diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtils.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtils.java
index bb22a5a39f3..b2d98ea7681 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtils.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtils.java
@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 		final Set<String> activeProfiles = new HashSet<String>();
 
 		while (descriptor != null) {
+			Class<?> rootDeclaringClass = descriptor.getRootDeclaringClass();
 			Class<?> declaringClass = descriptor.getDeclaringClass();
 
 			AnnotationAttributes annAttrs = descriptor.getAnnotationAttributes();
@@ -530,12 +531,12 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 				}
 				catch (Exception e) {
 					String msg = String.format("Could not instantiate ActiveProfilesResolver of "
-							+ "type [%s] for test class [%s].", resolverClass.getName(), declaringClass.getName());
+							+ "type [%s] for test class [%s].", resolverClass.getName(), rootDeclaringClass.getName());
 					logger.error(msg);
 					throw new IllegalStateException(msg, e);
 				}
 
-				profiles = resolver.resolve(declaringClass);
+				profiles = resolver.resolve(rootDeclaringClass);
 				if (profiles == null) {
 					String msg = String.format(
 						"ActiveProfilesResolver [%s] returned a null array of bean definition profiles.",
@@ -555,7 +556,7 @@ abstract class ContextLoaderUtils {
 			}
 
 			descriptor = annAttrs.getBoolean("inheritProfiles") ? findAnnotationDescriptor(
-				descriptor.getRootDeclaringClass().getSuperclass(), annotationType) : null;
+				rootDeclaringClass.getSuperclass(), annotationType) : null;
 		}
 
 		return StringUtils.toStringArray(activeProfiles);
diff --git a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests.java b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests.java
index af81a22d16e..781b2e2772f 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests.java
@@ -205,6 +205,18 @@ public class ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests extends AbstractContextLoader
 		resolveActiveProfiles(NullActiveProfilesResolverTestCase.class);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * This test verifies that the actual test class, not the composed annotation,
+	 * is passed to the resolver.
+	 *
+	 * @since 4.0.3
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void resolveActiveProfilesWithMetaAnnotationAndTestClassVerifyingResolver() {
+		Class<TestClassVerifyingActiveProfilesResolverTestCase> testClass = TestClassVerifyingActiveProfilesResolverTestCase.class;
+		assertResolvedProfiles(testClass, testClass.getSimpleName());
+	}
+
 
 	// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -239,6 +251,12 @@ public class ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests extends AbstractContextLoader
 		boolean inheritProfiles() default false;
 	}
 
+	@ActiveProfiles(resolver = TestClassVerifyingActiveProfilesResolver.class)
+	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+	@Target(ElementType.TYPE)
+	private static @interface MetaResolverConfig {
+	}
+
 	@MetaAnimalsConfig
 	private static class MetaAnimals extends MetaLocationsBar {
 	}
@@ -282,6 +300,10 @@ public class ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests extends AbstractContextLoader
 	private static class ConflictingResolverAndValueTestCase {
 	}
 
+	@MetaResolverConfig
+	private static class TestClassVerifyingActiveProfilesResolverTestCase {
+	}
+
 	@ActiveProfiles(profiles = "conflict", value = "conflict")
 	private static class ConflictingProfilesAndValueTestCase {
 	}
@@ -322,4 +344,13 @@ public class ContextLoaderUtilsActiveProfilesTests extends AbstractContextLoader
 		}
 	}
 
+	private static class TestClassVerifyingActiveProfilesResolver implements ActiveProfilesResolver {
+
+		@Override
+		public String[] resolve(Class<?> testClass) {
+			return testClass.isAnnotation() ? new String[] { "@" + testClass.getSimpleName() }
+					: new String[] { testClass.getSimpleName() };
+		}
+	}
+
 }