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 d869e3c7d82..bca705053ed 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
@@ -217,8 +217,8 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		return (configuration & SpelExpressionParserConfiguration.GrowListsOnIndexBeyondSize)!=0;
 	}
 
-	public boolean configuredToCreateCollection() {
-		return (configuration & SpelExpressionParserConfiguration.CreateListsOnAttemptToIndexIntoNull)!=0;
+	public boolean configuredToCreateCollectionOrMap() {
+		return (configuration & SpelExpressionParserConfiguration.CreateObjectIfAttemptToReferenceNull)!=0;
 	}
 
 }