diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java
index 78ea672a..5fd6f85d 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilder.java
@@ -154,13 +154,12 @@ public class XmlFlowModelBuilder implements FlowModelBuilder {
 				String flowId;
 				String stateId;
 				AbstractStateModel parentState = null;
-				if (parent.contains("#")) {
-					flowId = parent.substring(0, parent.indexOf("#")).trim();
-					stateId = parent.substring(parent.indexOf("#") + 1).trim();
-				} else {
-					flowId = parent.trim();
-					stateId = childState.getId();
+				if (!parent.contains("#")) {
+					throw new FlowModelBuilderException("Invalid parent syntax '" + parent
+							+ "', should take form 'flowId#stateId'");
 				}
+				flowId = parent.substring(0, parent.indexOf("#")).trim();
+				stateId = parent.substring(parent.indexOf("#") + 1).trim();
 				try {
 					parentState = modelLocator.getFlowModel(flowId).getStateById(stateId);
 					if (parentState == null) {
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd
index b39b9dc5..92263077 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/spring-webflow-2.0.xsd
@@ -284,11 +284,9 @@ The unique identifier of this state; must be unique to this flow.
 								<xsd:annotation>
 									<xsd:documentation>
 										<![CDATA[
-Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.  By default, the inherited flow's state identifer will match this state's identifier.
+Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.
 <p>
-For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow"&gt;</pre> defaults to <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#state"&gt;</pre>.
-To inherit from a different identifier <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#other"&gt;</pre>
-</ul>
+For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flowId#stateId"&gt;</pre>
 ]]>
 									</xsd:documentation>
 								</xsd:annotation>
@@ -449,11 +447,9 @@ The unique identifier of this state; must be unique to this flow.
 								<xsd:annotation>
 									<xsd:documentation>
 										<![CDATA[
-Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.  By default, the inherited flow's state identifer will match this state's identifier.
+Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.
 <p>
-For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow"&gt;</pre> defaults to <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#state"&gt;</pre>.
-To inherit from a different identifier <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#other"&gt;</pre>
-</ul>
+For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flowId#stateId"&gt;</pre>
 ]]>
 									</xsd:documentation>
 								</xsd:annotation>
@@ -651,11 +647,9 @@ The unique identifier of this state; must be unique to this flow.
 								<xsd:annotation>
 									<xsd:documentation>
 										<![CDATA[
-Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.  By default, the inherited flow's state identifer will match this state's identifier.
+Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.
 <p>
-For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow"&gt;</pre> defaults to <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#state"&gt;</pre>.
-To inherit from a different identifier <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#other"&gt;</pre>
-</ul>
+For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flowId#stateId"&gt;</pre>
 ]]>
 									</xsd:documentation>
 								</xsd:annotation>
@@ -770,11 +764,9 @@ The unique identifier of this state; must be unique to this flow.
 								<xsd:annotation>
 									<xsd:documentation>
 										<![CDATA[
-Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.  By default, the inherited flow's state identifer will match this state's identifier.
+Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.
 <p>
-For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow"&gt;</pre> defaults to <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#state"&gt;</pre>.
-To inherit from a different identifier <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#other"&gt;</pre>
-</ul>
+For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flowId#stateId"&gt;</pre>
 ]]>
 									</xsd:documentation>
 								</xsd:annotation>
@@ -878,11 +870,9 @@ The unique identifier of this state; must be unique to this flow.
 								<xsd:annotation>
 									<xsd:documentation>
 										<![CDATA[
-Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.  By default, the inherited flow's state identifer will match this state's identifier.
+Flow identifier to inherit from for this state only.
 <p>
-For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow"&gt;</pre> defaults to <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#state"&gt;</pre>.
-To inherit from a different identifier <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flow#other"&gt;</pre>
-</ul>
+For example <pre>&lt;state id="state" parent="flowId#stateId"&gt;</pre>
 ]]>
 									</xsd:documentation>
 								</xsd:annotation>
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java
index a890b3ef..36f51a9f 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/XmlFlowModelBuilderTests.java
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ public class XmlFlowModelBuilderTests extends TestCase {
 			fail("A FlowModelConstructionException was expected");
 		} catch (FlowModelConstructionException e) {
 			// we want this
-			e.printStackTrace();
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -197,16 +196,20 @@ public class XmlFlowModelBuilderTests extends TestCase {
 		assertEquals("otherview", ((ViewStateModel) flow.getStates().get(0)).getView());
 	}
 
-	public void testStateMergeDefault() {
-		ClassPathResource resourceChild = new ClassPathResource("flow-inheritance-state-child-default.xml", getClass());
+	public void testStateMergeInvalidParentSyntax() {
+		ClassPathResource resourceChild = new ClassPathResource("flow-inheritance-state-invalid-parent-syntax.xml",
+				getClass());
 		ClassPathResource resourceParent = new ClassPathResource("flow-inheritance-state-parent.xml", getClass());
 		registry
 				.registerFlowModel(new DefaultFlowModelHolder(new XmlFlowModelBuilder(resourceChild, registry), "child"));
 		registry.registerFlowModel(new DefaultFlowModelHolder(new XmlFlowModelBuilder(resourceParent, registry),
 				"parent"));
-		FlowModel flow = registry.getFlowModel("child");
-		assertEquals(1, flow.getStates().size());
-		assertEquals("mainview", ((ViewStateModel) flow.getStates().get(0)).getView());
+		try {
+			registry.getFlowModel("child");
+			fail("A FlowModelConstructionException was expected");
+		} catch (FlowModelConstructionException e) {
+			// we want this
+		}
 	}
 
 	public void testStateMergeParentFlowNotFound() {
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/flow-inheritance-state-child-default.xml b/spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/flow-inheritance-state-invalid-parent-syntax.xml
similarity index 100%
rename from spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/flow-inheritance-state-child-default.xml
rename to spring-webflow/src/test/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/model/builder/xml/flow-inheritance-state-invalid-parent-syntax.xml