Spring AOP Advice Execution Order Changes After Upgrading to Spring Boot 2.7.1

Issue Overview

After upgrading the Spring Boot version to 2.7.1, which uses Spring Framework 5.3.21, the execution order of AOP advice annotations (@Around, @Before, @After, @AfterReturning, @AfterThrowing) inside the same @Aspect changed.

<spring-framework.version>5.3.21</spring-framework.version>

The new order is @Around, @Before, @After, @AfterReturning, @AfterThrowing , whereas older versions followed a different sequence. This change leads to two main problems:

The execution sequence of @Around, @Before, and @After is altered.

ThreadLocal variables set in @Before become unavailable when accessed inside @Around, resulting in data loss.

Official Explanation

The Spring documentation (see Spring AOP Advice Ordering ) notes that from version 5.2.7 onward, the order within a single @Aspect is fixed as mentioned above.

Reproduction Steps

Images in the original article illustrate the faulty execution order and the resulting output where ThreadLocal data is missing.

Recommended Solution

To avoid the complexities introduced by the changed order, it is advised to use only @Around advice in an @Aspect and move the logic originally placed in @Before and @After into the @Around method. This ensures the correct sequence: before → around (pre) → original method → around (post) → after .

Implementing this approach restores the expected business logic execution and prevents ThreadLocal information loss.

Conclusion

Since Spring 5.2.7, the advice execution order within a single @Aspect is @Around, @Before, @After, @AfterReturning, @AfterThrowing, which differs from earlier versions and can affect resources like ThreadLocal. Consolidating advice into a single @Around method simplifies development and avoids order‑related issues.