diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory.java
index 6d62a8ffbb3..bbddc4f05da 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory.java
@@ -248,9 +248,8 @@ public class HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory implements ClientHttpRequest
 			context = HttpClientContext.create();
 		}
 
-		// Request configuration not set in the context
-		if (!(context instanceof HttpClientContext clientContext && clientContext.getRequestConfig() != null) &&
-				context.getAttribute(HttpClientContext.REQUEST_CONFIG) == null) {
+		// No custom request configuration was set
+		if (!hasCustomRequestConfig(context)) {
 			RequestConfig config = null;
 			// Use request configuration given by the user, when available
 			if (httpRequest instanceof Configurable configurable) {
@@ -269,6 +268,18 @@ public class HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory implements ClientHttpRequest
 		return new HttpComponentsClientHttpRequest(client, httpRequest, context);
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")  // HttpClientContext.REQUEST_CONFIG
+	private static boolean hasCustomRequestConfig(HttpContext context) {
+		if (context instanceof HttpClientContext clientContext) {
+			// Prior to 5.4, the default config was set to RequestConfig.DEFAULT
+			// As of 5.4, it is set to null
+			RequestConfig requestConfig = clientContext.getRequestConfig();
+			return requestConfig != null && !requestConfig.equals(RequestConfig.DEFAULT);
+		}
+		// Prior to 5.4, the config was stored as an attribute
+		return context.getAttribute(HttpClientContext.REQUEST_CONFIG) != null;
+	}
+
 
 	/**
 	 * Create a default {@link RequestConfig} to use with the given client.