diff --git a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.java b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.java
index 3026e3a0a9..48f3489007 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.java
@@ -49,10 +49,19 @@ public class ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests {
 
 	private static ApplicationContext context;
 
+	private static String foo;
+
+	private static String bar;
+
+	private static String baz;
+
 
 	@After
 	public void cleanUp() {
 		ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.context = null;
+		ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.foo = null;
+		ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.bar = null;
+		ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.baz = null;
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -85,17 +94,17 @@ public class ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests {
 		assertThat(ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.context, notNullValue());
 
 		ConfigurableApplicationContext bazContext = (ConfigurableApplicationContext) ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.context;
-		assertEquals("baz", bazContext.getBean("bean", String.class));
+		assertEquals("baz", ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.baz);
 		assertThat("bazContext#isActive()", bazContext.isActive(), is(isBazContextActive));
 
 		ConfigurableApplicationContext barContext = (ConfigurableApplicationContext) bazContext.getParent();
 		assertThat(barContext, notNullValue());
-		assertEquals("bar", barContext.getBean("bean", String.class));
+		assertEquals("bar", ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.bar);
 		assertThat("barContext#isActive()", barContext.isActive(), is(isBarContextActive));
 
 		ConfigurableApplicationContext fooContext = (ConfigurableApplicationContext) barContext.getParent();
 		assertThat(fooContext, notNullValue());
-		assertEquals("foo", fooContext.getBean("bean", String.class));
+		assertEquals("foo", ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.foo);
 		assertThat("fooContext#isActive()", fooContext.isActive(), is(isFooContextActive));
 	}
 
@@ -115,9 +124,11 @@ public class ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests {
 			}
 		}
 
-
 		public void setApplicationContext(ApplicationContext applicationContext) throws BeansException {
 			ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.context = applicationContext;
+			ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.baz = applicationContext.getBean("bean", String.class);
+			ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.bar = applicationContext.getParent().getBean("bean", String.class);
+			ContextHierarchyDirtiesContextTests.foo = applicationContext.getParent().getParent().getBean("bean", String.class);
 		}
 	}