diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java
index 929c1b3de4..c12c79d72a 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/bind/annotation/RequestMapping.java
@@ -160,6 +160,12 @@ import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
  * context path, and the literal part of the servlet mapping.
  * </ul>
  *
+ * <p><strong>Note: </strong> JDK 1.8's {@code java.util.Optional} is supported
+ * as a method parameter type with annotations that provide a {@code required}
+ * attribute (e.g. {@code @RequestParam}, {@code @RequestHeader}, etc.) The use
+ * of {@code java.util.Optional} in those cases is equivalent to having
+ * {@code required=false}.
+ *
  * <p>The following return types are supported for handler methods:
  * <ul>
  * <li>A {@code ModelAndView} object (Servlet MVC or Portlet MVC),
diff --git a/src/asciidoc/index.adoc b/src/asciidoc/index.adoc
index 55e592b41b..5d2e85b1e4 100644
--- a/src/asciidoc/index.adoc
+++ b/src/asciidoc/index.adoc
@@ -30887,6 +30887,13 @@ this working you have to reorder the parameters as follows:
 	public String processSubmit(**@ModelAttribute("pet") Pet pet**, **BindingResult result**, Model model) { ... }
 ----
 
+[NOTE]
+====
+JDK 1.8's `java.util.Optional` is supported as a method parameter type with annotations
+that have a `required` attribute (e.g. `@RequestParam`, `@RequestHeader`, etc. The use
+of `java.util.Optional` in those cases is equivalent to having `required=false`.
+====
+
 
 [[mvc-ann-return-types]]
 ===== Supported method return types