diff --git a/spring-aop/src/main/java/org/springframework/aop/framework/autoproxy/AbstractAutoProxyCreator.java b/spring-aop/src/main/java/org/springframework/aop/framework/autoproxy/AbstractAutoProxyCreator.java
index 502fd9e292..05a7296625 100644
--- a/spring-aop/src/main/java/org/springframework/aop/framework/autoproxy/AbstractAutoProxyCreator.java
+++ b/spring-aop/src/main/java/org/springframework/aop/framework/autoproxy/AbstractAutoProxyCreator.java
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractAutoProxyCreator extends ProxyProcessorSupport
 
 	private final Set<String> targetSourcedBeans = Collections.newSetFromMap(new ConcurrentHashMap<>(16));
 
-	private final Map<Object, Object> earlyProxyReferences = new ConcurrentHashMap<>(16);
+	/** Cache of early target objects: cacheKey to bean instance. */
+	private final Map<Object, Object> earlyTargetReferences = new ConcurrentHashMap<>(16);
 
 	private final Map<Object, Class<?>> proxyTypes = new ConcurrentHashMap<>(16);
 
@@ -265,7 +266,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractAutoProxyCreator extends ProxyProcessorSupport
 	@Override
 	public Object getEarlyBeanReference(Object bean, String beanName) {
 		Object cacheKey = getCacheKey(bean.getClass(), beanName);
-		this.earlyProxyReferences.put(cacheKey, bean);
+		this.earlyTargetReferences.put(cacheKey, bean);
 		return wrapIfNecessary(bean, beanName, cacheKey);
 	}
 
@@ -314,7 +315,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractAutoProxyCreator extends ProxyProcessorSupport
 	public Object postProcessAfterInitialization(@Nullable Object bean, String beanName) {
 		if (bean != null) {
 			Object cacheKey = getCacheKey(bean.getClass(), beanName);
-			if (this.earlyProxyReferences.remove(cacheKey) != bean) {
+			if (this.earlyTargetReferences.remove(cacheKey) != bean) {
 				return wrapIfNecessary(bean, beanName, cacheKey);
 			}
 		}