diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
index ae68cab903bb21fefdb43e586bec031dad9eb04c..625401c6d7fc4794e3a3fb007fb04217a615c5fb 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptor.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
 import org.springframework.core.MethodParameter;
 import org.springframework.core.ResolvableType;
+import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
 import org.springframework.lang.UsesJava8;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
@@ -237,6 +238,8 @@ public class TypeDescriptor implements Serializable {
 
 	/**
 	 * Determine if this type descriptor has the specified annotation.
+	 * <p>As of Spring Framework 4.2, this method supports arbitrary levels
+	 * of meta-annotations.
 	 * @param annotationType the annotation type
 	 * @return <tt>true</tt> if the annotation is present
 	 */
@@ -245,19 +248,27 @@ public class TypeDescriptor implements Serializable {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Obtain the annotation associated with this type descriptor of the specified type.
+	 * Obtain the annotation of the specified {@code annotationType} that is
+	 * on this type descriptor.
+	 * <p>As of Spring Framework 4.2, this method supports arbitrary levels
+	 * of meta-annotations.
 	 * @param annotationType the annotation type
 	 * @return the annotation, or {@code null} if no such annotation exists on this type descriptor
 	 */
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public <T extends Annotation> T getAnnotation(Class<T> annotationType) {
+		// Search in annotations that are "present" (i.e., locally declared or inherited)
+		//
+		// NOTE: this unfortunately favors inherited annotations over locally declared composed annotations.
 		for (Annotation annotation : getAnnotations()) {
 			if (annotation.annotationType().equals(annotationType)) {
 				return (T) annotation;
 			}
 		}
-		for (Annotation metaAnn : getAnnotations()) {
-			T ann = metaAnn.annotationType().getAnnotation(annotationType);
+
+		// Search in annotation hierarchy
+		for (Annotation composedAnnotation : getAnnotations()) {
+			T ann = AnnotationUtils.findAnnotation(composedAnnotation.annotationType(), annotationType);
 			if (ann != null) {
 				return ann;
 			}
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptorTests.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptorTests.java
index ab750a44ca87406251dfcae76b9102e9d53a29ca..61f30c31430926178d9205acfb6961f04912c5ee 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptorTests.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/core/convert/TypeDescriptorTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2014 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
 import java.io.ObjectInputStream;
 import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;
+import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
 import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.*;
  * @author Keith Donald
  * @author Andy Clement
  * @author Phillip Webb
+ * @author Sam Brannen
  */
 @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
 public class TypeDescriptorTests {
@@ -369,22 +371,60 @@ public class TypeDescriptorTests {
 	@MethodAnnotation3
 	private Map<List<Integer>, List<Long>> property;
 
-	@Target({ElementType.METHOD})
+
+	@Target({ ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE })
 	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 	public @interface MethodAnnotation1 {
-
 	}
 
 	@Target({ElementType.METHOD})
 	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 	public @interface MethodAnnotation2 {
-
 	}
 
 	@Target({ElementType.FIELD})
 	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 	public @interface MethodAnnotation3 {
+	}
+
+	@MethodAnnotation1
+	@Target({ ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE })
+	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+	public @interface ComposedMethodAnnotation1 {}
+
+	@ComposedMethodAnnotation1
+	@Target(ElementType.METHOD)
+	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+	public @interface ComposedComposedMethodAnnotation1 {}
+
+	@MethodAnnotation1
+	public void methodWithLocalAnnotation() {}
 
+	@ComposedMethodAnnotation1
+	public void methodWithComposedAnnotation() {}
+
+	@ComposedComposedMethodAnnotation1
+	public void methodWithComposedComposedAnnotation() {}
+
+	private void assertAnnotationFoundOnMethod(Class<? extends Annotation> annotationType, String methodName) throws Exception {
+		TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor = new TypeDescriptor(new MethodParameter(getClass().getMethod(methodName), -1));
+		assertNotNull("Should have found @" + annotationType.getSimpleName() + " on " + methodName + ".",
+			typeDescriptor.getAnnotation(annotationType));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void getAnnotationOnMethodThatIsLocallyAnnotated() throws Exception {
+		assertAnnotationFoundOnMethod(MethodAnnotation1.class, "methodWithLocalAnnotation");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void getAnnotationOnMethodThatIsMetaAnnotated() throws Exception {
+		assertAnnotationFoundOnMethod(MethodAnnotation1.class, "methodWithComposedAnnotation");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void getAnnotationOnMethodThatIsMetaMetaAnnotated() throws Exception {
+		assertAnnotationFoundOnMethod(MethodAnnotation1.class, "methodWithComposedComposedAnnotation");
 	}
 
 	@Test