diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/InjectionMetadata.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/InjectionMetadata.java
index f5cc0f9d528..f7dcb8d18cf 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/InjectionMetadata.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/annotation/InjectionMetadata.java
@@ -141,8 +141,7 @@ public class InjectionMetadata {
 	 * Return an {@code InjectionMetadata} instance, possibly for empty elements.
 	 * @param elements the elements to inject (possibly empty)
 	 * @param clazz the target class
-	 * @return a new {@link #InjectionMetadata(Class, Collection)} instance,
-	 * or {@link #EMPTY} in case of no elements
+	 * @return a new {@link #InjectionMetadata(Class, Collection)} instance
 	 * @since 5.2
 	 */
 	public static InjectionMetadata forElements(Collection<InjectedElement> elements, Class<?> clazz) {
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
index 306616ed1d5..ef01a3dc4fc 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
@@ -799,9 +799,10 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		TestBean child = (TestBean) factory.getBean("child");
 		assertThat(child.getName()).isEqualTo(EXPECTED_NAME);
 		assertThat(child.getAge()).isEqualTo(EXPECTED_AGE);
+		Object mergedBeanDefinition1 = factory.getMergedBeanDefinition("child");
 		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = factory.getMergedBeanDefinition("child");
 
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("Use cached merged bean definition").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition1).as("Use cached merged bean definition").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -1849,8 +1850,7 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		assertThat(factoryBean).as("The FactoryBean should have been registered.").isNotNull();
 		FactoryBeanDependentBean bean = (FactoryBeanDependentBean) lbf.autowire(FactoryBeanDependentBean.class,
 				AutowireCapableBeanFactory.AUTOWIRE_BY_TYPE, true);
-		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = bean.getFactoryBean();
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("The FactoryBeanDependentBean should have been autowired 'by type' with the LazyInitFactory.").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(bean.getFactoryBean()).as("The FactoryBeanDependentBean should have been autowired 'by type' with the LazyInitFactory.").isEqualTo(factoryBean);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -2556,8 +2556,7 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount = 0;
 		lbf.preInstantiateSingletons();
 		lbf.destroySingletons();
-		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount;
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("Destroy methods invoked").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount).as("Destroy methods invoked").isEqualTo(1);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -2571,8 +2570,7 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount = 0;
 		lbf.preInstantiateSingletons();
 		lbf.destroySingletons();
-		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount;
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("Destroy methods invoked").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount).as("Destroy methods invoked").isEqualTo(2);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -2587,8 +2585,7 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount = 0;
 		lbf.preInstantiateSingletons();
 		lbf.destroySingletons();
-		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount;
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("Destroy methods invoked").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(BeanWithDestroyMethod.closeCount).as("Destroy methods invoked").isEqualTo(1);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -2710,14 +2707,15 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		factory.registerBeanDefinition("child", child);
 
 		AbstractBeanDefinition def = (AbstractBeanDefinition) factory.getBeanDefinition("child");
-		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = def.getScope();
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("Child 'scope' not overriding parent scope (it must).").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(def.getScope()).as("Child 'scope' not overriding parent scope (it must).").isEqualTo(theChildScope);
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	void scopeInheritanceForChildBeanDefinitions() {
+		String theParentScope = "bonanza!";
+
 		RootBeanDefinition parent = new RootBeanDefinition();
-		parent.setScope("bonanza!");
+		parent.setScope(theParentScope);
 
 		AbstractBeanDefinition child = new ChildBeanDefinition("parent");
 		child.setBeanClass(TestBean.class);
@@ -2727,8 +2725,7 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		factory.registerBeanDefinition("child", child);
 
 		BeanDefinition def = factory.getMergedBeanDefinition("child");
-		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = def.getScope();
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("Child 'scope' not inherited").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(def.getScope()).as("Child 'scope' not inherited").isEqualTo(theParentScope);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -2764,15 +2761,12 @@ class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		});
 		lbf.preInstantiateSingletons();
 		TestBean tb = (TestBean) lbf.getBean("test");
-		Object mergedBeanDefinition2 = tb.getName();
-		assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition2).as("Name was set on field by IAPP").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition2);
+		assertThat(tb.getName()).as("Name was set on field by IAPP").isEqualTo(nameSetOnField);
 		if (!skipPropertyPopulation) {
-			Object mergedBeanDefinition21 = tb.getAge();
-			assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition21).as("Property value still set").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition21);
+			assertThat(tb.getAge()).as("Property value still set").isEqualTo(ageSetByPropertyValue);
 		}
 		else {
-			Object mergedBeanDefinition21 = tb.getAge();
-			assertThat(mergedBeanDefinition21).as("Property value was NOT set and still has default value").isEqualTo(mergedBeanDefinition21);
+			assertThat(tb.getAge()).as("Property value was NOT set and still has default value").isEqualTo(0);
 		}
 	}