diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ResponseBodyEmitterReturnValueHandler.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ResponseBodyEmitterReturnValueHandler.java
index 3c7ed2d5e3..9a21605860 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ResponseBodyEmitterReturnValueHandler.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ResponseBodyEmitterReturnValueHandler.java
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ public class ResponseBodyEmitterReturnValueHandler implements AsyncHandlerMethod
 
 		// Commit the response and wrap to ignore further header changes
 		outputMessage.getBody();
+		outputMessage.flush();
 		outputMessage = new StreamingServletServerHttpResponse(outputMessage);
 
 		DeferredResult<?> deferredResult = new DeferredResult<Object>(emitter.getTimeout());