diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
index 04fdc5e19..a3a83774f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import javax.persistence.EntityManager;
+import javax.persistence.NoResultException;
 import javax.persistence.TypedQuery;
 import javax.persistence.criteria.CriteriaBuilder;
 import javax.persistence.criteria.CriteriaQuery;
@@ -222,7 +223,11 @@ public class SimpleJpaRepository<T, ID extends Serializable> extends
      */
     public T findOne(Specification<T> spec) {
 
-        return getQuery(spec, (Sort) null).getSingleResult();
+        try {
+            return getQuery(spec, (Sort) null).getSingleResult();
+        } catch (NoResultException e) {
+            return null;
+        }
     }
 
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/domain/sample/UserSpecifications.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/domain/sample/UserSpecifications.java
index 74afb650b..2fcb8474c 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/domain/sample/UserSpecifications.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/domain/sample/UserSpecifications.java
@@ -54,6 +54,27 @@ public class UserSpecifications {
     }
 
 
+    /**
+     * A {@link Specification} to do a like-match on a {@link User}'s firstname.
+     * 
+     * @param firstname
+     * @return
+     */
+    public static Specification<User> userHasFirstnameLike(
+            final String expression) {
+
+        return new Specification<User>() {
+
+            public Predicate toPredicate(Root<User> root,
+                    CriteriaQuery<?> query, CriteriaBuilder cb) {
+
+                return cb.like(root.get("firstname").as(String.class),
+                        String.format("%%%s%%", expression));
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+
     private static <T> Specification<T> simplePropertySpec(
             final String property, final Object value) {
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/UserRepositoryTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/UserRepositoryTests.java
index cc31e9149..fa2f9bd51 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/UserRepositoryTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/UserRepositoryTests.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.dao.DataAccessException;
+import org.springframework.dao.IncorrectResultSizeDataAccessException;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Page;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.PageImpl;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest;
@@ -469,6 +470,24 @@ public class UserRepositoryTests {
     }
 
 
+    @Test
+    public void returnsNullIfNoEntityFoundForSingleEntitySpecification()
+            throws Exception {
+
+        flushTestUsers();
+        assertThat(repository.findOne(userHasLastname("Beauford")),
+                is(nullValue()));
+    }
+
+
+    @Test(expected = IncorrectResultSizeDataAccessException.class)
+    public void throwsExceptionForUnderSpecifiedSingleEntitySpecification() {
+
+        flushTestUsers();
+        repository.findOne(userHasFirstnameLike("e"));
+    }
+
+
     @Test
     public void executesCombinedSpecificationsCorrectly() {