diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextConfiguration.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextConfiguration.java
index f50c0e2a93..9087bdbeaf 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextConfiguration.java
@@ -91,10 +91,8 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 
 	/**
 	 * Alias for {@link #locations}.
-	 *
 	 * <p>This attribute may <strong>not</strong> be used in conjunction with
 	 * {@link #locations}, but it may be used instead of {@link #locations}.
-	 *
 	 * @since 3.0
 	 * @see #inheritLocations
 	 */
@@ -104,7 +102,6 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	/**
 	 * The resource locations to use for loading an
 	 * {@link org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext ApplicationContext}.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Check out the Javadoc for
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.support.AbstractContextLoader#modifyLocations
 	 * AbstractContextLoader.modifyLocations()} for details on how a location
@@ -113,7 +110,6 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.support.AbstractContextLoader#generateDefaultLocations
 	 * AbstractContextLoader.generateDefaultLocations()} for details on the
 	 * default locations that are going to be used if none are specified.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Note that the aforementioned default rules only apply for a standard
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.support.AbstractContextLoader
 	 * AbstractContextLoader} subclass such as
@@ -122,10 +118,8 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	 * which are the effective default implementations used at runtime if
 	 * {@code locations} are configured. See the documentation for {@link #loader}
 	 * for further details regarding default loaders.
-	 *
 	 * <p>This attribute may <strong>not</strong> be used in conjunction with
 	 * {@link #value}, but it may be used instead of {@link #value}.
-	 *
 	 * @since 2.5
 	 * @see #inheritLocations
 	 */
@@ -135,14 +129,12 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	/**
 	 * The <em>annotated classes</em> to use for loading an
 	 * {@link org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext ApplicationContext}.
-	 *
-	 * <p>Check out the Javadoc for
+	 * <p>Check out the javadoc for
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.support.AnnotationConfigContextLoader#detectDefaultConfigurationClasses
 	 * AnnotationConfigContextLoader.detectDefaultConfigurationClasses()} for details
 	 * on how default configuration classes will be detected if no
 	 * <em>annotated classes</em> are specified. See the documentation for
 	 * {@link #loader} for further details regarding default loaders.
-	 *
 	 * @since 3.1
 	 * @see org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration
 	 * @see org.springframework.test.context.support.AnnotationConfigContextLoader
@@ -153,16 +145,13 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	/**
 	 * The application context <em>initializer classes</em> to use for initializing
 	 * a {@link ConfigurableApplicationContext}.
-	 *
 	 * <p>The concrete {@code ConfigurableApplicationContext} type supported by each
 	 * declared initializer must be compatible with the type of {@code ApplicationContext}
 	 * created by the {@link SmartContextLoader} in use.
-	 *
 	 * <p>{@code SmartContextLoader} implementations typically detect whether
 	 * Spring's {@link org.springframework.core.Ordered Ordered} interface has been
 	 * implemented or if the @{@link org.springframework.core.annotation.Order Order}
 	 * annotation is present and sort instances accordingly prior to invoking them.
-	 *
 	 * @since 3.2
 	 * @see org.springframework.context.ApplicationContextInitializer
 	 * @see org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext
@@ -174,7 +163,6 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	/**
 	 * Whether or not {@link #locations resource locations} or <em>annotated
 	 * classes</em> from test superclasses should be <em>inherited</em>.
-	 *
 	 * <p>The default value is {@code true}. This means that an annotated
 	 * class will <em>inherit</em> the resource locations or annotated classes
 	 * defined by test superclasses. Specifically, the resource locations or
@@ -182,12 +170,10 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	 * resource locations or annotated classes defined by test superclasses.
 	 * Thus, subclasses have the option of <em>extending</em> the list of resource
 	 * locations or annotated classes.
-	 *
 	 * <p>If {@code inheritLocations} is set to {@code false}, the
 	 * resource locations or annotated classes for the annotated class
 	 * will <em>shadow</em> and effectively replace any resource locations
 	 * or annotated classes defined by superclasses.
-	 *
 	 * <p>In the following example that uses path-based resource locations, the
 	 * {@link org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext ApplicationContext}
 	 * for {@code ExtendedTest} will be loaded from
@@ -206,7 +192,6 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	 *     // ...
 	 * }
 	 * </pre>
-	 *
 	 * <p>Similarly, in the following example that uses annotated
 	 * classes, the
 	 * {@link org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext ApplicationContext}
@@ -233,18 +218,15 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	/**
 	 * Whether or not {@linkplain #initializers context initializers} from test
 	 * superclasses should be <em>inherited</em>.
-	 *
 	 * <p>The default value is {@code true}. This means that an annotated
 	 * class will <em>inherit</em> the application context initializers defined
 	 * by test superclasses. Specifically, the initializers for a given test
 	 * class will be added to the set of initializers defined by test
 	 * superclasses. Thus, subclasses have the option of <em>extending</em> the
 	 * set of initializers.
-	 *
 	 * <p>If {@code inheritInitializers} is set to {@code false}, the
 	 * initializers for the annotated class will <em>shadow</em> and effectively
 	 * replace any initializers defined by superclasses.
-	 *
 	 * <p>In the following example, the
 	 * {@link org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext ApplicationContext}
 	 * for {@code ExtendedTest} will be initialized using
@@ -272,12 +254,10 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	 * The type of {@link SmartContextLoader} (or {@link ContextLoader}) to use
 	 * for loading an {@link org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext
 	 * ApplicationContext}.
-	 *
 	 * <p>If not specified, the loader will be inherited from the first superclass
 	 * that is annotated with {@code @ContextConfiguration} and specifies an
 	 * explicit loader. If no class in the hierarchy specifies an explicit
 	 * loader, a default loader will be used instead.
-	 *
 	 * <p>The default concrete implementation chosen at runtime will be either
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.support.DelegatingSmartContextLoader
 	 * DelegatingSmartContextLoader} or
@@ -293,23 +273,19 @@ public @interface ContextConfiguration {
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.web.GenericXmlWebContextLoader GenericXmlWebContextLoader},
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.web.GenericGroovyXmlWebContextLoader GenericGroovyXmlWebContextLoader}, and
 	 * {@link org.springframework.test.context.web.AnnotationConfigWebContextLoader AnnotationConfigWebContextLoader}.
-	 *
 	 * @since 2.5
 	 */
 	Class<? extends ContextLoader> loader() default ContextLoader.class;
 
 	/**
 	 * The name of the context hierarchy level represented by this configuration.
-	 *
 	 * <p>If not specified the name will be inferred based on the numerical level
 	 * within all declared contexts within the hierarchy.
-	 *
 	 * <p>This attribute is only applicable when used within a test class hierarchy
 	 * that is configured using {@code @ContextHierarchy}, in which case the name
 	 * can be used for <em>merging</em> or <em>overriding</em> this configuration
 	 * with configuration of the same name in hierarchy levels defined in superclasses.
 	 * See the Javadoc for {@link ContextHierarchy @ContextHierarchy} for details.
-	 *
 	 * @since 3.2.2
 	 */
 	String name() default "";
diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchy.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchy.java
index 813fd30672..61b2fa8cf6 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchy.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchy.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2015 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.
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ public @interface ContextHierarchy {
 	/**
 	 * A list of {@link ContextConfiguration @ContextConfiguration} instances,
 	 * each of which defines a level in the context hierarchy.
-	 *
 	 * <p>If you need to merge or override the configuration for a given level
 	 * of the context hierarchy within a test class hierarchy, you must explicitly
 	 * name that level by supplying the same value to the {@link ContextConfiguration#name
diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoader.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoader.java
index 71faf5e522..3a2b0c300e 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoader.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoader.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2015 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.
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
  * The results of {@link #processLocations(Class, String...) processLocations()}
  * should then be supplied to {@link #loadContext(String...) loadContext()}.
  *
- * <p>Concrete implementations must provide a {@code public} no-args
- * constructor.
+ * <p>Concrete implementations must provide a {@code public} no-args constructor.
  *
  * <p>Spring provides the following out-of-the-box implementations:
  * <ul>
@@ -52,10 +51,8 @@ public interface ContextLoader {
 
 	/**
 	 * Processes application context resource locations for a specified class.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Concrete implementations may choose to modify the supplied locations,
 	 * generate new locations, or simply return the supplied locations unchanged.
-	 *
 	 * @param clazz the class with which the locations are associated: used to
 	 * determine how to process the supplied locations
 	 * @param locations the unmodified locations to use for loading the
@@ -68,10 +65,8 @@ public interface ContextLoader {
 	 * Loads a new {@link ApplicationContext context} based on the supplied
 	 * {@code locations}, configures the context, and finally returns
 	 * the context in fully <em>refreshed</em> state.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Configuration locations are generally considered to be classpath
 	 * resources by default.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Concrete implementations should register annotation configuration
 	 * processors with bean factories of {@link ApplicationContext application
 	 * contexts} loaded by this ContextLoader. Beans will therefore automatically
@@ -79,13 +74,11 @@ public interface ContextLoader {
 	 * {@link org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired @Autowired},
 	 * {@link javax.annotation.Resource @Resource}, and
 	 * {@link javax.inject.Inject @Inject}.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Any ApplicationContext loaded by a ContextLoader <strong>must</strong>
 	 * register a JVM shutdown hook for itself. Unless the context gets closed
 	 * early, all context instances will be automatically closed on JVM
 	 * shutdown. This allows for freeing external resources held by beans within
 	 * the context, e.g. temporary files.
-	 *
 	 * @param locations the resource locations to use to load the application context
 	 * @return a new application context
 	 * @throws Exception if context loading failed
diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/ContextLoaderUtils.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/ContextLoaderUtils.java
index d86585d733..da3383cb37 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/ContextLoaderUtils.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/ContextLoaderUtils.java
@@ -57,17 +57,12 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(ContextLoaderUtils.class);
 
 
-	private ContextLoaderUtils() {
-		/* no-op */
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Resolve the list of lists of {@linkplain ContextConfigurationAttributes context
 	 * configuration attributes} for the supplied {@linkplain Class test class} and its
 	 * superclasses, taking into account context hierarchies declared via
 	 * {@link ContextHierarchy @ContextHierarchy} and
 	 * {@link ContextConfiguration @ContextConfiguration}.
-	 *
 	 * <p>The outer list represents a top-down ordering of context configuration
 	 * attributes, where each element in the list represents the context configuration
 	 * declared on a given test class in the class hierarchy. Each nested list
@@ -77,13 +72,11 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	 * single {@code @ContextHierarchy} instance on the particular class.
 	 * Furthermore, each nested list maintains the order in which
 	 * {@code @ContextConfiguration} instances are declared.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Note that the {@link ContextConfiguration#inheritLocations inheritLocations} and
 	 * {@link ContextConfiguration#inheritInitializers() inheritInitializers} flags of
 	 * {@link ContextConfiguration @ContextConfiguration} will <strong>not</strong>
 	 * be taken into consideration. If these flags need to be honored, that must be
 	 * handled manually when traversing the nested lists returned by this method.
-	 *
 	 * @param testClass the class for which to resolve the context hierarchy attributes
 	 * (must not be {@code null})
 	 * @return the list of lists of configuration attributes for the specified class;
@@ -95,7 +88,6 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	 * {@code @ContextHierarchy} as top-level annotations.
 	 * @throws IllegalStateException if no class in the class hierarchy declares
 	 * {@code @ContextHierarchy}.
-	 *
 	 * @since 3.2.2
 	 * @see #buildContextHierarchyMap(Class)
 	 * @see #resolveContextConfigurationAttributes(Class)
@@ -109,23 +101,25 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 		final Class<ContextHierarchy> contextHierarchyType = ContextHierarchy.class;
 		final List<List<ContextConfigurationAttributes>> hierarchyAttributes = new ArrayList<List<ContextConfigurationAttributes>>();
 
-		UntypedAnnotationDescriptor descriptor = findAnnotationDescriptorForTypes(testClass, contextConfigType,
-			contextHierarchyType);
-		Assert.notNull(descriptor, String.format(
-			"Could not find an 'annotation declaring class' for annotation type [%s] or [%s] and test class [%s]",
-			contextConfigType.getName(), contextHierarchyType.getName(), testClass.getName()));
+		UntypedAnnotationDescriptor desc =
+				findAnnotationDescriptorForTypes(testClass, contextConfigType, contextHierarchyType);
+		if (desc == null) {
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+					"Could not find an 'annotation declaring class' for annotation type [%s] or [%s] and test class [%s]",
+					contextConfigType.getName(), contextHierarchyType.getName(), testClass.getName()));
+		}
 
-		while (descriptor != null) {
-			Class<?> rootDeclaringClass = descriptor.getRootDeclaringClass();
-			Class<?> declaringClass = descriptor.getDeclaringClass();
+		while (desc != null) {
+			Class<?> rootDeclaringClass = desc.getRootDeclaringClass();
+			Class<?> declaringClass = desc.getDeclaringClass();
 
 			boolean contextConfigDeclaredLocally = isAnnotationDeclaredLocally(contextConfigType, declaringClass);
 			boolean contextHierarchyDeclaredLocally = isAnnotationDeclaredLocally(contextHierarchyType, declaringClass);
 
 			if (contextConfigDeclaredLocally && contextHierarchyDeclaredLocally) {
-				String msg = String.format("Class [%s] has been configured with both @ContextConfiguration "
-						+ "and @ContextHierarchy. Only one of these annotations may be declared on a test class "
-						+ "or composed annotation.", declaringClass.getName());
+				String msg = String.format("Class [%s] has been configured with both @ContextConfiguration " +
+						"and @ContextHierarchy. Only one of these annotations may be declared on a test class " +
+						"or composed annotation.", declaringClass.getName());
 				logger.error(msg);
 				throw new IllegalStateException(msg);
 			}
@@ -134,30 +128,28 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 
 			if (contextConfigDeclaredLocally) {
 				ContextConfiguration contextConfiguration = AnnotationUtils.synthesizeAnnotation(
-					descriptor.getAnnotationAttributes(), ContextConfiguration.class,
-					descriptor.getRootDeclaringClass());
-				convertContextConfigToConfigAttributesAndAddToList(contextConfiguration, rootDeclaringClass,
-					configAttributesList);
+						desc.getAnnotationAttributes(), ContextConfiguration.class, desc.getRootDeclaringClass());
+				convertContextConfigToConfigAttributesAndAddToList(
+						contextConfiguration, rootDeclaringClass, configAttributesList);
 			}
 			else if (contextHierarchyDeclaredLocally) {
 				ContextHierarchy contextHierarchy = getAnnotation(declaringClass, contextHierarchyType);
 				for (ContextConfiguration contextConfiguration : contextHierarchy.value()) {
-					convertContextConfigToConfigAttributesAndAddToList(contextConfiguration, rootDeclaringClass,
-						configAttributesList);
+					convertContextConfigToConfigAttributesAndAddToList(
+							contextConfiguration, rootDeclaringClass, configAttributesList);
 				}
 			}
 			else {
 				// This should theoretically never happen...
-				String msg = String.format("Test class [%s] has been configured with neither @ContextConfiguration "
-						+ "nor @ContextHierarchy as a class-level annotation.", rootDeclaringClass.getName());
+				String msg = String.format("Test class [%s] has been configured with neither @ContextConfiguration " +
+						"nor @ContextHierarchy as a class-level annotation.", rootDeclaringClass.getName());
 				logger.error(msg);
 				throw new IllegalStateException(msg);
 			}
 
 			hierarchyAttributes.add(0, configAttributesList);
-
-			descriptor = findAnnotationDescriptorForTypes(rootDeclaringClass.getSuperclass(), contextConfigType,
-				contextHierarchyType);
+			desc = findAnnotationDescriptorForTypes(
+					rootDeclaringClass.getSuperclass(), contextConfigType, contextHierarchyType);
 		}
 
 		return hierarchyAttributes;
@@ -168,18 +160,15 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	 * test class} and its superclasses, taking into account context hierarchies
 	 * declared via {@link ContextHierarchy @ContextHierarchy} and
 	 * {@link ContextConfiguration @ContextConfiguration}.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Each value in the map represents the consolidated list of {@linkplain
 	 * ContextConfigurationAttributes context configuration attributes} for a
 	 * given level in the context hierarchy (potentially across the test class
 	 * hierarchy), keyed by the {@link ContextConfiguration#name() name} of the
 	 * context hierarchy level.
-	 *
 	 * <p>If a given level in the context hierarchy does not have an explicit
 	 * name (i.e., configured via {@link ContextConfiguration#name}), a name will
 	 * be generated for that hierarchy level by appending the numerical level to
 	 * the {@link #GENERATED_CONTEXT_HIERARCHY_LEVEL_PREFIX}.
-	 *
 	 * @param testClass the class for which to resolve the context hierarchy map
 	 * (must not be {@code null})
 	 * @return a map of context configuration attributes for the context hierarchy,
@@ -187,7 +176,6 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the lists of context configuration
 	 * attributes for each level in the {@code @ContextHierarchy} do not define
 	 * unique context configuration within the overall hierarchy.
-	 *
 	 * @since 3.2.2
 	 * @see #resolveContextHierarchyAttributes(Class)
 	 */
@@ -217,9 +205,9 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 		// Check for uniqueness
 		Set<List<ContextConfigurationAttributes>> set = new HashSet<List<ContextConfigurationAttributes>>(map.values());
 		if (set.size() != map.size()) {
-			String msg = String.format("The @ContextConfiguration elements configured via "
-					+ "@ContextHierarchy in test class [%s] and its superclasses must "
-					+ "define unique contexts per hierarchy level.", testClass.getName());
+			String msg = String.format("The @ContextConfiguration elements configured via @ContextHierarchy in " +
+					"test class [%s] and its superclasses must define unique contexts per hierarchy level.",
+					testClass.getName());
 			logger.error(msg);
 			throw new IllegalStateException(msg);
 		}
@@ -231,15 +219,13 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	 * Resolve the list of {@linkplain ContextConfigurationAttributes context
 	 * configuration attributes} for the supplied {@linkplain Class test class} and its
 	 * superclasses.
-	 *
 	 * <p>Note that the {@link ContextConfiguration#inheritLocations inheritLocations} and
 	 * {@link ContextConfiguration#inheritInitializers() inheritInitializers} flags of
 	 * {@link ContextConfiguration @ContextConfiguration} will <strong>not</strong>
 	 * be taken into consideration. If these flags need to be honored, that must be
 	 * handled manually when traversing the list returned by this method.
-	 *
-	 * @param testClass the class for which to resolve the configuration attributes (must
-	 * not be {@code null})
+	 * @param testClass the class for which to resolve the configuration attributes
+	 * (must not be {@code null})
 	 * @return the list of configuration attributes for the specified class, ordered
 	 * <em>bottom-up</em> (i.e., as if we were traversing up the class hierarchy);
 	 * never {@code null}
@@ -249,18 +235,19 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	static List<ContextConfigurationAttributes> resolveContextConfigurationAttributes(Class<?> testClass) {
 		Assert.notNull(testClass, "Class must not be null");
 
-		final List<ContextConfigurationAttributes> attributesList = new ArrayList<ContextConfigurationAttributes>();
-
+		List<ContextConfigurationAttributes> attributesList = new ArrayList<ContextConfigurationAttributes>();
 		Class<ContextConfiguration> annotationType = ContextConfiguration.class;
 
 		AnnotationDescriptor<ContextConfiguration> descriptor = findAnnotationDescriptor(testClass, annotationType);
-		Assert.notNull(descriptor, String.format(
-			"Could not find an 'annotation declaring class' for annotation type [%s] and class [%s]",
-			annotationType.getName(), testClass.getName()));
+		if (descriptor == null) {
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+					"Could not find an 'annotation declaring class' for annotation type [%s] and class [%s]",
+					annotationType.getName(), testClass.getName()));
+		}
 
 		while (descriptor != null) {
 			convertContextConfigToConfigAttributesAndAddToList(descriptor.synthesizeAnnotation(),
-				descriptor.getRootDeclaringClass(), attributesList);
+					descriptor.getRootDeclaringClass(), attributesList);
 			descriptor = findAnnotationDescriptor(descriptor.getRootDeclaringClass().getSuperclass(), annotationType);
 		}
 
@@ -274,13 +261,13 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 	 */
 	private static void convertContextConfigToConfigAttributesAndAddToList(ContextConfiguration contextConfiguration,
 			Class<?> declaringClass, final List<ContextConfigurationAttributes> attributesList) {
+
 		if (logger.isTraceEnabled()) {
 			logger.trace(String.format("Retrieved @ContextConfiguration [%s] for declaring class [%s].",
-				contextConfiguration, declaringClass.getName()));
+					contextConfiguration, declaringClass.getName()));
 		}
-
-		ContextConfigurationAttributes attributes = new ContextConfigurationAttributes(declaringClass,
-			contextConfiguration);
+		ContextConfigurationAttributes attributes =
+				new ContextConfigurationAttributes(declaringClass, contextConfiguration);
 		if (logger.isTraceEnabled()) {
 			logger.trace("Resolved context configuration attributes: " + attributes);
 		}