diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/PropertyDescriptorUtils.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/PropertyDescriptorUtils.java
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/PropertyDescriptorUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2014 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.beans;
+
+import java.beans.IntrospectionException;
+import java.beans.PropertyDescriptor;
+import java.lang.reflect.Method;
+import java.util.Enumeration;
+
+import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
+
+/**
+ * Common delegate methods for Spring's internal {@link PropertyDescriptor} implementations.
+ *
+ * @author Chris Beams
+ * @author Juergen Hoeller
+ */
+class PropertyDescriptorUtils {
+
+	/**
+	 * See {@link java.beans.FeatureDescriptor}.
+	 */
+	public static void copyNonMethodProperties(PropertyDescriptor source, PropertyDescriptor target)
+			throws IntrospectionException {
+
+		target.setExpert(source.isExpert());
+		target.setHidden(source.isHidden());
+		target.setPreferred(source.isPreferred());
+		target.setName(source.getName());
+		target.setShortDescription(source.getShortDescription());
+		target.setDisplayName(source.getDisplayName());
+
+		// Copy all attributes (emulating behavior of private FeatureDescriptor#addTable)
+		Enumeration<String> keys = source.attributeNames();
+		while (keys.hasMoreElements()) {
+			String key = keys.nextElement();
+			target.setValue(key, source.getValue(key));
+		}
+
+		// See java.beans.PropertyDescriptor#PropertyDescriptor(PropertyDescriptor)
+		target.setPropertyEditorClass(source.getPropertyEditorClass());
+		target.setBound(source.isBound());
+		target.setConstrained(source.isConstrained());
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * See {@link java.beans.PropertyDescriptor#findPropertyType}.
+	 */
+	public static Class<?> findPropertyType(Method readMethod, Method writeMethod) throws IntrospectionException {
+		Class<?> propertyType = null;
+
+		if (readMethod != null) {
+			Class<?>[] params = readMethod.getParameterTypes();
+			if (params.length != 0) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Bad read method arg count: " + readMethod);
+			}
+			propertyType = readMethod.getReturnType();
+			if (propertyType == Void.TYPE) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Read method returns void: " + readMethod);
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (writeMethod != null) {
+			Class<?> params[] = writeMethod.getParameterTypes();
+			if (params.length != 1) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Bad write method arg count: " + writeMethod);
+			}
+			if (propertyType != null) {
+				if (propertyType.isAssignableFrom(params[0])) {
+					// Write method's property type potentially more specific
+					propertyType = params[0];
+				}
+				else if (params[0].isAssignableFrom(propertyType)) {
+					// Proceed with read method's property type
+				}
+				else {
+					throw new IntrospectionException(
+							"Type mismatch between read and write methods: " + readMethod + " - " + writeMethod);
+				}
+			}
+			else {
+				propertyType = params[0];
+			}
+		}
+
+		return propertyType;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * See {@link java.beans.IndexedPropertyDescriptor#findIndexedPropertyType}.
+	 */
+	public static Class<?> findIndexedPropertyType(String name, Class<?> propertyType,
+			Method indexedReadMethod, Method indexedWriteMethod) throws IntrospectionException {
+
+		Class<?> indexedPropertyType = null;
+
+		if (indexedReadMethod != null) {
+			Class<?> params[] = indexedReadMethod.getParameterTypes();
+			if (params.length != 1) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Bad indexed read method arg count: " + indexedReadMethod);
+			}
+			if (params[0] != Integer.TYPE) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Non int index to indexed read method: " + indexedReadMethod);
+			}
+			indexedPropertyType = indexedReadMethod.getReturnType();
+			if (indexedPropertyType == Void.TYPE) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Indexed read method returns void: " + indexedReadMethod);
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (indexedWriteMethod != null) {
+			Class<?> params[] = indexedWriteMethod.getParameterTypes();
+			if (params.length != 2) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Bad indexed write method arg count: " + indexedWriteMethod);
+			}
+			if (params[0] != Integer.TYPE) {
+				throw new IntrospectionException("Non int index to indexed write method: " + indexedWriteMethod);
+			}
+			if (indexedPropertyType != null) {
+				if (indexedPropertyType.isAssignableFrom(params[1])) {
+					// Write method's property type potentially more specific
+					indexedPropertyType = params[1];
+				}
+				else if (params[1].isAssignableFrom(indexedPropertyType)) {
+					// Proceed with read method's property type
+				}
+				else {
+					throw new IntrospectionException("Type mismatch between indexed read and write methods: " +
+							indexedReadMethod + " - " + indexedWriteMethod);
+				}
+			}
+			else {
+				indexedPropertyType = params[1];
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (propertyType != null && (!propertyType.isArray() ||
+				propertyType.getComponentType() != indexedPropertyType)) {
+			throw new IntrospectionException("Type mismatch between indexed and non-indexed methods: " +
+					indexedReadMethod + " - " + indexedWriteMethod);
+		}
+
+		return indexedPropertyType;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Compare the given {@code PropertyDescriptors} and return {@code true} if
+	 * they are equivalent, i.e. their read method, write method, property type,
+	 * property editor and flags are equivalent.
+	 * @see java.beans.PropertyDescriptor#equals(Object)
+	 */
+	public static boolean equals(PropertyDescriptor pd, PropertyDescriptor otherPd) {
+		return (ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(pd.getReadMethod(), otherPd.getReadMethod()) &&
+				ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(pd.getWriteMethod(), otherPd.getWriteMethod()) &&
+				ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(pd.getPropertyType(), otherPd.getPropertyType()) &&
+				ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(pd.getPropertyEditorClass(), otherPd.getPropertyEditorClass()) &&
+				pd.isBound() == otherPd.isBound() && pd.isConstrained() == otherPd.isConstrained());
+	}
+
+}