diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtils.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtils.java
index f4289f4cd1..1f591cac02 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtils.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtils.java
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ public abstract class TestContextAnnotationUtils {
 	private static final ConcurrentLruCache<Class<?>, EnclosingConfiguration> cachedEnclosingConfigurationModes =
 			new ConcurrentLruCache<>(32, TestContextAnnotationUtils::lookUpEnclosingConfiguration);
 
+	private static EnclosingConfiguration defaultEnclosingConfigurationMode;
 
 	/**
 	 * Find the first annotation of the specified {@code annotationType} within
@@ -383,6 +384,10 @@ public abstract class TestContextAnnotationUtils {
 		return (ClassUtils.isInnerClass(clazz) &&
 				getEnclosingConfiguration(clazz) == EnclosingConfiguration.INHERIT);
 	}
+	
+	static void clearCaches() {
+		defaultEnclosingConfigurationMode = null;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Get the {@link EnclosingConfiguration} mode for the supplied class.
@@ -405,9 +410,13 @@ public abstract class TestContextAnnotationUtils {
 	}
 
 	private static EnclosingConfiguration getDefaultEnclosingConfigurationMode() {
-		String value = SpringProperties.getProperty(NestedTestConfiguration.ENCLOSING_CONFIGURATION_PROPERTY_NAME);
-		EnclosingConfiguration enclosingConfigurationMode = EnclosingConfiguration.from(value);
-		return (enclosingConfigurationMode != null ? enclosingConfigurationMode : EnclosingConfiguration.INHERIT);
+		if (defaultEnclosingConfigurationMode == null) {
+			String value = SpringProperties.getProperty(NestedTestConfiguration.ENCLOSING_CONFIGURATION_PROPERTY_NAME);
+			EnclosingConfiguration enclosingConfigurationMode = EnclosingConfiguration.from(value);
+			defaultEnclosingConfigurationMode =
+					(enclosingConfigurationMode != null ? enclosingConfigurationMode : EnclosingConfiguration.INHERIT);
+		}
+		return defaultEnclosingConfigurationMode;
 	}
 
 	private static void assertNonEmptyAnnotationTypeArray(Class<?>[] annotationTypes, String message) {
diff --git a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtilsTests.java b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtilsTests.java
index 5f4f0d5e5f..1a07a2c402 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtilsTests.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/test/java/org/springframework/test/context/TestContextAnnotationUtilsTests.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
 import java.lang.annotation.Target;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterEach;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.DisplayName;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Nested;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
@@ -54,6 +55,11 @@ class TestContextAnnotationUtilsTests {
 	@Nested
 	@DisplayName("searchEnclosingClass() tests")
 	class SearchEnclosingClassTests {
+		
+		@BeforeEach
+		void clearCaches() {
+			TestContextAnnotationUtils.clearCaches();
+		}
 
 		@AfterEach
 		void clearGlobalFlag() {