diff --git a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/EvaluationContext.java b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/EvaluationContext.java
index 33ac50df67d..a9e4745e398 100644
--- a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/EvaluationContext.java
+++ b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/EvaluationContext.java
@@ -51,16 +51,6 @@ public interface EvaluationContext {
 	 */
 	Object lookupVariable(String name);
 
-	// TODO lookupReference() - is it too expensive to return all objects within a context?
-	/**
-	 * Look up an object reference in a particular context. If no contextName is specified (null), assume the default
-	 * context. If no objectName is specified (null), return all objects in the specified context (List).
-	 * @param contextName the context in which to perform the lookup (or <code>null</code> for default context)
-	 * @param objectName the object to lookup in the context (or <code>null</code> to get all objects)
-	 * @return a specific object or List
-	 */
-	Object lookupReference(Object contextName, String objectName) throws EvaluationException;
-
 	/**
 	 * @return a list of resolvers that will be asked in turn to locate a constructor
 	 */
diff --git a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java
index b0bace6209b..f3546dfbd61 100644
--- a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java
+++ b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java
@@ -91,10 +91,6 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		return this.relatedContext.lookupVariable(name);
 	}
 
-	public Object lookupReference(Object contextName, String objectName) throws EvaluationException {
-		return this.relatedContext.lookupReference(contextName, objectName);
-	}
-
 	public TypeComparator getTypeComparator() {
 		return this.relatedContext.getTypeComparator();
 	}
diff --git a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/StandardEvaluationContext.java b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/StandardEvaluationContext.java
index 92ad0cc9109..21d3269302d 100644
--- a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/StandardEvaluationContext.java
+++ b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/StandardEvaluationContext.java
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ public class StandardEvaluationContext implements EvaluationContext {
 
 	private final Map<String, Object> variables = new HashMap<String, Object>();
 
-	private final Map<String, Map<String, Object>> simpleReferencesMap = new HashMap<String, Map<String, Object>>();
-
 	private final List<ConstructorResolver> constructorResolvers = new ArrayList<ConstructorResolver>();
 
 	private final List<MethodResolver> methodResolvers = new ArrayList<MethodResolver>();
@@ -63,14 +61,12 @@ public class StandardEvaluationContext implements EvaluationContext {
 
 	private OperatorOverloader operatorOverloader = new StandardOperatorOverloader();
 
-
 	public StandardEvaluationContext() {
 		this.methodResolvers.add(new ReflectiveMethodResolver());
 		this.constructorResolvers.add(new ReflectiveConstructorResolver());
 		this.propertyAccessors.add(new ReflectivePropertyResolver());
 	}
 
-
 	public void setRootObject(Object rootObject) {
 		this.rootObject = rootObject;
 	}
@@ -91,28 +87,6 @@ public class StandardEvaluationContext implements EvaluationContext {
 		return this.variables.get(name);
 	}
 
-	public void addReference(String contextName, String objectName, Object value) {
-		Map<String, Object> contextMap = this.simpleReferencesMap.get(contextName);
-		if (contextMap == null) {
-			contextMap = new HashMap<String, Object>();
-			this.simpleReferencesMap.put(contextName, contextMap);
-		}
-		contextMap.put(objectName, value);
-	}
-
-	public Object lookupReference(Object contextName, String objectName) {
-		String contextToLookup = (contextName == null ? "root" : (String) contextName);
-		// if (contextName==null) return simpleReferencesMap;
-		Map<String, Object> contextMap = this.simpleReferencesMap.get(contextToLookup);
-		if (contextMap == null) {
-			return null;
-		}
-		if (objectName == null) {
-			return contextMap;
-		}
-		return contextMap.get(objectName);
-	}
-
 	public void addConstructorResolver(ConstructorResolver resolver) {
 		this.constructorResolvers.add(this.constructorResolvers.size() - 1, resolver);
 	}
diff --git a/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/TestScenarioCreator.java b/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/TestScenarioCreator.java
index 7ff89ade63d..54de50d2431 100644
--- a/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/TestScenarioCreator.java
+++ b/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/TestScenarioCreator.java
@@ -16,16 +16,10 @@
 
 package org.springframework.expression.spel;
 
-import java.awt.*;
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
-import java.util.HashMap;
-import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.support.StandardEvaluationContext;
-import org.springframework.expression.spel.testresources.Fruit;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.testresources.Inventor;
-import org.springframework.expression.spel.testresources.Person;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.testresources.PlaceOfBirth;
 
 /**
@@ -39,7 +33,6 @@ public class TestScenarioCreator {
 	public static StandardEvaluationContext getTestEvaluationContext() {
 		StandardEvaluationContext testContext = new StandardEvaluationContext();
 		setupRootContextObject(testContext);
-		populateContextMap(testContext);
 		populateVariables(testContext);
 		populateFunctions(testContext);
 		return testContext;
@@ -94,78 +87,6 @@ public class TestScenarioCreator {
 		testContext.setRootObject(tesla);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Create a context configuration that tests can reference into using the
-	 * @() language construct. at(context:objectName) will index a particular object within a particular context. The
-	 * 'root' context will be used for references where no context is specified, eg.
-	 * @(orange).
-	 *
-	 * @param testContext the evaluation context in which to register the new references
-	 */
-	private static void populateContextMap(StandardEvaluationContext testContext) {
-		Map<String, Map<String, Object>> contextToReferencesMap = new HashMap<String, Map<String, Object>>();
-
-		Person andy, christian, julie, stefanie, rob, rod, adrian;
-		andy = new Person("Andy");
-		christian = new Person("Christian");
-		julie = new Person("Julie");
-		stefanie = new Person("Stefanie");
-		rod = new Person("Rod");
-		rob = new Person("Rob");
-		adrian = new Person("Adrian");
-
-		Map<String, Object> people = new HashMap<String, Object>();
-		people.put("Andy", andy);
-		people.put("Christian", christian);
-		people.put("Julie", julie);
-		people.put("Stefanie", stefanie);
-
-		Map<String, Object> colors = new HashMap<String, Object>();
-		colors.put("red", Color.red);
-		colors.put("orange", Color.orange);
-		colors.put("yellow", Color.yellow);
-		colors.put("green", Color.red);
-		colors.put("blue", Color.orange);
-		contextToReferencesMap.put("colors", colors);
-
-		Map<String, Object> fruits = new HashMap<String, Object>();
-		fruits.put("orange", new Fruit("Orange", Color.orange, "orange"));
-		fruits.put("apple", new Fruit("Apple", Color.green, "green"));
-		fruits.put("banana", new Fruit("Banana", Color.yellow, "yellow"));
-
-		Map<String, Object> root = new HashMap<String, Object>();
-		root.put("orange", new Fruit("Orange", Color.orange, "orange"));
-		root.put("apple", new Fruit("Apple", Color.green, "green"));
-		root.put("banana", new Fruit("Banana", Color.yellow, "yellow"));
-		root.put("red", Color.red);
-		root.put("orange", Color.orange);
-		root.put("yellow", Color.yellow);
-		root.put("green", Color.red);
-		root.put("blue", Color.orange);
-		root.put("Andy", andy);
-		root.put("Christian", christian);
-		root.put("Julie", julie);
-		root.put("Stefanie", stefanie);
-		root.put("Adrian", adrian);
-		root.put("Rob", rob);
-		root.put("Rod", rod);
-
-		contextToReferencesMap.put("people", people);
-		contextToReferencesMap.put("fruits", fruits);
-		contextToReferencesMap.put("root", root); // used if no context
-		// specified
-
-		contextToReferencesMap.put("a.b.c", fruits);
-		java.util.Set<String> contextKeys = contextToReferencesMap.keySet();
-		for (String contextName : contextKeys) {
-			Map<String, Object> elements = contextToReferencesMap.get(contextName);
-			Set<String> objectNames = elements.keySet();
-			for (String objectName : objectNames) {
-				testContext.addReference(contextName, objectName, elements.get(objectName));
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
 	// These methods are registered in the test context and therefore accessible through function calls
 	// in test expressions