diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/GlobalMethodSecurityBeanDefinitionParser.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/GlobalMethodSecurityBeanDefinitionParser.java
index fb7951fc5d..731d43ea9b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/GlobalMethodSecurityBeanDefinitionParser.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/config/GlobalMethodSecurityBeanDefinitionParser.java
@@ -77,6 +77,17 @@ class GlobalMethodSecurityBeanDefinitionParser implements BeanDefinitionParser {
         boolean expressionsEnabled = "enabled".equals(element.getAttribute(ATT_USE_EXPRESSIONS));
         BeanDefinition expressionVoter = null;
 
+        // Now create a Map<String, ConfigAttribute> for each <protect-pointcut> sub-element
+        Map<String, List<ConfigAttribute>> pointcutMap = parseProtectPointcuts(parserContext,
+                DomUtils.getChildElementsByTagName(element, Elements.PROTECT_POINTCUT));
+
+        if (pointcutMap.size() > 0) {
+            // SEC-1016: Put the pointcut MDS first, but only add it if there are actually any pointcuts defined.
+            MapBasedMethodDefinitionSource mapBasedMethodDefinitionSource = new MapBasedMethodDefinitionSource();
+            delegates.add(mapBasedMethodDefinitionSource);
+            registerProtectPointcutPostProcessor(parserContext, pointcutMap, mapBasedMethodDefinitionSource, source);
+        }
+
         if (expressionsEnabled) {
             Element expressionHandlerElt = DomUtils.getChildElementByTagName(element, Elements.EXPRESSION_HANDLER);
             String expressionHandlerRef = expressionHandlerElt == null ? null : expressionHandlerElt.getAttribute("ref");
@@ -112,17 +123,6 @@ class GlobalMethodSecurityBeanDefinitionParser implements BeanDefinitionParser {
             delegates.add(BeanDefinitionBuilder.rootBeanDefinition(JSR_250_SECURITY_METHOD_DEFINITION_SOURCE_CLASS).getBeanDefinition());
         }
 
-        MapBasedMethodDefinitionSource mapBasedMethodDefinitionSource = new MapBasedMethodDefinitionSource();
-        delegates.add(mapBasedMethodDefinitionSource);
-
-        // Now create a Map<String, ConfigAttribute> for each <protect-pointcut> sub-element
-        Map<String, List<ConfigAttribute>> pointcutMap = parseProtectPointcuts(parserContext,
-                DomUtils.getChildElementsByTagName(element, Elements.PROTECT_POINTCUT));
-
-        if (pointcutMap.size() > 0) {
-            registerProtectPointcutPostProcessor(parserContext, pointcutMap, mapBasedMethodDefinitionSource, source);
-        }
-
         registerDelegatingMethodDefinitionSource(parserContext, delegates, source);
 
         String accessManagerId = element.getAttribute(ATT_ACCESS_MGR);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/intercept/method/DelegatingMethodDefinitionSource.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/intercept/method/DelegatingMethodDefinitionSource.java
index 394658da76..33ad0dba10 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/intercept/method/DelegatingMethodDefinitionSource.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/intercept/method/DelegatingMethodDefinitionSource.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public final class DelegatingMethodDefinitionSource extends AbstractMethodDefini
     //~ Methods ========================================================================================================
 
     public void afterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
-        Assert.notEmpty(methodDefinitionSources, "A list of MethodDefinitionSources is required");
+        Assert.notNull(methodDefinitionSources, "A list of MethodDefinitionSources is required");
     }
 
     public List<ConfigAttribute> getAttributes(Method method, Class<?> targetClass) {
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ public final class DelegatingMethodDefinitionSource extends AbstractMethodDefini
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public void setMethodDefinitionSources(List methodDefinitionSources) {
-        Assert.notEmpty(methodDefinitionSources, "A list of MethodDefinitionSources is required");
         this.methodDefinitionSources = methodDefinitionSources;
     }
 
@@ -94,9 +93,9 @@ public final class DelegatingMethodDefinitionSource extends AbstractMethodDefini
 
     private static class DefaultCacheKey {
         private final Method method;
-        private final Class targetClass;
+        private final Class<?> targetClass;
 
-        public DefaultCacheKey(Method method, Class targetClass) {
+        public DefaultCacheKey(Method method, Class<?> targetClass) {
             this.method = method;
             this.targetClass = targetClass;
         }