diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java
index ef1a6d267e..eedad5dda1 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java
@@ -1136,7 +1136,9 @@ public class DefaultListableBeanFactory extends AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFacto
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Determine the candidate with the highest priority in the given set of beans.
+	 * Determine the candidate with the highest priority in the given set of beans. As
+	 * defined by the {@link org.springframework.core.Ordered} interface, the lowest
+	 * value has the highest priority.
 	 * @param candidateBeans a Map of candidate names and candidate instances
 	 * that match the required type
 	 * @param requiredType the target dependency type to match against
@@ -1158,7 +1160,7 @@ public class DefaultListableBeanFactory extends AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFacto
 								"Multiple beans found with the same priority ('" + highestPriority + "') " +
 										"among candidates: " + candidateBeans.keySet());
 					}
-					else if (candidatePriority > highestPriority) {
+					else if (candidatePriority < highestPriority) {
 						highestPriorityBeanName = candidateBeanName;
 						highestPriority = candidatePriority;
 					}
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
index 618ad67c2f..784f0faa23 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
@@ -1399,7 +1399,7 @@ public class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		lbf.registerBeanDefinition("bd2", bd2);
 		thrown.expect(NoUniqueBeanDefinitionException.class);
 		thrown.expectMessage(containsString("Multiple beans found with the same priority"));
-		thrown.expectMessage(containsString("500")); // conflicting priority
+		thrown.expectMessage(containsString("5")); // conflicting priority
 		lbf.getBean(TestBean.class);
 	}
 
@@ -1613,7 +1613,7 @@ public class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 			// expected
 			assertNotNull("Exception should have cause", ex.getCause());
 			assertEquals("Wrong cause type", NoUniqueBeanDefinitionException.class, ex.getCause().getClass());
-			assertTrue(ex.getMessage().contains("500")); // conflicting priority
+			assertTrue(ex.getMessage().contains("5")); // conflicting priority
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -2887,10 +2887,10 @@ public class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 
 	}
 
-	@Priority(500)
+	@Priority(5)
 	private static class HighPriorityTestBean extends TestBean {}
 
-	@Priority(5)
+	@Priority(500)
 	private static class LowPriorityTestBean extends TestBean {}