diff --git a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AbstractAnnotationTests.java b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AbstractAnnotationTests.java
index 24fc8ceec7..7bea88e760 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AbstractAnnotationTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AbstractAnnotationTests.java
@@ -16,7 +16,13 @@
 
 package org.springframework.cache.config;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotSame;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.UUID;
@@ -27,12 +33,12 @@ import org.springframework.aop.framework.AopProxyUtils;
 import org.springframework.cache.Cache;
 import org.springframework.cache.CacheManager;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
-import org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext;
 
 /**
  * Abstract annotation test (containing several reusable methods).
  *
  * @author Costin Leau
+ * @author Chris Beams
  */
 public abstract class AbstractAnnotationTests {
 
@@ -44,11 +50,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractAnnotationTests {
 
 	protected CacheManager cm;
 
-	protected abstract String getConfig();
+	/** @return a refreshed application context */
+	protected abstract ApplicationContext getApplicationContext();
 
 	@Before
 	public void setup() {
-		ctx = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(getConfig());
+		ctx = getApplicationContext();
 		cs = ctx.getBean("service", CacheableService.class);
 		ccs = ctx.getBean("classService", CacheableService.class);
 		cm = ctx.getBean(CacheManager.class);
diff --git a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationNamespaceDrivenTests.java b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationNamespaceDrivenTests.java
index f394011458..06ec9e8dbd 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationNamespaceDrivenTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationNamespaceDrivenTests.java
@@ -20,15 +20,19 @@ import junit.framework.Assert;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.cache.interceptor.CacheInterceptor;
+import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.context.support.GenericXmlApplicationContext;
 
 /**
  * @author Costin Leau
+ * @author Chris Beams
  */
 public class AnnotationNamespaceDrivenTests extends AbstractAnnotationTests {
 
 	@Override
-	protected String getConfig() {
-		return "/org/springframework/cache/config/annotationDrivenCacheNamespace.xml";
+	protected ApplicationContext getApplicationContext() {
+		return new GenericXmlApplicationContext(
+				"/org/springframework/cache/config/annotationDrivenCacheNamespace.xml");
 	}
 
 	@Test
diff --git a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationTests.java b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationTests.java
index c1372dbde9..8de9d7bb52 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/AnnotationTests.java
@@ -16,13 +16,18 @@
 
 package org.springframework.cache.config;
 
+import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.context.support.GenericXmlApplicationContext;
+
 /**
  * @author Costin Leau
+ * @author Chris Beams
  */
 public class AnnotationTests extends AbstractAnnotationTests {
 
 	@Override
-	protected String getConfig() {
-		return "/org/springframework/cache/config/annotationDrivenCacheConfig.xml";
+	protected ApplicationContext getApplicationContext() {
+		return new GenericXmlApplicationContext(
+				"/org/springframework/cache/config/annotationDrivenCacheConfig.xml");
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/CacheAdviceNamespaceTests.java b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/CacheAdviceNamespaceTests.java
index b34317e3ca..09dcf34607 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/CacheAdviceNamespaceTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.context/src/test/java/org/springframework/cache/config/CacheAdviceNamespaceTests.java
@@ -19,15 +19,19 @@ package org.springframework.cache.config;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.cache.interceptor.CacheInterceptor;
+import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.context.support.GenericXmlApplicationContext;
 
 /**
  * @author Costin Leau
+ * @author Chris Beams
  */
 public class CacheAdviceNamespaceTests extends AbstractAnnotationTests {
 
 	@Override
-	protected String getConfig() {
-		return "/org/springframework/cache/config/cache-advice.xml";
+	protected ApplicationContext getApplicationContext() {
+		return new GenericXmlApplicationContext(
+				"/org/springframework/cache/config/cache-advice.xml");
 	}
 
 	@Test