spring-projects/spring-framework · error · UnknownAdviceTypeException

Advice object [{adviceObject}] is neither a supported subint

Error message

Advice object [{adviceObject}] is neither a supported subinterface of [org.aopalliance.aop.Advice] nor an [org.springframework.aop.Advisor]

What it means

DefaultAdvisorAdapterRegistry.wrap() throws UnknownAdviceTypeException when the object passed is not an Advisor and not even an instance of org.aopalliance.aop.Advice. The adapters (MethodBefore/AfterReturning/Throws) only know how to wrap actual Advice subinterfaces, so a plain object is rejected at this first type check.

Source

Thrown at spring-aop/src/main/java/org/springframework/aop/framework/adapter/DefaultAdvisorAdapterRegistry.java:65

	/**
	 * Create a new DefaultAdvisorAdapterRegistry, registering well-known adapters.
	 */
	public DefaultAdvisorAdapterRegistry() {
		registerAdvisorAdapter(new MethodBeforeAdviceAdapter());
		registerAdvisorAdapter(new AfterReturningAdviceAdapter());
		registerAdvisorAdapter(new ThrowsAdviceAdapter());
	}


	@Override
	public Advisor wrap(Object adviceObject) throws UnknownAdviceTypeException {
		if (adviceObject instanceof Advisor advisor) {
			return advisor;
		}
		if (!(adviceObject instanceof Advice advice)) {
			throw new UnknownAdviceTypeException(adviceObject);
		}
		if (advice instanceof MethodInterceptor) {
			// So well-known it doesn't even need an adapter.
			return new DefaultPointcutAdvisor(advice);
		}
		for (AdvisorAdapter adapter : this.adapters) {
			// Check that it is supported.
			if (adapter.supportsAdvice(advice)) {
				return new DefaultPointcutAdvisor(advice);
			}
		}
		throw new UnknownAdviceTypeException(advice);
	}

	@Override
	public MethodInterceptor[] getInterceptors(Advisor advisor) throws UnknownAdviceTypeException {
		List<MethodInterceptor> interceptors = new ArrayList<>(3);
		Advice advice = advisor.getAdvice();

View on GitHub (pinned to e8729d0438)

Solutions

1. Make the advice class implement MethodInterceptor, MethodBeforeAdvice, AfterReturningAdvice, ThrowsAdvice, or Advisor.
2. Verify the bean you pass to wrap()/addAdvice() is actually typed as Advice in your configuration.
3. If wrapping a third-party interceptor, adapt it with a custom AdvisorAdapter.

Example fix

// before
class MyLogger { void log() {} } // not an Advice
factory.addAdvice(new MyLogger());

// after
class MyLogger implements MethodBeforeAdvice {
  public void before(Method m, Object[] args, Object target) { log(); }
}
factory.addAdvice(new MyLogger());

public void safeAddAdvice(Advised advised, Object candidate) {
    if (!(candidate instanceof org.aopalliance.aop.Advice)
            && !(candidate instanceof org.springframework.aop.Advisor)) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Not Advice/Advisor: " + candidate);
    }
    advised.addAdvice((org.aopalliance.aop.Advice) candidate);
}

public static boolean isAdviceOrAdvisor(Object o) {
    return o instanceof org.aopalliance.aop.Advice || o instanceof org.springframework.aop.Advisor;
}

try {
    registry.wrap(candidate);
} catch (UnknownAdviceTypeException ex) {
    throw new IllegalArgumentException(candidate + " must implement Advice or Advisor", ex);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Passing a raw POJO (no Advice/Advisor interface) to wrap(); calling addAdvice() / addAdvisor() on an Advised with an unsupported object; misconfigured interceptor that is the wrong type.

Common situations: Registering a plain bean as advice instead of a MethodBeforeAdvice/MethodInterceptor/etc.; copy-paste wiring pointing at the wrong bean; classpath has an older advice class missing the interface.

Related errors

• Unknown advisor type {next.getClass()}; can only include Adv
• Advice object [{advice}] is neither a supported subinterface
• Cannot invoke methods: {message}
• Advice object [{advisor.getAdvice()}] is neither a supported
• Mismatch on arguments to advice method [{}]; pointcut expres

AI-assisted analysis of spring-projects/spring-framework@e8729d0438 (2026-08-04). Data as JSON: /data/errors/9f936b5a7c221f16.json. Report an issue: GitHub.