diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/config/MethodInvokingFactoryBean.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/config/MethodInvokingFactoryBean.java
index fe3f25b47b21..c6d2c1ad060c 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/config/MethodInvokingFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/config/MethodInvokingFactoryBean.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
  * </bean>
  *
  * <bean id="javaVersion" class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.MethodInvokingFactoryBean">
- *   <property name="targetObject" value="sysProps"/>
+ *   <property name="targetObject" ref="sysProps"/>
  *   <property name="targetMethod" value="getProperty"/>
  *   <property name="arguments" value="java.version"/>
  * &lt;/bean></pre>