diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlCharacterEntityReferences.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlCharacterEntityReferences.java
index b8c3350b9a..83a987e4c7 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlCharacterEntityReferences.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlCharacterEntityReferences.java
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class HtmlCharacterEntityReferences {
 			int index = (referredChar < 1000 ? referredChar : referredChar - 7000);
 			String reference = entityReferences.getProperty(key);
 			this.characterToEntityReferenceMap[index] = REFERENCE_START + reference + REFERENCE_END;
-			this.entityReferenceToCharacterMap.put(reference, new Character((char) referredChar));
+			this.entityReferenceToCharacterMap.put(reference, (char) referredChar);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -126,10 +126,11 @@ class HtmlCharacterEntityReferences {
 
 	/**
 	 * Return the reference mapped to the given character or {@code null}.
+	 * @since 4.1.2
 	 */
 	public String convertToReference(char character, String encoding) {
-		if(encoding.startsWith("UTF-")){
-			switch(character){
+		if (encoding.startsWith("UTF-")){
+			switch (character){
 				case '<':
 					return "&lt;";
 				case '>':
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ class HtmlCharacterEntityReferences {
 	public char convertToCharacter(String entityReference) {
 		Character referredCharacter = this.entityReferenceToCharacterMap.get(entityReference);
 		if (referredCharacter != null) {
-			return referredCharacter.charValue();
+			return referredCharacter;
 		}
 		return CHAR_NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlUtils.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlUtils.java
index 307de87bc1..cf4a8521cf 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlUtils.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/util/HtmlUtils.java
@@ -76,9 +76,10 @@ public abstract class HtmlUtils {
 	 * @param input the (unescaped) input string
 	 * @param encoding The name of a supported {@link java.nio.charset.Charset charset}
 	 * @return the escaped string
+	 * @since 4.1.2
 	 */
 	public static String htmlEscape(String input, String encoding) {
-		Assert.notNull(encoding, "encoding is required");
+		Assert.notNull(encoding, "Encoding is required");
 		if (input == null) {
 			return null;
 		}
@@ -126,9 +127,10 @@ public abstract class HtmlUtils {
 	 * @param input the (unescaped) input string
 	 * @param encoding The name of a supported {@link java.nio.charset.Charset charset}
 	 * @return the escaped string
+	 * @since 4.1.2
 	 */
 	public static String htmlEscapeDecimal(String input, String encoding) {
-		Assert.notNull(encoding, "encoding is required");
+		Assert.notNull(encoding, "Encoding is required");
 		if (input == null) {
 			return null;
 		}
@@ -177,9 +179,10 @@ public abstract class HtmlUtils {
 	 * @param input the (unescaped) input string
 	 * @param encoding The name of a supported {@link java.nio.charset.Charset charset}
 	 * @return the escaped string
+	 * @since 4.1.2
 	 */
 	public static String htmlEscapeHex(String input, String encoding) {
-		Assert.notNull(encoding, "encoding is required");
+		Assert.notNull(encoding, "Encoding is required");
 		if (input == null) {
 			return null;
 		}