diff --git a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/FunctionReference.java b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/FunctionReference.java
index 0387b65ef33..0aeeee375b3 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/FunctionReference.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/FunctionReference.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package org.springframework.expression.spel.ast;
 
 import java.lang.invoke.MethodHandle;
 import java.lang.invoke.MethodType;
+import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
 import java.util.StringJoiner;
@@ -145,8 +146,10 @@ public class FunctionReference extends SpelNodeImpl {
 			return new TypedValue(result, new TypeDescriptor(new MethodParameter(method, -1)).narrow(result));
 		}
 		catch (Exception ex) {
-			throw new SpelEvaluationException(getStartPosition(), ex, SpelMessage.EXCEPTION_DURING_FUNCTION_CALL,
-					this.name, ex.getMessage());
+			Throwable cause = ((ex instanceof InvocationTargetException ite && ite.getCause() != null) ?
+					ite.getCause() : ex);
+			throw new SpelEvaluationException(getStartPosition(), cause, SpelMessage.EXCEPTION_DURING_FUNCTION_CALL,
+					this.name, cause.getMessage());
 		}
 		finally {
 			if (compilable) {