diff --git a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
index cd2f26732a..aa3cee29fb 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
+++ b/org.springframework.core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2009 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2010 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.
@@ -372,8 +372,13 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 	 * @return the user-defined class
 	 */
 	public static Class<?> getUserClass(Class<?> clazz) {
-		return (clazz != null && clazz.getName().contains(CGLIB_CLASS_SEPARATOR) ?
-				clazz.getSuperclass() : clazz);
+		if (clazz != null && clazz.getName().contains(CGLIB_CLASS_SEPARATOR)) {
+			Class<?> superClass = clazz.getSuperclass();
+			if (superClass != null && !Object.class.equals(superClass)) {
+				return superClass;
+			}
+		}
+		return clazz;
 	}
 
 	/**