spring-projects/spring-framework · error · IllegalArgumentException

Neither 'targetObject' nor 'targetBeanName' specified, and P

Error message

Neither 'targetObject' nor 'targetBeanName' specified, and PropertyPathFactoryBean bean name '{}' does not follow 'beanName.property' syntax

What it means

Error "Neither 'targetObject' nor 'targetBeanName' specified, and PropertyPathFactoryBean bean name '{}' does not follow 'beanName.property' syntax" thrown in spring-projects/spring-framework.

Source

Thrown at spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/config/PropertyPathFactoryBean.java:176

	@Override
	public void setBeanFactory(BeanFactory beanFactory) {
		this.beanFactory = beanFactory;
		String targetBeanName = this.targetBeanName;

		if (this.targetBeanWrapper != null && targetBeanName != null) {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException("Specify either 'targetObject' or 'targetBeanName', not both");
		}

		if (this.targetBeanWrapper == null && targetBeanName == null) {
			if (this.propertyPath != null) {
				throw new IllegalArgumentException(
						"Specify 'targetObject' or 'targetBeanName' in combination with 'propertyPath'");
			}

			// No other properties specified: check bean name.
			int dotIndex;
			if (this.beanName == null || (dotIndex = this.beanName.indexOf('.')) <= 0) {
				throw new IllegalArgumentException(
						"Neither 'targetObject' nor 'targetBeanName' specified, and PropertyPathFactoryBean " +
						"bean name '" + this.beanName + "' does not follow 'beanName.property' syntax");
			}
			targetBeanName = this.beanName.substring(0, dotIndex);
			this.targetBeanName = targetBeanName;
			this.propertyPath = this.beanName.substring(dotIndex + 1);
		}

		else if (this.propertyPath == null) {
			// either targetObject or targetBeanName specified
			throw new IllegalArgumentException("'propertyPath' is required");
		}

		if (this.targetBeanWrapper == null && StringUtils.hasLength(targetBeanName) &&
				this.beanFactory.isSingleton(targetBeanName)) {
			// Eagerly fetch singleton target bean, and determine result type.
			Object bean = this.beanFactory.getBean(targetBeanName);
			this.targetBeanWrapper = PropertyAccessorFactory.forBeanPropertyAccess(bean);

View on GitHub (pinned to e8729d0438)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/config/PropertyPathFactoryBean.java:176 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of spring-projects/spring-framework@e8729d0438 (2026-08-04). Data as JSON: /data/errors/c78b16d9edf1c699.json. Report an issue: GitHub.