diff --git a/config/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configuration/WebSecurityConfiguration.java b/config/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configuration/WebSecurityConfiguration.java
index c48803ceed..f3caec0faa 100644
--- a/config/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configuration/WebSecurityConfiguration.java
+++ b/config/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configuration/WebSecurityConfiguration.java
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public class WebSecurityConfiguration implements ImportAware, BeanClassLoaderAwa
 	}
 
 	@Bean
-	public AutowiredWebSecurityConfigurersIgnoreParents autowiredWebSecurityConfigurersIgnoreParents(
+	public static AutowiredWebSecurityConfigurersIgnoreParents autowiredWebSecurityConfigurersIgnoreParents(
 			ConfigurableListableBeanFactory beanFactory) {
 		return new AutowiredWebSecurityConfigurersIgnoreParents(beanFactory);
 	}
diff --git a/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/BaseSpringSpec.groovy b/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/BaseSpringSpec.groovy
index 1385250b02..1549f10155 100644
--- a/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/BaseSpringSpec.groovy
+++ b/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/BaseSpringSpec.groovy
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ import org.springframework.web.context.support.AnnotationConfigWebApplicationCon
  * @author Rob Winch
  */
 abstract class BaseSpringSpec extends Specification {
+	boolean allowCircularReferences = false
 	@AutoCleanup
 	ConfigurableApplicationContext context
 	@AutoCleanup
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ abstract class BaseSpringSpec extends Specification {
 
 	def loadConfig(Class<?>... configs) {
 		context = new AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext()
+		context.setAllowCircularReferences(allowCircularReferences)
 		context.register(configs)
 		context.setServletContext(new MockServletContext())
 		context.refresh()
@@ -169,4 +171,4 @@ abstract class BaseSpringSpec extends Specification {
 	def getObjectPostProcessor() {
 		oppContext.getBean(ObjectPostProcessor)
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/WebSecurityConfigurerAdapterTests.groovy b/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/WebSecurityConfigurerAdapterTests.groovy
index b387def0e0..9c39942e8a 100644
--- a/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/WebSecurityConfigurerAdapterTests.groovy
+++ b/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/WebSecurityConfigurerAdapterTests.groovy
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ class WebSecurityConfigurerAdapterTests extends BaseSpringSpec {
 		static ContentNegotiationStrategy CNS
 
 		@Bean
-		public ContentNegotiationStrategy cns() {
+		public static ContentNegotiationStrategy cns() {
 			return CNS
 		}
 	}
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ class WebSecurityConfigurerAdapterTests extends BaseSpringSpec {
 
 	def "UserDetailsService lazy"() {
 		setup:
+			allowCircularReferences = true
 			loadConfig(RequiresUserDetailsServiceConfig,UserDetailsServiceConfig)
 		when:
 			findFilter(MyFilter).userDetailsService.loadUserByUsername("user")
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ class WebSecurityConfigurerAdapterTests extends BaseSpringSpec {
 		static AuthenticationTrustResolver TR
 
 		@Bean
-		public AuthenticationTrustResolver tr() {
+		public static AuthenticationTrustResolver tr() {
 			return TR
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configurers/ExceptionHandlingConfigurerTests.groovy b/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configurers/ExceptionHandlingConfigurerTests.groovy
index c0ee2ae2a3..12c9ab4b26 100644
--- a/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configurers/ExceptionHandlingConfigurerTests.groovy
+++ b/config/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/security/config/annotation/web/configurers/ExceptionHandlingConfigurerTests.groovy
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ class ExceptionHandlingConfigurerTests extends BaseSpringSpec {
 		static ContentNegotiationStrategy CNS
 
 		@Bean
-		public ContentNegotiationStrategy cns() {
+		public static ContentNegotiationStrategy cns() {
 			return CNS
 		}
 	}