diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/PropertyValue.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/PropertyValue.java
index feecaf0e5905..a2dbc88f12d3 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/PropertyValue.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/PropertyValue.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2012 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2016 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.
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ public class PropertyValue extends BeanMetadataAttributeAccessor implements Seri
 
 	private final Object value;
 
-	private Object source;
-
 	private boolean optional = false;
 
 	private boolean converted = false;
@@ -82,13 +80,13 @@ public PropertyValue(PropertyValue original) {
 		Assert.notNull(original, "Original must not be null");
 		this.name = original.getName();
 		this.value = original.getValue();
-		this.source = original.getSource();
 		this.optional = original.isOptional();
 		this.converted = original.converted;
 		this.convertedValue = original.convertedValue;
 		this.conversionNecessary = original.conversionNecessary;
 		this.resolvedTokens = original.resolvedTokens;
 		this.resolvedDescriptor = original.resolvedDescriptor;
+		setSource(original.getSource());
 		copyAttributesFrom(original);
 	}
 
@@ -102,11 +100,11 @@ public PropertyValue(PropertyValue original, Object newValue) {
 		Assert.notNull(original, "Original must not be null");
 		this.name = original.getName();
 		this.value = newValue;
-		this.source = original;
 		this.optional = original.isOptional();
 		this.conversionNecessary = original.conversionNecessary;
 		this.resolvedTokens = original.resolvedTokens;
 		this.resolvedDescriptor = original.resolvedDescriptor;
+		setSource(original);
 		copyAttributesFrom(original);
 	}
 
@@ -135,16 +133,28 @@ public Object getValue() {
 	 */
 	public PropertyValue getOriginalPropertyValue() {
 		PropertyValue original = this;
-		while (original.source instanceof PropertyValue && original.source != original) {
-			original = (PropertyValue) original.source;
+		Object source = getSource();
+		while (source instanceof PropertyValue && source != original) {
+			original = (PropertyValue) source;
+			source = original.getSource();
 		}
 		return original;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Set whether this is an optional value, that is, to be ignored
+	 * when no corresponding property exists on the target class.
+	 * @since 3.0
+	 */
 	public void setOptional(boolean optional) {
 		this.optional = optional;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Return whether this is an optional value, that is, to be ignored
+	 * when no corresponding property exists on the target class.
+	 * @since 3.0
+	 */
 	public boolean isOptional() {
 		return this.optional;
 	}
@@ -186,7 +196,7 @@ public boolean equals(Object other) {
 		PropertyValue otherPv = (PropertyValue) other;
 		return (this.name.equals(otherPv.name) &&
 				ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(this.value, otherPv.value) &&
-				ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(this.source, otherPv.source));
+				ObjectUtils.nullSafeEquals(getSource(), otherPv.getSource()));
 	}
 
 	@Override