diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/TestPropertySourceUtils.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/TestPropertySourceUtils.java
index ff2f28c4b7b..40f6c709342 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/TestPropertySourceUtils.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/TestPropertySourceUtils.java
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ public abstract class TestPropertySourceUtils {
 
 	private static final PropertySourceFactory defaultPropertySourceFactory = new DefaultPropertySourceFactory();
 
+	private static Comparator<MergedAnnotation<? extends Annotation>> reversedMetaDistance =
+			Comparator.<MergedAnnotation<? extends Annotation>> comparingInt(MergedAnnotation::getDistance).reversed();
+
 	private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(TestPropertySourceUtils.class);
 
 
@@ -426,7 +429,7 @@ public abstract class TestPropertySourceUtils {
 
 		MergedAnnotations.from(clazz, SearchStrategy.DIRECT)
 			.stream(annotationType)
-			.sorted(highMetaDistancesFirst())
+			.sorted(reversedMetaDistance)
 			.forEach(annotation -> listOfLists.get(aggregateIndex[0]).add(0, annotation));
 
 		aggregateIndex[0]++;
@@ -448,10 +451,6 @@ public abstract class TestPropertySourceUtils {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private static <A extends Annotation> Comparator<MergedAnnotation<A>> highMetaDistancesFirst() {
-		return Comparator.<MergedAnnotation<A>> comparingInt(MergedAnnotation::getDistance).reversed();
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Extension of {@link Properties} that mimics a {@code SequencedMap} by
 	 * tracking all added properties in the supplied {@link LinkedHashMap}.