", it is adapted and equivalent to
+using `ResponseBodyEmitter` or `SseEmitter`. You can also return
+`Flux<ServerSentEvent>` or `Observable<ServerSentEvent>`.
+* If the return type has multi-value stream semantics but the media type does not
+imply streaming, e.g. "application/json", it is adapted and equivalent to using
+`DeferredResult<List<?>>`, e.g. JSON array.
+
+Reactive libraries are detected and adapted to a Reactive Streams `Publisher`
+through Spring's pluggable `ReactiveAdapterRegistry` which by default supports
+Reactor 3, RxJava 2, and RxJava 1. Note that for RxJava 1 you will need to add
+https://github.com/ReactiveX/RxJavaReactiveStreams["io.reactivex:rxjava-reactive-streams"]
+to the classpath.
+
+A common assumption with reactive libraries is not block the processing thread.
+The `WebClient` with Reactor Netty for example is based on event-loop style
+handling using a small, fixed number of threads and those must not be blocked
+when writing to the `ServletResponseOutputStream`. Reactive libraries have
+operators for that but Spring MVC automatically writes asynchronously so you
+don't need to use that. The underlying `TaskExecutor` for this can be configured
+through the MVC Java config and the MVC namespace as described in the following
+section.
+
+[NOTE]
+====
+Unlike Spring MVC, Spring WebFlux is built on a non-blocking, reactive foundation
+and uses the Servlet 3.1 non-blocking I/O that's also based on event loop style
+processing and hence does not require a thread to absorb the effect of blocking.
+====
+
+
+
+
 [[mvc-ann-async-configuration]]
 ==== Configuring Asynchronous Request Processing