diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/SpringJUnit4SuiteTests.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/SpringJUnit4SuiteTests.java
index 58bff255cd..aa29fcecc6 100644
--- a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/SpringJUnit4SuiteTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/SpringJUnit4SuiteTests.java
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ import org.junit.runners.Suite.SuiteClasses;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ClassLevelDirtiesContextTests;
 import org.springframework.test.context.SpringRunnerContextCacheTests;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation.AnnotationConfigSpringJUnit4ClassRunnerAppCtxTests;
-import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation.DefaultConfigClassBaseTests;
-import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation.DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests;
+import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation.DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests;
+import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation.DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.orm.HibernateSessionFlushingTests;
 
 /**
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ StandardJUnit4FeaturesTests.class,//
 	StandardJUnit4FeaturesSpringRunnerTests.class,//
 	SpringJUnit47ClassRunnerRuleTests.class,//
 	AnnotationConfigSpringJUnit4ClassRunnerAppCtxTests.class,//
-	DefaultConfigClassBaseTests.class,//
-	DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests.class,//
+	DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests.class,//
+	DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.class,//
 	ExpectedExceptionSpringRunnerTests.class,//
 	TimedSpringRunnerTests.class,//
 	RepeatedSpringRunnerTests.class,//
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/AnnotationConfigTestSuite.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/AnnotationConfigTestSuite.java
index 926c5cc7cf..e2ff34c662 100644
--- a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/AnnotationConfigTestSuite.java
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/AnnotationConfigTestSuite.java
@@ -31,8 +31,11 @@ import org.junit.runners.Suite.SuiteClasses;
 // Note: the following 'multi-line' layout is for enhanced code readability.
 @SuiteClasses({//
 AnnotationConfigSpringJUnit4ClassRunnerAppCtxTests.class,//
-	DefaultConfigClassBaseTests.class,//
-	DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests.class //
+	DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests.class,//
+	DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.class,//
+	BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.class,//
+	BeanOverridingExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.class,//
+	ExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.class //
 })
 public class AnnotationConfigTestSuite {
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bb75b3d451
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2011 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.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
+
+/**
+ * Integration tests that verify support for configuration classes in
+ * the Spring TestContext Framework.
+ * 
+ * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig}
+ * and {@link BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig}.
+ * 
+ * @author Sam Brannen
+ * @since 3.1
+ */
+@ContextConfiguration
+public class BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests extends DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests {
+
+	@Test
+	@Override
+	public void verifyEmployeeSetFromBaseContextConfig() {
+		assertNotNull("The employee should have been autowired.", this.employee);
+		assertEquals("The employee bean should have been overridden.", "Yoda", this.employee.getName());
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5ca5f0fdb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.java
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2011 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.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation;
+
+import org.springframework.beans.Employee;
+import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
+import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
+
+/**
+ * ApplicationContext configuration class for
+ * {@link BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests} and
+ * {@link BeanOverridingExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests}.
+ * 
+ * @author Sam Brannen
+ * @since 3.1
+ */
+@Configuration
+public class BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig {
+
+	@Bean
+	public Employee employee() {
+		Employee employee = new Employee();
+		employee.setName("Yoda");
+		employee.setAge(900);
+		employee.setCompany("The Force");
+		return employee;
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..81a49410d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/BeanOverridingExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2011 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.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
+
+/**
+ * Integration tests that verify support for configuration classes in
+ * the Spring TestContext Framework.
+ * 
+ * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig}
+ * and {@link BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig}.
+ * 
+ * @author Sam Brannen
+ * @since 3.1
+ */
+@ContextConfiguration(classes = BeanOverridingDefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.class)
+public class BeanOverridingExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests extends ExplicitConfigClassesBaseTests {
+
+	@Test
+	@Override
+	public void verifyEmployeeSetFromBaseContextConfig() {
+		assertNotNull("The employee should have been autowired.", this.employee);
+		assertEquals("The employee bean should have been overridden.", "Yoda", this.employee.getName());
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassBaseTests.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests.java
similarity index 94%
rename from org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassBaseTests.java
rename to org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests.java
index 0a994176b3..a1765a3291 100644
--- a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassBaseTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests.java
@@ -31,17 +31,17 @@ import org.springframework.test.context.support.AnnotationConfigContextLoader;
  * Integration tests that verify support for configuration classes in
  * the Spring TestContext Framework.
  * 
- * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassBaseTestsConfig}.
+ * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig}.
  * 
  * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 3.1
  */
 @RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
 @ContextConfiguration(loader = AnnotationConfigContextLoader.class)
-public class DefaultConfigClassBaseTests {
+public class DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests {
 
 	@Autowired
-	private Employee employee;
+	protected Employee employee;
 
 
 	@Test
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassBaseTestsConfig.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig.java
similarity index 94%
rename from org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassBaseTestsConfig.java
rename to org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig.java
index 56466b5bf4..d9617d64c8 100644
--- a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassBaseTestsConfig.java
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig.java
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
 
 /**
- * ApplicationContext configuration class for {@link DefaultConfigClassBaseTests}.
+ * ApplicationContext configuration class for {@link DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests}.
  * 
  * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 3.1
  */
 @Configuration
-public class DefaultConfigClassBaseTestsConfig {
+public class DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig {
 
 	@Bean
 	public Employee employee() {
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
similarity index 89%
rename from org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests.java
rename to org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
index 8a2b37cfd5..cd3fc1fcfc 100644
--- a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
  * Integration tests that verify support for configuration classes in
  * the Spring TestContext Framework.
  * 
- * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassBaseTestsConfig}
- * and {@link DefaultConfigClassInheritedTestsConfig}.
+ * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig}
+ * and {@link DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig}.
  * 
  * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 3.1
  */
 @ContextConfiguration
-public class DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests extends DefaultConfigClassBaseTests {
+public class DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests extends DefaultConfigClassesBaseTests {
 
 	@Autowired
 	private Pet pet;
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassInheritedTestsConfig.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.java
similarity index 92%
rename from org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassInheritedTestsConfig.java
rename to org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.java
index a1261d4ec0..359f36a8e2 100644
--- a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassInheritedTestsConfig.java
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.java
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
 
 /**
- * ApplicationContext configuration class for {@link DefaultConfigClassInheritedTests}.
+ * ApplicationContext configuration class for {@link DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTests}.
  * 
  * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 3.1
  */
 @Configuration
-public class DefaultConfigClassInheritedTestsConfig {
+public class DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig {
 
 	@Bean
 	public Pet pet() {
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/ExplicitConfigClassesBaseTests.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/ExplicitConfigClassesBaseTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..968025791c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/ExplicitConfigClassesBaseTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2011 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.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.springframework.beans.Employee;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
+import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
+import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;
+import org.springframework.test.context.support.AnnotationConfigContextLoader;
+
+/**
+ * Integration tests that verify support for configuration classes in
+ * the Spring TestContext Framework.
+ * 
+ * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig}.
+ * 
+ * @author Sam Brannen
+ * @since 3.1
+ */
+@RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
+@ContextConfiguration(loader = AnnotationConfigContextLoader.class, classes = DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig.class)
+public class ExplicitConfigClassesBaseTests {
+
+	@Autowired
+	protected Employee employee;
+
+
+	@Test
+	public void verifyEmployeeSetFromBaseContextConfig() {
+		assertNotNull("The employee should have been autowired.", this.employee);
+		assertEquals("John Smith", this.employee.getName());
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/ExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.java b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/ExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dc8b1d657f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.springframework.test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/junit4/annotation/ExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2011 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.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.test.context.junit4.annotation;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.springframework.beans.Pet;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
+import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
+import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;
+import org.springframework.test.context.support.AnnotationConfigContextLoader;
+
+/**
+ * Integration tests that verify support for configuration classes in
+ * the Spring TestContext Framework.
+ * 
+ * <p>Configuration will be loaded from {@link DefaultConfigClassesBaseTestsConfig}
+ * and {@link DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig}
+ * 
+ * @author Sam Brannen
+ * @since 3.1
+ */
+@RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
+@ContextConfiguration(loader = AnnotationConfigContextLoader.class, classes = DefaultConfigClassesInheritedTestsConfig.class)
+public class ExplicitConfigClassesInheritedTests extends ExplicitConfigClassesBaseTests {
+
+	@Autowired
+	private Pet pet;
+
+
+	@Test
+	public void verifyPetSetFromExtendedContextConfig() {
+		assertNotNull("The pet should have been autowired.", this.pet);
+		assertEquals("Fido", this.pet.getName());
+	}
+
+}