diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/InheritableThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/InheritableThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java
index 702f8208ae..837e51d0db 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/InheritableThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/InheritableThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ final class InheritableThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy implements Secur
     //~ Methods ========================================================================================================
 
     public void clearContext() {
-        contextHolder.set(null);
+        contextHolder.remove();
     }
 
     public SecurityContext getContext() {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/ThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/ThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java
index 2791e7a1b7..704f277a00 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/ThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/core/context/ThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ final class ThreadLocalSecurityContextHolderStrategy implements SecurityContextH
     //~ Methods ========================================================================================================
 
     public void clearContext() {
-        contextHolder.set(null);
+        contextHolder.remove();
     }
 
     public SecurityContext getContext() {