diff --git a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SpelMessage.java b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SpelMessage.java
index 9c08841158ed..fe8dd70468d5 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SpelMessage.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SpelMessage.java
@@ -260,7 +260,11 @@ public enum SpelMessage {
 
 	/** @since 5.3.17 */
 	EXCEPTION_COMPILING_EXPRESSION(Kind.ERROR, 1074,
-			"An exception occurred while compiling an expression");
+			"An exception occurred while compiling an expression"),
+
+	/** @since 5.3.17 */
+	MAX_ARRAY_ELEMENTS_THRESHOLD_EXCEEDED(Kind.ERROR, 1075,
+			"Array declares too many elements, exceeding the threshold of ''{0}''");
 
 
 	private final Kind kind;
diff --git a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/ConstructorReference.java b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/ConstructorReference.java
index d42a375410f6..6f4f3c8c69cc 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/ConstructorReference.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/ConstructorReference.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -53,10 +53,18 @@
  *
  * @author Andy Clement
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
+ * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 3.0
  */
 public class ConstructorReference extends SpelNodeImpl {
 
+	/**
+	 * Maximum number of elements permitted in an array declaration, applying
+	 * to one-dimensional as well as multi-dimensional arrays.
+	 * @since 5.3.17
+	 */
+	private static final int MAX_ARRAY_ELEMENTS = 256 * 1024; // 256K
+
 	private final boolean isArrayConstructor;
 
 	@Nullable
@@ -259,14 +267,19 @@ private TypedValue createArray(ExpressionState state) throws EvaluationException
 					// Shortcut for 1-dimensional
 					TypedValue o = this.dimensions[0].getTypedValue(state);
 					int arraySize = ExpressionUtils.toInt(typeConverter, o);
+					checkNumElements(arraySize);
 					newArray = Array.newInstance(componentType, arraySize);
 				}
 				else {
 					// Multi-dimensional - hold onto your hat!
 					int[] dims = new int[this.dimensions.length];
+					long numElements = 1;
 					for (int d = 0; d < this.dimensions.length; d++) {
 						TypedValue o = this.dimensions[d].getTypedValue(state);
-						dims[d] = ExpressionUtils.toInt(typeConverter, o);
+						int arraySize = ExpressionUtils.toInt(typeConverter, o);
+						dims[d] = arraySize;
+						numElements *= arraySize;
+						checkNumElements(numElements);
 					}
 					newArray = Array.newInstance(componentType, dims);
 				}
@@ -327,6 +340,13 @@ else if (arrayTypeCode == TypeCode.SHORT) {
 		return new TypedValue(newArray);
 	}
 
+	private void checkNumElements(long numElements) {
+		if (numElements >= MAX_ARRAY_ELEMENTS) {
+			throw new SpelEvaluationException(getStartPosition(),
+					SpelMessage.MAX_ARRAY_ELEMENTS_THRESHOLD_EXCEEDED, MAX_ARRAY_ELEMENTS);
+		}
+	}
+
 	private void populateReferenceTypeArray(ExpressionState state, Object newArray, TypeConverter typeConverter,
 			InlineList initializer, Class<?> componentType) {