diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/access/expression/method/DefaultMethodSecurityExpressionHandler.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/access/expression/method/DefaultMethodSecurityExpressionHandler.java
index cbe5835d42..c96ad17119 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/access/expression/method/DefaultMethodSecurityExpressionHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/access/expression/method/DefaultMethodSecurityExpressionHandler.java
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import org.springframework.expression.spel.support.StandardEvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.security.access.PermissionCacheOptimizer;
 import org.springframework.security.access.expression.AbstractSecurityExpressionHandler;
 import org.springframework.security.access.expression.ExpressionUtils;
-import org.springframework.security.access.expression.SecurityExpressionOperations;
 import org.springframework.security.authentication.AuthenticationTrustResolver;
 import org.springframework.security.authentication.AuthenticationTrustResolverImpl;
 import org.springframework.security.core.Authentication;
@@ -153,6 +152,6 @@ public class DefaultMethodSecurityExpressionHandler extends AbstractSecurityExpr
     }
 
     public void setReturnObject(Object returnObject, EvaluationContext ctx) {
-        ((MethodSecurityExpressionRoot)ctx.getRootObject().getValue()).setReturnObject(returnObject);
+        ((MethodSecurityExpressionOperations)ctx.getRootObject().getValue()).setReturnObject(returnObject);
     }
 }