diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
index 8c73e66fde..522bd92b77 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
@@ -644,6 +644,7 @@ public class TypeDescriptor implements Serializable {
 	 * @since 3.2.1
 	 */
 	@Nullable
+	@Contract("!null -> !null; null -> null")
 	public static TypeDescriptor array(@Nullable TypeDescriptor elementTypeDescriptor) {
 		if (elementTypeDescriptor == null) {
 			return null;
diff --git a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/ReflectionHelper.java b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/ReflectionHelper.java
index 5a26cfee30..bb2c188d51 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/ReflectionHelper.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/ReflectionHelper.java
@@ -389,7 +389,6 @@ public abstract class ReflectionHelper {
 			// FunctionReference#executeFunctionViaMethodHandle().
 			Class<?> varargsComponentClass = ClassUtils.resolvePrimitiveIfNecessary(varargsArrayClass.componentType());
 			TypeDescriptor varargsArrayType = TypeDescriptor.array(TypeDescriptor.valueOf(varargsComponentClass));
-			Assert.state(varargsArrayType != null, "Array type must not be null for a varargs array");
 			TypeDescriptor varargsComponentType = varargsArrayType.getElementTypeDescriptor();
 			Assert.state(varargsComponentType != null, "Component type must not be null for a varargs array");