diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/internal/StatefulPersistenceContext.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/internal/StatefulPersistenceContext.java
index c9df3b968a..9ea1d7d22a 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/internal/StatefulPersistenceContext.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/internal/StatefulPersistenceContext.java
@@ -1768,6 +1768,11 @@ public class StatefulPersistenceContext implements PersistenceContext {
 		return ( nullifiableEntityKeys == null || nullifiableEntityKeys.size() == 0 );
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public int getCollectionEntriesSize() {
+		return collectionEntries == null ? 0 : collectionEntries.size();
+	}
+
 	private void cleanUpInsertedKeysAfterTransaction() {
 		if ( insertedKeysMap != null ) {
 			insertedKeysMap.clear();
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/spi/PersistenceContext.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/spi/PersistenceContext.java
index 52c25a4114..7c687a771a 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/spi/PersistenceContext.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/engine/spi/PersistenceContext.java
@@ -745,6 +745,13 @@ public interface PersistenceContext {
 	 */
 	boolean isNullifiableEntityKeysEmpty();
 
+	/**
+	 * The size of the internal map storing all collection entries.
+	 * (The map is not exposed directly, but the size is often useful)
+	 * @return the size
+	 */
+	int getCollectionEntriesSize();
+
 	/**
 	 * Provides centralized access to natural-id-related functionality.
 	 */
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/AbstractFlushingEventListener.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/AbstractFlushingEventListener.java
index fcbc02712e..701688a6a1 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/AbstractFlushingEventListener.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/AbstractFlushingEventListener.java
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractFlushingEventListener implements JpaBootstrapSensi
 				session.getActionQueue().numberOfCollectionCreations(),
 				session.getActionQueue().numberOfCollectionUpdates(),
 				session.getActionQueue().numberOfCollectionRemovals(),
-				persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size()
+				persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize()
 		);
 		new EntityPrinter( session.getFactory() ).toString(
 				persistenceContext.getEntitiesByKey().entrySet()
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultAutoFlushEventListener.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultAutoFlushEventListener.java
index 365a010bee..3683bbfd9f 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultAutoFlushEventListener.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultAutoFlushEventListener.java
@@ -89,6 +89,6 @@ public class DefaultAutoFlushEventListener extends AbstractFlushingEventListener
 		return !source.getHibernateFlushMode().lessThan( FlushMode.AUTO )
 				&& source.getDontFlushFromFind() == 0
 				&& ( persistenceContext.getNumberOfManagedEntities() > 0 ||
-						persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() > 0 );
+						persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() > 0 );
 	}
 }
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultFlushEventListener.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultFlushEventListener.java
index fc8889d5d2..4d32fa7bfc 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultFlushEventListener.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/event/internal/DefaultFlushEventListener.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ public class DefaultFlushEventListener extends AbstractFlushingEventListener imp
 		final PersistenceContext persistenceContext = source.getPersistenceContextInternal();
 
 		if ( persistenceContext.getNumberOfManagedEntities() > 0 ||
-				persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() > 0 ) {
+				persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() > 0 ) {
 
 			try {
 				source.getEventListenerManager().flushStart();
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/stat/internal/SessionStatisticsImpl.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/stat/internal/SessionStatisticsImpl.java
index 3eb1055513..fd6da5cca8 100755
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/stat/internal/SessionStatisticsImpl.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/stat/internal/SessionStatisticsImpl.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public class SessionStatisticsImpl implements SessionStatistics {
 	}
 	
 	public int getCollectionCount() {
-		return session.getPersistenceContextInternal().getCollectionEntries().size();
+		return session.getPersistenceContextInternal().getCollectionEntriesSize();
 	}
 	
 	public Set getEntityKeys() {
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/flush/TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution.java b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/flush/TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution.java
index 7d2ec3cd30..1a0631e80f 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/flush/TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/test/flush/TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution.java
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 
 		final PersistenceContext persistenceContext = ( (SessionImplementor) s ).getPersistenceContext();
 		final ActionQueue actionQueue = ( (SessionImpl) s ).getActionQueue();
-		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().values().contains( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 				"autoflush collection update",
 				s.createQuery( "select a from Publisher p join p.authors a" ).list().size() == 1
 		);
-		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( author1.getBooks() ) );
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 		assertTrue( "autoflush collection update",
 				s.createQuery( "select a from Publisher p join p.authors a" ).list().size() == 0
 		);
-		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().values().contains( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 		publisher.getAuthors().add( author2 );
 		List results = s.createQuery( "select a from Publisher p join p.authors a" ).list();
 		assertEquals( 1, results.size() );
-		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( author2.getBooks() ) );
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 
 		final PersistenceContext persistenceContext = ( (SessionImplementor) s ).getPersistenceContext();
 		final ActionQueue actionQueue = ( (SessionImpl) s ).getActionQueue();
-		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().values().contains( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 		author1.setPublisher( publisher );
 		publisher.getAuthors().add( author1 );
 		assertTrue(	s.createQuery( "from UnrelatedEntity" ).list().size() == 1 );
-		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( author1.getBooks() ) );
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 		publisher.getAuthors().clear();
 		assertEquals( 0, actionQueue.numberOfCollectionRemovals() );
 		assertTrue( s.createQuery( "from UnrelatedEntity" ).list().size() == 1 );
-		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( author1.getBooks() ) );
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 		publisher.getAuthors().add( author2 );
 		List results = s.createQuery( "from UnrelatedEntity" ).list();
 		assertEquals( 1, results.size() );
-		assertEquals( 4, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 4, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 1, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( author2.getBooks() ) );
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public class TestAutoFlushBeforeQueryExecution extends BaseCoreFunctionalTestCas
 		assertEquals( 0, actionQueue.numberOfCollectionRemovals() );
 
 		s.flush();
-		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().size() );
+		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionEntriesSize() );
 		assertEquals( 2, persistenceContext.getCollectionsByKey().size() );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( publisher.getAuthors() ) );
 		assertTrue( persistenceContext.getCollectionEntries().containsKey( author2.getBooks() ) );