diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java
index 9feecbc4ed..70b0063704 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/DefaultListableBeanFactory.java
@@ -248,6 +248,17 @@ public class DefaultListableBeanFactory extends AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFacto
 	public <T> T getBean(Class<T> requiredType) throws BeansException {
 		Assert.notNull(requiredType, "Required type must not be null");
 		String[] beanNames = getBeanNamesForType(requiredType);
+		if (beanNames.length > 1) {
+			ArrayList<String> autowireCandidates = new ArrayList<String>();
+			for (String beanName : beanNames) {
+				if (getBeanDefinition(beanName).isAutowireCandidate()) {
+					autowireCandidates.add(beanName);
+				}
+			}
+			if (autowireCandidates.size() > 0) {
+				beanNames = autowireCandidates.toArray(new String[autowireCandidates.size()]);
+			}
+		}
 		if (beanNames.length == 1) {
 			return getBean(beanNames[0], requiredType);
 		}
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
index ab1b364740..7869e74a25 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests.java
@@ -1218,6 +1218,38 @@ public final class DefaultListableBeanFactoryTests {
 		assertNull(bean.getSpouse());
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected=NoSuchBeanDefinitionException.class)
+	public void testGetBeanByTypeWithAmbiguity() {
+		DefaultListableBeanFactory lbf = new DefaultListableBeanFactory();
+		RootBeanDefinition bd1 = new RootBeanDefinition(TestBean.class);
+		RootBeanDefinition bd2 = new RootBeanDefinition(TestBean.class);
+		lbf.registerBeanDefinition("bd1", bd1);
+		lbf.registerBeanDefinition("bd2", bd2);
+		lbf.getBean(TestBean.class);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testGetBeanByTypeFiltersOutNonAutowireCandidates() {
+		DefaultListableBeanFactory lbf = new DefaultListableBeanFactory();
+		RootBeanDefinition bd1 = new RootBeanDefinition(TestBean.class);
+		RootBeanDefinition bd2 = new RootBeanDefinition(TestBean.class);
+		RootBeanDefinition na1 = new RootBeanDefinition(TestBean.class);
+		na1.setAutowireCandidate(false);
+
+		lbf.registerBeanDefinition("bd1", bd1);
+		lbf.registerBeanDefinition("na1", na1);
+		TestBean actual = lbf.getBean(TestBean.class); // na1 was filtered
+		assertSame(lbf.getBean("bd1", TestBean.class), actual);
+
+		lbf.registerBeanDefinition("bd2", bd2);
+		try {
+			lbf.getBean(TestBean.class);
+			fail("Should have thrown NoSuchBeanDefinitionException");
+		} catch (NoSuchBeanDefinitionException ex) {
+			// expected
+		}
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testAutowireBeanByType() {
 		DefaultListableBeanFactory lbf = new DefaultListableBeanFactory();