diff --git a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinder.java b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinder.java
index 556c4a51386..d32ca6fe790 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinder.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinder.java
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @author Rob Harrop
  * @author Stephane Nicoll
+ * @author Kazuki Shimizu
  * @see #setAllowedFields
  * @see #setRequiredFields
  * @see #registerCustomEditor
@@ -213,8 +214,12 @@ public class DataBinder implements PropertyEditorRegistry, TypeConverter {
 	 * Specify the limit for array and collection auto-growing.
 	 * <p>Default is 256, preventing OutOfMemoryErrors in case of large indexes.
 	 * Raise this limit if your auto-growing needs are unusually high.
+	 * @see #initBeanPropertyAccess()
+	 * @see org.springframework.beans.BeanWrapper#setAutoGrowCollectionLimit
 	 */
 	public void setAutoGrowCollectionLimit(int autoGrowCollectionLimit) {
+		Assert.state(this.bindingResult == null,
+				"DataBinder is already initialized - call setAutoGrowCollectionLimit before other configuration methods");
 		this.autoGrowCollectionLimit = autoGrowCollectionLimit;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinderTests.java b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinderTests.java
index c34c0a1fbe2..fb10d9dbbf2 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinderTests.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/test/java/org/springframework/validation/DataBinderTests.java
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
 
+import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 import org.springframework.beans.InvalidPropertyException;
 import org.springframework.beans.MutablePropertyValues;
 import org.springframework.beans.NotWritablePropertyException;
@@ -69,9 +71,13 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.*;
  * @author Rod Johnson
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @author Rob Harrop
+ * @author Kazuki Shimizu
  */
 public class DataBinderTests {
 
+	@Rule
+	public ExpectedException expectedException = ExpectedException.none();
+
 	@Test
 	public void testBindingNoErrors() throws Exception {
 		TestBean rod = new TestBean();
@@ -1982,6 +1988,30 @@ public class DataBinderTests {
 		assertEquals("age", binder.getBindingResult().getFieldError("age").getField());
 	}
 
+	@Test // SPR-14888
+	public void testSetAutoGrowCollectionLimit() {
+		BeanWithIntegerList tb = new BeanWithIntegerList();
+		DataBinder binder = new DataBinder(tb);
+		binder.setAutoGrowCollectionLimit(257);
+		MutablePropertyValues pvs = new MutablePropertyValues();
+		pvs.add("integerList[256]", "1");
+
+		binder.bind(pvs);
+		assertEquals(257, tb.getIntegerList().size());
+		assertEquals(Integer.valueOf(1), tb.getIntegerList().get(256));
+		assertEquals(Integer.valueOf(1), binder.getBindingResult().getFieldValue("integerList[256]"));
+	}
+
+	@Test // SPR-14888
+	public void testSetAutoGrowCollectionLimitAfterInitialization() {
+
+		expectedException.expect(IllegalStateException.class);
+		expectedException.expectMessage("DataBinder is already initialized - call setAutoGrowCollectionLimit before other configuration methods");
+
+		DataBinder binder = new DataBinder(new BeanWithIntegerList());
+		binder.registerCustomEditor(String.class, new StringTrimmerEditor(true));
+		binder.setAutoGrowCollectionLimit(257);
+	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unused")
 	private static class BeanWithIntegerList {