diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtils.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtils.java
index c8ddfe1fc02..d0de008c2c8 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtils.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtils.java
@@ -132,12 +132,12 @@ public abstract class AnnotationUtils {
 			try {
 				Method equivalentMethod = cl.getDeclaredMethod(method.getName(), method.getParameterTypes());
 				annotation = getAnnotation(equivalentMethod, annotationType);
-				if (annotation == null) {
-					annotation = searchOnInterfaces(method, annotationType, cl.getInterfaces());
-				}
 			}
 			catch (NoSuchMethodException ex) {
-				// We're done...
+				// No equivalent method found
+			}
+			if (annotation == null) {
+				annotation = searchOnInterfaces(method, annotationType, cl.getInterfaces());
 			}
 		}
 		return annotation;
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtilsTests.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtilsTests.java
index 32e35cbd634..7ae70078635 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtilsTests.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AnnotationUtilsTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2006 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2012 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.
@@ -16,32 +16,20 @@
 
 package org.springframework.core.annotation;
 
-import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.is;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
-import static org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils.findAnnotation;
-import static org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils.findAnnotationDeclaringClass;
-import static org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils.getAnnotation;
-import static org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils.isAnnotationDeclaredLocally;
-import static org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils.isAnnotationInherited;
-
-import java.io.IOException;
 import java.lang.annotation.Inherited;
 import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
+
 import org.springframework.core.Ordered;
-import org.springframework.core.type.classreading.SimpleMetadataReaderFactory;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
+import static org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils.*;
+
 /**
  * @author Rod Johnson
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
@@ -219,6 +207,14 @@ public class AnnotationUtilsTests {
 		assertNotNull(order);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testFindAnnotationFromInterfaceWhenSuperDoesNotImplementMethod() throws Exception {
+
+		Method method = SubOfAbstractImplementsInterfaceWithAnnotatedMethod.class.getMethod("foo");
+		Order order = findAnnotation(method, Order.class);
+		assertNotNull(order);
+	}
+
 
 	@Component(value="meta1")
 	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@@ -353,6 +349,15 @@ public class AnnotationUtilsTests {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public abstract static class AbstractDoesNotImplementInterfaceWithAnnotatedMethod implements InterfaceWithAnnotatedMethod {
+	}
+
+	public static class SubOfAbstractImplementsInterfaceWithAnnotatedMethod extends AbstractDoesNotImplementInterfaceWithAnnotatedMethod {
+
+		public void foo() {
+		}
+	}
+
 }
 
 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)