diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/xml/LocalFlowBuilderContext.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/xml/LocalFlowBuilderContext.java
index 2e8b1320..42e1eaae 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/xml/LocalFlowBuilderContext.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/engine/builder/xml/LocalFlowBuilderContext.java
@@ -46,7 +46,11 @@ class LocalFlowBuilderContext implements FlowBuilderContext {
 	}
 
 	public FlowDefinitionLocator getFlowDefinitionLocator() {
-		return (FlowDefinitionLocator) localFlowBeanFactory.getBean("flowRegistry", FlowDefinitionLocator.class);
+		if (localFlowBeanFactory.containsBean("flowRegistry")) {
+			return (FlowDefinitionLocator) localFlowBeanFactory.getBean("flowRegistry", FlowDefinitionLocator.class);
+		} else {
+			return parent.getFlowDefinitionLocator();
+		}
 	}
 
 	public FlowArtifactFactory getFlowArtifactFactory() {