diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtils.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtils.java
index 0b7c80a47e1..f130352db7e 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtils.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtils.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2007 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ public abstract class PatternMatchUtils {
 				return str.endsWith(pattern.substring(1));
 			}
 			String part = pattern.substring(1, nextIndex);
+			if ("".equals(part)) {
+				return simpleMatch(pattern.substring(nextIndex), str);
+			}
 			int partIndex = str.indexOf(part);
 			while (partIndex != -1) {
 				if (simpleMatch(pattern.substring(nextIndex), str.substring(partIndex + part.length()))) {
@@ -74,8 +77,8 @@ public abstract class PatternMatchUtils {
 	 */
 	public static boolean simpleMatch(String[] patterns, String str) {
 		if (patterns != null) {
-			for (int i = 0; i < patterns.length; i++) {
-				if (simpleMatch(patterns[i], str)) {
+			for (String pattern : patterns) {
+				if (simpleMatch(pattern, str)) {
 					return true;
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtilsTests.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtilsTests.java
index 8128cee620a..df116ee53ba 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtilsTests.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/PatternMatchUtilsTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2007 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,14 +16,17 @@
 
 package org.springframework.util;
 
-import junit.framework.TestCase;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
 /**
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @author Johan Gorter
  */
-public class PatternMatchUtilsTests extends TestCase {
+public class PatternMatchUtilsTests {
 
+	@Test
 	public void testTrivial() {
 		assertEquals(false, PatternMatchUtils.simpleMatch((String) null, ""));
 		assertEquals(false, PatternMatchUtils.simpleMatch("1", null));
@@ -31,16 +34,19 @@ public class PatternMatchUtilsTests extends TestCase {
 		doTest("123", "123", true);
 	}
 
+	@Test
 	public void testStartsWith() {
 		doTest("get*", "getMe", true);
 		doTest("get*", "setMe", false);
 	}
 
+	@Test
 	public void testEndsWith() {
 		doTest("*Test", "getMeTest", true);
 		doTest("*Test", "setMe", false);
 	}
 
+	@Test
 	public void testBetween() {
 		doTest("*stuff*", "getMeTest", false);
 		doTest("*stuff*", "getstuffTest", true);
@@ -49,6 +55,7 @@ public class PatternMatchUtilsTests extends TestCase {
 		doTest("*stuff*", "stuff", true);
 	}
 
+	@Test
 	public void testStartsEnds() {
 		doTest("on*Event", "onMyEvent", true);
 		doTest("on*Event", "onEvent", true);
@@ -56,6 +63,7 @@ public class PatternMatchUtilsTests extends TestCase {
 		doTest("3*3", "33", true);
 	}
 
+	@Test
 	public void testStartsEndsBetween() {
 		doTest("12*45*78", "12345678", true);
 		doTest("12*45*78", "123456789", false);
@@ -66,6 +74,7 @@ public class PatternMatchUtilsTests extends TestCase {
 		doTest("3*3*3", "333", true);
 	}
 
+	@Test
 	public void testRidiculous() {
 		doTest("*1*2*3*", "0011002001010030020201030", true);
 		doTest("1*2*3*4", "10300204", false);
@@ -74,6 +83,22 @@ public class PatternMatchUtilsTests extends TestCase {
 		doTest("*1*2*3*", "132", false);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testPatternVariants() {
+		doTest("*a", "*", false);
+		doTest("*a", "a", true);
+		doTest("*a", "b", false);
+		doTest("*a", "aa", true);
+		doTest("*a", "ba", true);
+		doTest("*a", "ab", false);
+		doTest("**a", "*", false);
+		doTest("**a", "a", true);
+		doTest("**a", "b", false);
+		doTest("**a", "aa", true);
+		doTest("**a", "ba", true);
+		doTest("**a", "ab", false);
+	}
+
 	private void doTest(String pattern, String str, boolean shouldMatch) {
 		assertEquals(shouldMatch, PatternMatchUtils.simpleMatch(pattern, str));
 	}