diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/support/InvocableHandlerMethod.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/support/InvocableHandlerMethod.java
index e37270252b4..31c46a86c63 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/support/InvocableHandlerMethod.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/method/support/InvocableHandlerMethod.java
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public class InvocableHandlerMethod extends HandlerMethod {
 	 */
 	public void setMethodValidator(@Nullable MethodValidator methodValidator) {
 		this.methodValidator = methodValidator;
-		this.validationGroups = (methodValidator != null ?
+		this.validationGroups = (methodValidator != null && (shouldValidateArguments() || shouldValidateReturnValue()) ?
 				methodValidator.determineValidationGroups(getBean(), getBridgedMethod()) : EMPTY_GROUPS);
 	}