diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilder.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilder.java
index 058cbb126d..7b8a7c271f 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilder.java
@@ -64,8 +64,19 @@ import org.springframework.web.util.UriComponents;
 import org.springframework.web.util.UriComponentsBuilder;
 
 /**
- * A UriComponentsBuilder that helps to build URIs to Spring MVC controllers
- * and methods from their request mappings.
+ * Creates instances of {@link org.springframework.web.util.UriComponentsBuilder}
+ * by pointing to Spring MVC controllers and {@code @RequestMapping} methods.
+ *
+ * <p>The static {@code fromXxx(...)} methods prepare links relative to the
+ * current request as determined by a call to
+ * {@link org.springframework.web.servlet.support.ServletUriComponentsBuilder#fromCurrentServletMapping()}.
+ *
+ * <p>The static {@code fromXxx(UriComponentsBuilder,...)} methods can be given
+ * the baseUrl when operating outside the context of a request.
+ *
+ * <p>You can also create an MvcUriComponentsBuilder instance with a baseUrl
+ * via {@link #relativeTo(org.springframework.web.util.UriComponentsBuilder)}
+ * and then use the non-static {@code withXxx(...)} method variants.
  *
  * @author Oliver Gierke
  * @author Rossen Stoyanchev
@@ -94,6 +105,8 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 				new PathVariableMethodArgumentResolver(), new RequestParamMethodArgumentResolver(false));
 	}
 
+	private final UriComponentsBuilder baseUrl;
+
 
 	/**
 	 * Default constructor. Protected to prevent direct instantiation.
@@ -104,7 +117,9 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 	 * @see #fromMappingName(String)
 	 * @see #fromMethod(java.lang.reflect.Method, Object...)
 	 */
-	protected MvcUriComponentsBuilder() {
+	protected MvcUriComponentsBuilder(UriComponentsBuilder baseUrl) {
+		Assert.notNull(baseUrl, "'baseUrl' is required");
+		this.baseUrl = baseUrl;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -113,8 +128,19 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 	 */
 	protected MvcUriComponentsBuilder(MvcUriComponentsBuilder other) {
 		super(other);
+		this.baseUrl = other.baseUrl;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Create an instance of this class with a base URL. After that calls to one
+	 * of the instance based {@code withXxx(...}} methods will create URLs relative
+	 * to the given base URL.
+	 */
+	public static MvcUriComponentsBuilder relativeTo(UriComponentsBuilder baseUrl) {
+		return new MvcUriComponentsBuilder(baseUrl);
+	}
+
+
 	/**
 	 * Create a {@link UriComponentsBuilder} from the mapping of a controller class
 	 * and current request information including Servlet mapping. If the controller
@@ -316,6 +342,23 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 	 * @since 4.1
 	 */
 	public static MethodArgumentBuilder fromMappingName(String mappingName) {
+		return fromMappingName(null, mappingName);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * An alternative to {@link #fromMappingName(String)} that accepts a
+	 * {@code UriComponentsBuilder} representing the base URL. This is useful
+	 * when using MvcUriComponentsBuilder outside the context of processing a
+	 * request or to apply a custom baseUrl not matching the current request.
+	 * @param builder the builder for the base URL; the builder will be cloned
+	 * and therefore not modified and may be re-used for further calls.
+	 * @param mappingName the mapping name
+	 * @return a builder to to prepare the URI String
+	 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the mapping name is not found or
+	 * if there is no unique match
+	 * @since 4.2
+	 */
+	public static MethodArgumentBuilder fromMappingName(UriComponentsBuilder builder, String mappingName) {
 		RequestMappingInfoHandlerMapping handlerMapping = getRequestMappingInfoHandlerMapping();
 		List<HandlerMethod> handlerMethods = handlerMapping.getHandlerMethodsForMappingName(mappingName);
 		if (handlerMethods == null) {
@@ -325,7 +368,7 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException(
 					"No unique match for mapping mappingName " + mappingName + ": " + handlerMethods);
 		}
-		return new MethodArgumentBuilder(handlerMethods.get(0).getMethod());
+		return new MethodArgumentBuilder(builder, handlerMethods.get(0).getMethod());
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -530,6 +573,46 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * An alternative to {@link #fromController(Class)} for use with an instance
+	 * of this class created via a call to {@link #relativeTo}.
+	 */
+	public UriComponentsBuilder withController(Class<?> controllerType) {
+		return fromController(this.baseUrl, controllerType);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * An alternative to {@link #fromMethodName(Class, String, Object...)}} for
+	 * use with an instance of this class created via {@link #relativeTo}.
+	 */
+	public UriComponentsBuilder withMethodName(Class<?> controllerType, String methodName, Object... args) {
+		return fromMethodName(this.baseUrl, controllerType, methodName, args);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * An alternative to {@link #fromMethodCall(Object)} for use with an instance
+	 * of this class created via {@link #relativeTo}.
+	 */
+	public UriComponentsBuilder withMethodCall(Object invocationInfo) {
+		return fromMethodCall(this.baseUrl, invocationInfo);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * An alternative to {@link #fromMappingName(String)} for use with an instance
+	 * of this class created via {@link #relativeTo}.
+	 */
+	public MethodArgumentBuilder withMappingName(String mappingName) {
+		return fromMappingName(this.baseUrl, mappingName);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * An alternative to {@link #fromMethod(java.lang.reflect.Method, Object...)}
+	 * for use with an instance of this class created via {@link #relativeTo}.
+	 */
+	public UriComponentsBuilder withMethod(Method method, Object... args) {
+		return fromMethod(this.baseUrl, method, args);
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public Object clone() {
 		return new MvcUriComponentsBuilder(this);
@@ -590,9 +673,16 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 
 		private final Object[] argumentValues;
 
+		private final UriComponentsBuilder baseUrl;
+
 
 		public MethodArgumentBuilder(Method method) {
+			this(null, method);
+		}
+
+		public MethodArgumentBuilder(UriComponentsBuilder baseUrl, Method method) {
 			Assert.notNull(method, "'method' is required");
+			this.baseUrl = baseUrl;
 			this.method = method;
 			this.argumentValues = new Object[method.getParameterTypes().length];
 			for (int i = 0; i < this.argumentValues.length; i++) {
@@ -606,12 +696,12 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilder extends UriComponentsBuilder {
 		}
 
 		public String build() {
-			return MvcUriComponentsBuilder.fromMethod(this.method, this.argumentValues)
+			return MvcUriComponentsBuilder.fromMethod(this.baseUrl, this.method, this.argumentValues)
 					.build(false).encode().toUriString();
 		}
 
 		public String buildAndExpand(Object... uriVariables) {
-			return MvcUriComponentsBuilder.fromMethod(this.method, this.argumentValues)
+			return MvcUriComponentsBuilder.fromMethod(this.baseUrl, this.method, this.argumentValues)
 					.build(false).expand(uriVariables).encode().toString();
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/UriComponentsBuilderMethodArgumentResolver.java b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/UriComponentsBuilderMethodArgumentResolver.java
index 74e632f2a9..d01f2e8cb7 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/UriComponentsBuilderMethodArgumentResolver.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/UriComponentsBuilderMethodArgumentResolver.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2014 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2015 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.
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import org.springframework.web.method.support.ModelAndViewContainer;
 import org.springframework.web.servlet.support.ServletUriComponentsBuilder;
 import org.springframework.web.util.UriComponentsBuilder;
 
+
 /**
  * Resolvers argument values of type {@link UriComponentsBuilder}.
  *
@@ -37,9 +38,11 @@ import org.springframework.web.util.UriComponentsBuilder;
  */
 public class UriComponentsBuilderMethodArgumentResolver implements HandlerMethodArgumentResolver {
 
+
 	@Override
 	public boolean supportsParameter(MethodParameter parameter) {
-		return UriComponentsBuilder.class.isAssignableFrom(parameter.getParameterType());
+		Class<?> type = parameter.getParameterType();
+		return (UriComponentsBuilder.class.equals(type) || ServletUriComponentsBuilder.class.equals(type));
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests.java b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests.java
index 416c90501c..e2b7d3c373 100644
--- a/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests.java
+++ b/spring-webmvc/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests.java
@@ -30,10 +30,12 @@ import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.format.annotation.DateTimeFormat;
 import org.springframework.format.annotation.DateTimeFormat.ISO;
 import org.springframework.http.HttpEntity;
 import org.springframework.mock.web.test.MockHttpServletRequest;
+import org.springframework.mock.web.test.MockServletContext;
 import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestBody;
@@ -41,6 +43,10 @@ import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestParam;
 import org.springframework.web.context.request.RequestContextHolder;
 import org.springframework.web.context.request.ServletRequestAttributes;
+import org.springframework.web.context.support.AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet;
+import org.springframework.web.servlet.config.annotation.EnableWebMvc;
+import org.springframework.web.servlet.config.annotation.WebMvcConfigurerAdapter;
 import org.springframework.web.util.UriComponents;
 import org.springframework.web.util.UriComponentsBuilder;
 
@@ -100,7 +106,7 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testFromControllerWithCustomBaseUrl() {
+	public void testFromControllerWithCustomBaseUrlViaStaticCall() {
 		UriComponentsBuilder builder = UriComponentsBuilder.fromUriString("http://example.org:9090/base");
 		UriComponents uriComponents = fromController(builder, PersonControllerImpl.class).build();
 
@@ -108,6 +114,16 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base", builder.toUriString());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testFromControllerWithCustomBaseUrlViaInstance() {
+		UriComponentsBuilder builder = UriComponentsBuilder.fromUriString("http://example.org:9090/base");
+		MvcUriComponentsBuilder mvcBuilder = MvcUriComponentsBuilder.relativeTo(builder);
+		UriComponents uriComponents = mvcBuilder.withController(PersonControllerImpl.class).build();
+
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base/people", uriComponents.toString());
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base", builder.toUriString());
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testFromMethodNamePathVariable() throws Exception {
 		UriComponents uriComponents = fromMethodName(
@@ -162,7 +178,7 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testFromMethodNameWithCustomBaseUrl() throws Exception {
+	public void testFromMethodNameWithCustomBaseUrlViaStaticCall() throws Exception {
 		UriComponentsBuilder builder = UriComponentsBuilder.fromUriString("http://example.org:9090/base");
 		UriComponents uriComponents = fromMethodName(builder, ControllerWithMethods.class,
 				"methodWithPathVariable", new Object[] {"1"}).build();
@@ -171,6 +187,17 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base", builder.toUriString());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testFromMethodNameWithCustomBaseUrlViaInstance() throws Exception {
+		UriComponentsBuilder builder = UriComponentsBuilder.fromUriString("http://example.org:9090/base");
+		MvcUriComponentsBuilder mvcBuilder = MvcUriComponentsBuilder.relativeTo(builder);
+		UriComponents uriComponents = mvcBuilder.withMethodName(ControllerWithMethods.class,
+				"methodWithPathVariable", new Object[] {"1"}).build();
+
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base/something/1/foo", uriComponents.toString());
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base", builder.toUriString());
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testFromMethodCall() {
 		UriComponents uriComponents = fromMethodCall(on(ControllerWithMethods.class).myMethod(null)).build();
@@ -222,7 +249,7 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void testFromMethodCallWithCustomBaseUrl() {
+	public void testFromMethodCallWithCustomBaseUrlViaStaticCall() {
 		UriComponentsBuilder builder = UriComponentsBuilder.fromUriString("http://example.org:9090/base");
 		UriComponents uriComponents = fromMethodCall(builder, on(ControllerWithMethods.class).myMethod(null)).build();
 
@@ -230,6 +257,48 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base", builder.toUriString());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testFromMethodCallWithCustomBaseUrlViaInstance() {
+		UriComponentsBuilder builder = UriComponentsBuilder.fromUriString("http://example.org:9090/base");
+		MvcUriComponentsBuilder mvcBuilder = MvcUriComponentsBuilder.relativeTo(builder);
+		UriComponents result = mvcBuilder.withMethodCall(on(ControllerWithMethods.class).myMethod(null)).build();
+
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base/something/else", result.toString());
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9090/base", builder.toUriString());
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testFromMappingName() throws Exception {
+		AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext context = new AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext();
+		context.setServletContext(new MockServletContext());
+		context.register(WebConfig.class);
+		context.refresh();
+
+		this.request.setAttribute(DispatcherServlet.WEB_APPLICATION_CONTEXT_ATTRIBUTE, context);
+		this.request.setServerName("example.org");
+		this.request.setServerPort(9999);
+		this.request.setContextPath("/base");
+
+		String mappingName = "PAC#getAddressesForCountry";
+		String url = MvcUriComponentsBuilder.fromMappingName(mappingName).arg(0, "DE").buildAndExpand(123);
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9999/base/people/123/addresses/DE", url);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testFromMappingNameWithCustomBaseUrl() throws Exception {
+		AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext context = new AnnotationConfigWebApplicationContext();
+		context.setServletContext(new MockServletContext());
+		context.register(WebConfig.class);
+		context.refresh();
+
+		this.request.setAttribute(DispatcherServlet.WEB_APPLICATION_CONTEXT_ATTRIBUTE, context);
+
+		UriComponentsBuilder baseUrl = UriComponentsBuilder.fromUriString("http://example.org:9999/base");
+		MvcUriComponentsBuilder mvcBuilder = MvcUriComponentsBuilder.relativeTo(baseUrl);
+		String url = mvcBuilder.withMappingName("PAC#getAddressesForCountry").arg(0, "DE").buildAndExpand(123);
+		assertEquals("http://example.org:9999/base/people/123/addresses/DE", url);
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void usesForwardedHostAsHostIfHeaderIsSet() {
 		this.request.addHeader("X-Forwarded-Host", "somethingDifferent");
@@ -329,6 +398,7 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("unused")
 	@RequestMapping("/user/{userId}/contacts")
 	static class UserContactController {
 
@@ -338,4 +408,14 @@ public class MvcUriComponentsBuilderTests {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@EnableWebMvc
+	static class WebConfig extends WebMvcConfigurerAdapter {
+
+		@Bean
+		public PersonsAddressesController controller() {
+			return new PersonsAddressesController();
+		}
+
+	}
+
 }