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 b2a0457e05d..e7b66721972 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
@@ -136,37 +136,44 @@ public class ConstructorReference extends SpelNodeImpl {
 
 		ConstructorExecutor executorToUse = this.cachedExecutor;
 		if (executorToUse != null) {
-			try {
-				return executorToUse.execute(state.getEvaluationContext(), arguments);
-			}
-			catch (AccessException ex) {
-				// Two reasons this can occur:
-				// 1. the constructor invoked actually threw a real exception
-				// 2. the constructor invoked was not passed the arguments it expected and has become 'stale'
-
-				// In the first case we should not retry, in the second case we should see if there is a
-				// better suited constructor.
-
-				// To determine which situation it is, the AccessException will contain a cause.
-				// If the cause is an InvocationTargetException, a user exception was thrown inside the constructor.
-				// Otherwise, the constructor could not be invoked.
-				if (ex.getCause() instanceof InvocationTargetException cause) {
-					// User exception was the root cause - exit now
-					Throwable rootCause = cause.getCause();
-					if (rootCause instanceof RuntimeException runtimeException) {
-						throw runtimeException;
-					}
-					else {
-						String typeName = (String) this.children[0].getValueInternal(state).getValue();
-						throw new SpelEvaluationException(getStartPosition(), rootCause,
-								SpelMessage.CONSTRUCTOR_INVOCATION_PROBLEM, typeName,
-								FormatHelper.formatMethodForMessage("", argumentTypes));
-					}
-				}
-
-				// At this point we know it wasn't a user problem so worth a retry if a better candidate can be found
+			if (state.getEvaluationContext().getConstructorResolvers().isEmpty()) {
+				// Constructor resolution is not supported in the current context,
+				// so we discard the cached executor.
 				this.cachedExecutor = null;
 			}
+			else {
+				try {
+					return executorToUse.execute(state.getEvaluationContext(), arguments);
+				}
+				catch (AccessException ex) {
+					// Two reasons this can occur:
+					// 1. the constructor invoked actually threw a real exception
+					// 2. the constructor invoked was not passed the arguments it expected and has become 'stale'
+
+					// In the first case we should not retry, in the second case we should see if there is a
+					// better suited constructor.
+
+					// To determine which situation it is, the AccessException will contain a cause.
+					// If the cause is an InvocationTargetException, a user exception was thrown inside the constructor.
+					// Otherwise, the constructor could not be invoked.
+					if (ex.getCause() instanceof InvocationTargetException cause) {
+						// User exception was the root cause - exit now
+						Throwable rootCause = cause.getCause();
+						if (rootCause instanceof RuntimeException runtimeException) {
+							throw runtimeException;
+						}
+						else {
+							String typeName = (String) this.children[0].getValueInternal(state).getValue();
+							throw new SpelEvaluationException(getStartPosition(), rootCause,
+									SpelMessage.CONSTRUCTOR_INVOCATION_PROBLEM, typeName,
+									FormatHelper.formatMethodForMessage("", argumentTypes));
+						}
+					}
+
+					// At this point we know it wasn't a user problem so worth a retry if a better candidate can be found
+					this.cachedExecutor = null;
+				}
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Either there was no ConstructorExecutor or it no longer exists
diff --git a/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ConstructorInvocationTests.java b/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ConstructorInvocationTests.java
index 89dfe246372..4911acae28e 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ConstructorInvocationTests.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ConstructorInvocationTests.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package org.springframework.expression.spel;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import org.assertj.core.api.ThrowableTypeAssert;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ import org.springframework.expression.spel.testresources.PlaceOfBirth;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatException;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatExceptionOfType;
 
 /**
  * Tests invocation of constructors.
@@ -142,6 +144,28 @@ class ConstructorInvocationTests extends AbstractExpressionTests {
 		assertThat(ctx.getConstructorResolvers()).hasSize(2);
 	}
 
+	@Test  // gh-36985
+	void cachedConstructorExecutorIsNotUsedWithoutRegisteredConstructorResolvers() {
+		((StandardTypeLocator) super.context.getTypeLocator()).registerImport(Fruit.class.getPackageName());
+
+		// reflective constructor accessor is the only one by default
+		assertThat(super.context.getConstructorResolvers()).hasSize(1);
+
+		String expression = "new Fruit('apple', T(java.awt.Color).RED, 'red').name";
+		Expression expr = parser.parseExpression(expression);
+		assertThat(expr.getValue(super.context)).isEqualTo("apple");
+		// Ensure the same expression can be evaluated again.
+		assertThat(expr.getValue(super.context)).isEqualTo("apple");
+
+		super.context.setConstructorResolvers(List.of());
+		assertThat(super.context.getConstructorResolvers()).isEmpty();
+
+		// Evaluation of the same expression should no longer work.
+		assertThatSpelEvaluationException()
+				.isThrownBy(() -> expr.getValue(super.context))
+				.extracting(SpelEvaluationException::getMessageCode).isEqualTo(SpelMessage.CONSTRUCTOR_NOT_FOUND);
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void varargsConstructors() {
 		((StandardTypeLocator) super.context.getTypeLocator()).registerImport(Fruit.class.getPackageName());
@@ -184,6 +208,10 @@ class ConstructorInvocationTests extends AbstractExpressionTests {
 		evaluate("new String(3.0d)", "3.0", String.class);
 	}
 
+	private ThrowableTypeAssert<SpelEvaluationException> assertThatSpelEvaluationException() {
+		return assertThatExceptionOfType(SpelEvaluationException.class);
+	}
+
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("serial")
 	static class TestException extends Exception {