diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssert.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssert.java
index 8b6817a9b2..7105917486 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssert.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssert.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2017 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2018 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.
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import java.io.BufferedReader;
 import java.io.PrintWriter;
 import java.io.StringReader;
 import java.io.StringWriter;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.assertj.core.api.AbstractAssert;
 import org.assertj.core.api.AbstractObjectArrayAssert;
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ import org.assertj.core.api.Assertions;
 import org.assertj.core.api.MapAssert;
 import org.assertj.core.error.BasicErrorMessageFactory;
 
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.NoSuchBeanDefinitionException;
 import org.springframework.boot.test.context.runner.ApplicationContextRunner;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
@@ -88,7 +90,8 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Verifies that the application context contains a single bean with the given type.
+	 * Verifies that the application context (or ancestors) contains a single bean with
+	 * the given type.
 	 * <p>
 	 * Example: <pre class="code">
 	 * assertThat(context).hasSingleBean(Foo.class); </pre>
@@ -100,11 +103,29 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 	 * given type
 	 */
 	public ApplicationContextAssert<C> hasSingleBean(Class<?> type) {
+		return hasSingleBean(type, Scope.INCLUDE_ANCESTORS);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Verifies that the application context contains a single bean with the given type.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Example: <pre class="code">
+	 * assertThat(context).hasSingleBean(Foo.class); </pre>
+	 * @param type the bean type
+	 * @param scope the scope of the assertion
+	 * @return {@code this} assertion object.
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context did not start
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context does no beans of the given type
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context contains multiple beans of the
+	 * given type
+	 */
+	public ApplicationContextAssert<C> hasSingleBean(Class<?> type, Scope scope) {
+		Assert.notNull(scope, "Scope must not be null");
 		if (this.startupFailure != null) {
 			throwAssertionError(contextFailedToStartWhenExpecting(
 					"to have a single bean of type:%n <%s>", type));
 		}
-		String[] names = getApplicationContext().getBeanNamesForType(type);
+		String[] names = scope.getBeanNamesForType(getApplicationContext(), type);
 		if (names.length == 0) {
 			throwAssertionError(new BasicErrorMessageFactory(
 					"%nExpecting:%n <%s>%nto have a single bean of type:%n <%s>%nbut found no beans of that type",
@@ -119,7 +140,8 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Verifies that the application context does not contain any beans of the given type.
+	 * Verifies that the application context (or ancestors) does not contain any beans of
+	 * the given type.
 	 * <p>
 	 * Example: <pre class="code">
 	 * assertThat(context).doesNotHaveBean(Foo.class); </pre>
@@ -130,11 +152,28 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 	 * type
 	 */
 	public ApplicationContextAssert<C> doesNotHaveBean(Class<?> type) {
+		return doesNotHaveBean(type, Scope.INCLUDE_ANCESTORS);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Verifies that the application context does not contain any beans of the given type.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Example: <pre class="code">
+	 * assertThat(context).doesNotHaveBean(Foo.class); </pre>
+	 * @param type the bean type
+	 * @param scope the scope of the assertion
+	 * @return {@code this} assertion object.
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context did not start
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context contains any beans of the given
+	 * type
+	 */
+	public ApplicationContextAssert<C> doesNotHaveBean(Class<?> type, Scope scope) {
+		Assert.notNull(scope, "Scope must not be null");
 		if (this.startupFailure != null) {
 			throwAssertionError(contextFailedToStartWhenExpecting(
 					"not to have any beans of type:%n <%s>", type));
 		}
-		String[] names = getApplicationContext().getBeanNamesForType(type);
+		String[] names = scope.getBeanNamesForType(getApplicationContext(), type);
 		if (names.length > 0) {
 			throwAssertionError(new BasicErrorMessageFactory(
 					"%nExpecting:%n <%s>%nnot to have a beans of type:%n <%s>%nbut found:%n <%s>",
@@ -191,9 +230,9 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Obtain a single bean of the given type from the application context, the bean
-	 * becoming the object under test. If no beans of the specified type can be found an
-	 * assert on {@code null} is returned.
+	 * Obtain a single bean of the given type from the application context (or ancestors),
+	 * the bean becoming the object under test. If no beans of the specified type can be
+	 * found an assert on {@code null} is returned.
 	 * <p>
 	 * Example: <pre class="code">
 	 * assertThat(context).getBean(Foo.class).isInstanceOf(DefaultFoo.class);
@@ -207,11 +246,33 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 	 * given type
 	 */
 	public <T> AbstractObjectAssert<?, T> getBean(Class<T> type) {
+		return getBean(type, Scope.INCLUDE_ANCESTORS);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Obtain a single bean of the given type from the application context, the bean
+	 * becoming the object under test. If no beans of the specified type can be found an
+	 * assert on {@code null} is returned.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Example: <pre class="code">
+	 * assertThat(context).getBean(Foo.class).isInstanceOf(DefaultFoo.class);
+	 * assertThat(context).getBean(Bar.class).isNull();</pre>
+	 * @param <T> the bean type
+	 * @param type the bean type
+	 * @param scope the scope of the assertion
+	 * @return bean assertions for the bean, or an assert on {@code null} if the no bean
+	 * is found
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context did not start
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context contains multiple beans of the
+	 * given type
+	 */
+	public <T> AbstractObjectAssert<?, T> getBean(Class<T> type, Scope scope) {
+		Assert.notNull(scope, "Scope must not be null");
 		if (this.startupFailure != null) {
 			throwAssertionError(contextFailedToStartWhenExpecting(
 					"to contain bean of type:%n <%s>", type));
 		}
-		String[] names = getApplicationContext().getBeanNamesForType(type);
+		String[] names = scope.getBeanNamesForType(getApplicationContext(), type);
 		if (names.length > 1) {
 			throwAssertionError(new BasicErrorMessageFactory(
 					"%nExpecting:%n <%s>%nsingle bean of type:%n <%s>%nbut found:%n <%s>",
@@ -291,8 +352,8 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 
 	/**
 	 * Obtain a map bean names and instances of the given type from the application
-	 * context, the map becoming the object under test. If no bean of the specified type
-	 * can be found an assert on an empty {@code map} is returned.
+	 * context (or ancestors), the map becoming the object under test. If no bean of the
+	 * specified type can be found an assert on an empty {@code map} is returned.
 	 * <p>
 	 * Example: <pre class="code">
 	 * assertThat(context).getBeans(Foo.class).containsKey("foo");
@@ -304,11 +365,31 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context did not start
 	 */
 	public <T> MapAssert<String, T> getBeans(Class<T> type) {
+		return getBeans(type, Scope.INCLUDE_ANCESTORS);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Obtain a map bean names and instances of the given type from the application
+	 * context, the map becoming the object under test. If no bean of the specified type
+	 * can be found an assert on an empty {@code map} is returned.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Example: <pre class="code">
+	 * assertThat(context).getBeans(Foo.class).containsKey("foo");
+	 * </pre>
+	 * @param <T> the bean type
+	 * @param type the bean type
+	 * @param scope the scope of the assertion
+	 * @return bean assertions for the beans, or an assert on an empty {@code map} if the
+	 * no beans are found
+	 * @throws AssertionError if the application context did not start
+	 */
+	public <T> MapAssert<String, T> getBeans(Class<T> type, Scope scope) {
+		Assert.notNull(scope, "Scope must not be null");
 		if (this.startupFailure != null) {
 			throwAssertionError(contextFailedToStartWhenExpecting(
 					"to get beans of type:%n <%s>", type));
 		}
-		return Assertions.assertThat(getApplicationContext().getBeansOfType(type))
+		return Assertions.assertThat(scope.getBeansOfType(getApplicationContext(), type))
 				.as("Beans of type <%s> from <%s>", type, getApplicationContext());
 	}
 
@@ -373,6 +454,59 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssert<C extends ApplicationContext>
 				expectationFormat, arguments);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * The scope of an assertion.
+	 */
+	public enum Scope {
+
+		/**
+		 * Limited to the current context.
+		 */
+		NO_ANCESTORS {
+
+			@Override
+			String[] getBeanNamesForType(ApplicationContext applicationContext,
+					Class<?> type) {
+				return applicationContext.getBeanNamesForType(type);
+			}
+
+			@Override
+			<T> Map<String, T> getBeansOfType(ApplicationContext applicationContext,
+					Class<T> type) {
+				return applicationContext.getBeansOfType(type);
+			}
+
+		},
+
+		/**
+		 * Consider the ancestor contexts as well as the current context.
+		 */
+		INCLUDE_ANCESTORS {
+
+			@Override
+			String[] getBeanNamesForType(ApplicationContext applicationContext,
+					Class<?> type) {
+				return BeanFactoryUtils
+						.beanNamesForTypeIncludingAncestors(applicationContext, type);
+			}
+
+			@Override
+			<T> Map<String, T> getBeansOfType(ApplicationContext applicationContext,
+					Class<T> type) {
+				return BeanFactoryUtils.beansOfTypeIncludingAncestors(applicationContext,
+						type);
+			}
+
+		};
+
+		abstract String[] getBeanNamesForType(ApplicationContext applicationContext,
+				Class<?> type);
+
+		abstract <T> Map<String, T> getBeansOfType(ApplicationContext applicationContext,
+				Class<T> type);
+
+	}
+
 	private static final class ContextFailedToStart<C extends ApplicationContext>
 			extends BasicErrorMessageFactory {
 
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssertTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssertTests.java
index 60973dd3ee..0b9629acd6 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssertTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/context/assertj/ApplicationContextAssertTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2017 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2018 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.
@@ -16,10 +16,13 @@
 
 package org.springframework.boot.test.context.assertj;
 
+import org.junit.After;
+import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
 
+import org.springframework.boot.test.context.assertj.ApplicationContextAssert.Scope;
 import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.support.StaticApplicationContext;
 
@@ -36,10 +39,25 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssertTests {
 	@Rule
 	public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();
 
-	private StaticApplicationContext context = new StaticApplicationContext();
+	private StaticApplicationContext parent;
+
+	private StaticApplicationContext context;
 
 	private RuntimeException failure = new RuntimeException();
 
+	@Before
+	public void setup() {
+		this.parent = new StaticApplicationContext();
+		this.context = new StaticApplicationContext();
+		this.context.setParent(this.parent);
+	}
+
+	@After
+	public void cleanup() {
+		this.context.close();
+		this.parent.close();
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void createWhenApplicationContextIsNullShouldThrowException() {
 		this.thrown.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
@@ -110,6 +128,22 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssertTests {
 		assertThat(getAssert(this.failure)).hasSingleBean(Foo.class);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void hasSingleBeanWhenInParentShouldFail() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		this.context.registerSingleton("bar", Foo.class);
+		this.thrown.expect(AssertionError.class);
+		this.thrown.expectMessage("but found:");
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).hasSingleBean(Foo.class);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void hasSingleBeanWithLimitedScopeWhenInParentShouldPass() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		this.context.registerSingleton("bar", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).hasSingleBean(Foo.class, Scope.NO_ANCESTORS);
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void doesNotHaveBeanOfTypeWhenHasNoBeanOfTypeShouldPass() {
 		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).doesNotHaveBean(Foo.class);
@@ -132,6 +166,21 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssertTests {
 		assertThat(getAssert(this.failure)).doesNotHaveBean(Foo.class);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void doesNotHaveBeanOfTypeWhenInParentShouldFail() {
+		this.thrown.expect(AssertionError.class);
+		this.thrown.expectMessage("but found");
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).doesNotHaveBean(Foo.class);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void doesNotHaveBeanOfTypeWithLimitedScopeWhenInParentShouldPass() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).doesNotHaveBean(Foo.class,
+				Scope.NO_ANCESTORS);
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void doesNotHaveBeanOfNameWhenHasNoBeanOfTypeShouldPass() {
 		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).doesNotHaveBean("foo");
@@ -204,6 +253,36 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssertTests {
 		assertThat(getAssert(this.failure)).getBean(Foo.class);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void getBeanOfTypeWhenInParentShouldReturnBeanAssert() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).getBean(Foo.class).isNotNull();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void getBeanOfTypeWhenInParentWithLimtedScopeShouldReturnNullAssert() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).getBean(Foo.class, Scope.NO_ANCESTORS)
+				.isNull();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void getBeanOfTypeWhenHasMultipleBeansIncludingParentShouldFail() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		this.context.registerSingleton("bar", Foo.class);
+		this.thrown.expect(AssertionError.class);
+		this.thrown.expectMessage("but found");
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).getBean(Foo.class);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void getBeanOfTypeWithLimitedScopeWhenHasMultipleBeansIncludingParentShouldReturnBeanAssert() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		this.context.registerSingleton("bar", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).getBean(Foo.class, Scope.NO_ANCESTORS)
+				.isNotNull();
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void getBeanOfNameWhenHasBeanShouldReturnBeanAssert() {
 		this.context.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
@@ -274,6 +353,22 @@ public class ApplicationContextAssertTests {
 		assertThat(getAssert(this.failure)).getBeans(Foo.class);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void getBeansShouldIncludeBeansFromParentScope() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		this.context.registerSingleton("bar", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).getBeans(Foo.class).hasSize(2)
+				.containsKeys("foo", "bar");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void getBeansWithLimitedScopeShouldNotIncludeBeansFromParentScope() {
+		this.parent.registerSingleton("foo", Foo.class);
+		this.context.registerSingleton("bar", Foo.class);
+		assertThat(getAssert(this.context)).getBeans(Foo.class, Scope.NO_ANCESTORS)
+				.hasSize(1).containsKeys("bar");
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void getFailureWhenFailedShouldReturnFailure() {
 		assertThat(getAssert(this.failure)).getFailure().isSameAs(this.failure);