diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpEntity.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpEntity.java
index a709bf78603..38c1d3fddd0 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpEntity.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpEntity.java
@@ -16,12 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.http;
 
-import org.reactivestreams.Publisher;
-
-import org.springframework.core.ParameterizedTypeReference;
-import org.springframework.core.ResolvableType;
 import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
-import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
 import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
 
@@ -72,9 +67,6 @@ public class HttpEntity<T> {
 	@Nullable
 	private final T body;
 
-	@Nullable
-	private final ResolvableType bodyType;
-
 
 	/**
 	 * Create a new, empty {@code HttpEntity}.
@@ -105,18 +97,7 @@ public class HttpEntity<T> {
 	 * @param headers the entity headers
 	 */
 	public HttpEntity(@Nullable T body, @Nullable MultiValueMap<String, String> headers) {
-		this(body, null, headers);
-	}
-
-	private HttpEntity(@Nullable T body, @Nullable ResolvableType bodyType,
-			@Nullable MultiValueMap<String, String> headers) {
 		this.body = body;
-
-		if (bodyType == null && body != null) {
-			bodyType = ResolvableType.forClass(body.getClass());
-		}
-		this.bodyType = bodyType ;
-
 		HttpHeaders tempHeaders = new HttpHeaders();
 		if (headers != null) {
 			tempHeaders.putAll(headers);
@@ -147,13 +128,6 @@ public class HttpEntity<T> {
 		return (this.body != null);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Returns the type of the body.
-	 */
-	@Nullable
-	public ResolvableType getBodyType() {
-		return this.bodyType;
-	}
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean equals(@Nullable Object other) {
@@ -185,44 +159,4 @@ public class HttpEntity<T> {
 		return builder.toString();
 	}
 
-
-	// Static builder methods
-
-	/**
-	 * Create a new {@code HttpEntity} with the given {@link Publisher} as body, class contained in
-	 * {@code publisher}, and headers.
-	 * @param publisher the publisher to use as body
-	 * @param elementClass the class of elements contained in the publisher
-	 * @param headers the entity headers
-	 * @param <S> the type of the elements contained in the publisher
-	 * @param <P> the type of the {@code Publisher}
-	 * @return the created entity
-	 */
-	public static <S, P extends Publisher<S>> HttpEntity<P> fromPublisher(P publisher,
-			Class<S> elementClass, @Nullable MultiValueMap<String, String> headers) {
-
-		Assert.notNull(publisher, "'publisher' must not be null");
-		Assert.notNull(elementClass, "'elementClass' must not be null");
-		return new HttpEntity<>(publisher, ResolvableType.forClass(elementClass), headers);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Create a new {@code HttpEntity} with the given {@link Publisher} as body, type contained in
-	 * {@code publisher}, and headers.
-	 * @param publisher the publisher to use as body
-	 * @param typeReference the type of elements contained in the publisher
-	 * @param headers the entity headers
-	 * @param <S> the type of the elements contained in the publisher
-	 * @param <P> the type of the {@code Publisher}
-	 * @return the created entity
-	 */
-	public static <S, P extends Publisher<S>> HttpEntity<P> fromPublisher(P publisher,
-			ParameterizedTypeReference<S> typeReference,
-			@Nullable MultiValueMap<String, String> headers) {
-
-		Assert.notNull(publisher, "'publisher' must not be null");
-		Assert.notNull(typeReference, "'typeReference' must not be null");
-		return new HttpEntity<>(publisher, ResolvableType.forType(typeReference), headers);
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilder.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilder.java
index 231a7a52e29..80289e4fd87 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilder.java
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ public final class MultipartBodyBuilder {
 		Assert.notNull(elementType, "'elementType' must not be null");
 
 		HttpHeaders partHeaders = new HttpHeaders();
-		PublisherClassPartBuilder<T, P> builder =
-				new PublisherClassPartBuilder<>(publisher, elementClass, partHeaders);
+		PublisherPartBuilder<T, P> builder =
+				new PublisherPartBuilder<>(publisher, elementClass, partHeaders);
 		this.parts.add(name, builder);
 		return builder;
 
@@ -155,21 +155,21 @@ public final class MultipartBodyBuilder {
 	 * the returned {@link PartBuilder}.
 	 * @param name the name of the part to add (may not be empty)
 	 * @param publisher the contents of the part to add
-	 * @param elementType the type of elements contained in the publisher
+	 * @param typeReference the type of elements contained in the publisher
 	 * @return a builder that allows for further header customization
 	 */
 	public <T, P extends Publisher<T>> PartBuilder asyncPart(String name, P publisher,
-			ParameterizedTypeReference<T> elementType) {
+			ParameterizedTypeReference<T> typeReference) {
 
-		Assert.notNull(elementType, "'elementType' must not be null");
-		ResolvableType elementType1 = ResolvableType.forType(elementType);
+		Assert.notNull(typeReference, "'typeReference' must not be null");
+		ResolvableType elementType1 = ResolvableType.forType(typeReference);
 		Assert.hasLength(name, "'name' must not be empty");
 		Assert.notNull(publisher, "'publisher' must not be null");
-		Assert.notNull(elementType1, "'elementType' must not be null");
+		Assert.notNull(elementType1, "'typeReference' must not be null");
 
 		HttpHeaders partHeaders = new HttpHeaders();
-		PublisherTypReferencePartBuilder<T, P> builder =
-				new PublisherTypReferencePartBuilder<>(publisher, elementType, partHeaders);
+		PublisherPartBuilder<T, P> builder =
+				new PublisherPartBuilder<>(publisher, typeReference, partHeaders);
 		this.parts.add(name, builder);
 		return builder;
 	}
@@ -213,43 +213,57 @@ public final class MultipartBodyBuilder {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private static class PublisherClassPartBuilder<S, P extends Publisher<S>>
+	private static class PublisherPartBuilder<S, P extends Publisher<S>>
 			extends DefaultPartBuilder {
 
-		private final Class<S> bodyType;
+		private final ResolvableType resolvableType;
 
-		public PublisherClassPartBuilder(P body, Class<S> bodyType, HttpHeaders headers) {
+		public PublisherPartBuilder(P body, Class<S> elementClass, HttpHeaders headers) {
 			super(body, headers);
-			this.bodyType = bodyType;
+			this.resolvableType = ResolvableType.forClass(elementClass);
+		}
+
+		public PublisherPartBuilder(P body, ParameterizedTypeReference<S> typeReference,
+				HttpHeaders headers) {
+
+			super(body, headers);
+			this.resolvableType = ResolvableType.forType(typeReference);
 		}
 
 		@Override
 		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 		public HttpEntity<?> build() {
-			P body = (P) this.body;
-			Assert.state(body != null, "'body' must not be null");
-			return HttpEntity.fromPublisher(body, this.bodyType, this.headers);
+			P publisher = (P) this.body;
+			Assert.state(publisher != null, "'publisher' must not be null");
+			return new PublisherEntity<>(publisher, this.resolvableType, this.headers);
 		}
 	}
 
-	private static class PublisherTypReferencePartBuilder<S, P extends Publisher<S>>
-			extends DefaultPartBuilder {
 
-		private final ParameterizedTypeReference<S> bodyType;
+	/**
+	 * Specific subtype of {@link HttpEntity} for containing {@link Publisher}s as body.
+	 * Exposes the type contained in the publisher through {@link #getResolvableType()}.
+	 * @param <T> The type contained in the publisher
+	 * @param <P> The publisher
+	 */
+	public static final class PublisherEntity<T, P extends Publisher<T>> extends HttpEntity<P> {
 
-		public PublisherTypReferencePartBuilder(P body, ParameterizedTypeReference<S> bodyType,
-				HttpHeaders headers) {
+		private final ResolvableType resolvableType;
 
-			super(body, headers);
-			this.bodyType = bodyType;
+
+		PublisherEntity(P publisher, ResolvableType resolvableType,
+				@Nullable MultiValueMap<String, String> headers) {
+			super(publisher, headers);
+			Assert.notNull(publisher, "'publisher' must not be null");
+			Assert.notNull(resolvableType, "'resolvableType' must not be null");
+			this.resolvableType = resolvableType;
 		}
 
-		@Override
-		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-		public HttpEntity<?> build() {
-			P body = (P) this.body;
-			Assert.state(body != null, "'body' must not be null");
-			return HttpEntity.fromPublisher(body, this.bodyType, this.headers);
+		/**
+		 * Return the resolvable type for this entry.
+		 */
+		public ResolvableType getResolvableType() {
+			return this.resolvableType;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/multipart/MultipartHttpMessageWriter.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/multipart/MultipartHttpMessageWriter.java
index 5923ac7eb0b..aef9cdfae77 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/multipart/MultipartHttpMessageWriter.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/codec/multipart/MultipartHttpMessageWriter.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import org.springframework.http.HttpEntity;
 import org.springframework.http.HttpHeaders;
 import org.springframework.http.MediaType;
 import org.springframework.http.ReactiveHttpOutputMessage;
+import org.springframework.http.client.MultipartBodyBuilder;
 import org.springframework.http.codec.EncoderHttpMessageWriter;
 import org.springframework.http.codec.FormHttpMessageWriter;
 import org.springframework.http.codec.HttpMessageWriter;
@@ -230,20 +231,25 @@ public class MultipartHttpMessageWriter implements HttpMessageWriter<MultiValueM
 		MultipartHttpOutputMessage outputMessage = new MultipartHttpOutputMessage(this.bufferFactory, getCharset());
 
 		T body;
-		ResolvableType bodyType = null;
+		ResolvableType resolvableType = null;
 		if (value instanceof HttpEntity) {
 			HttpEntity<T> httpEntity = (HttpEntity<T>) value;
 			outputMessage.getHeaders().putAll(httpEntity.getHeaders());
 			body = httpEntity.getBody();
 			Assert.state(body != null, "MultipartHttpMessageWriter only supports HttpEntity with body");
-			bodyType = httpEntity.getBodyType();
+
+			if (httpEntity instanceof MultipartBodyBuilder.PublisherEntity<?, ?>) {
+				MultipartBodyBuilder.PublisherEntity<?, ?> publisherEntity =
+						(MultipartBodyBuilder.PublisherEntity<?, ?>) httpEntity;
+				resolvableType = publisherEntity.getResolvableType();
+			}
 		}
 		else {
 			body = value;
 		}
 
-		if (bodyType == null) {
-			bodyType = ResolvableType.forClass(body.getClass());
+		if (resolvableType == null) {
+			resolvableType = ResolvableType.forClass(body.getClass());
 		}
 
 		String filename = (body instanceof Resource ? ((Resource) body).getFilename() : null);
@@ -251,7 +257,7 @@ public class MultipartHttpMessageWriter implements HttpMessageWriter<MultiValueM
 
 		MediaType contentType = outputMessage.getHeaders().getContentType();
 
-		final ResolvableType finalBodyType = bodyType;
+		final ResolvableType finalBodyType = resolvableType;
 		Optional<HttpMessageWriter<?>> writer = this.partWriters.stream()
 				.filter(partWriter -> partWriter.canWrite(finalBodyType, contentType))
 				.findFirst();
@@ -264,7 +270,7 @@ public class MultipartHttpMessageWriter implements HttpMessageWriter<MultiValueM
 				body instanceof Publisher ? (Publisher<T>) body : Mono.just(body);
 
 		Mono<Void> partWritten = ((HttpMessageWriter<T>) writer.get())
-				.write(bodyPublisher, bodyType, contentType, outputMessage, Collections.emptyMap());
+				.write(bodyPublisher, resolvableType, contentType, outputMessage, Collections.emptyMap());
 
 		// partWritten.subscribe() is required in order to make sure MultipartHttpOutputMessage#getBody()
 		// returns a non-null value (occurs with ResourceHttpMessageWriter that invokes
diff --git a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilderTests.java b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilderTests.java
index ed42d016c61..0fc970b8f9c 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilderTests.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/MultipartBodyBuilderTests.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import org.junit.Test;
 import org.reactivestreams.Publisher;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Flux;
 
+import org.springframework.core.ParameterizedTypeReference;
 import org.springframework.core.ResolvableType;
 import org.springframework.core.io.ClassPathResource;
 import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
@@ -49,11 +50,12 @@ public class MultipartBodyBuilderTests {
 		builder.part("key", multipartData).header("foo", "bar");
 		builder.part("logo", logo).header("baz", "qux");
 		builder.part("entity", entity).header("baz", "qux");
-		builder.asyncPart("publisher", publisher, String.class).header("baz", "qux");
+		builder.asyncPart("publisherClass", publisher, String.class).header("baz", "qux");
+		builder.asyncPart("publisherPtr", publisher, new ParameterizedTypeReference<String>() {}).header("baz", "qux");
 
 		MultiValueMap<String, HttpEntity<?>> result = builder.build();
 
-		assertEquals(4, result.size());
+		assertEquals(5, result.size());
 		assertNotNull(result.getFirst("key"));
 		assertEquals(multipartData, result.getFirst("key").getBody());
 		assertEquals("bar", result.getFirst("key").getHeaders().getFirst("foo"));
@@ -67,11 +69,15 @@ public class MultipartBodyBuilderTests {
 		assertEquals("bar", result.getFirst("entity").getHeaders().getFirst("foo"));
 		assertEquals("qux", result.getFirst("entity").getHeaders().getFirst("baz"));
 
-		assertNotNull(result.getFirst("publisher"));
-		assertEquals(publisher, result.getFirst("publisher").getBody());
-		assertEquals(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), result.getFirst("publisher").getBodyType());
-		assertEquals("bar", result.getFirst("entity").getHeaders().getFirst("foo"));
-		assertEquals("qux", result.getFirst("entity").getHeaders().getFirst("baz"));
+		assertNotNull(result.getFirst("publisherClass"));
+		assertEquals(publisher, result.getFirst("publisherClass").getBody());
+		assertEquals(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), ((MultipartBodyBuilder.PublisherEntity<?,?>) result.getFirst("publisherClass")).getResolvableType());
+		assertEquals("qux", result.getFirst("publisherClass").getHeaders().getFirst("baz"));
+
+		assertNotNull(result.getFirst("publisherPtr"));
+		assertEquals(publisher, result.getFirst("publisherPtr").getBody());
+		assertEquals(ResolvableType.forClass(String.class), ((MultipartBodyBuilder.PublisherEntity<?,?>) result.getFirst("publisherPtr")).getResolvableType());
+		assertEquals("qux", result.getFirst("publisherPtr").getHeaders().getFirst("baz"));
 	}