diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollection.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollection.java
index 42d3bcf8655..4e7d441c38a 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollection.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollection.java
@@ -114,9 +114,7 @@ class CompositeCollection<E extends @Nullable Object> implements Collection<E> {
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean remove(Object o) {
-		boolean firstResult = this.first.remove(o);
-		boolean secondResult = this.second.remove(o);
-		return firstResult || secondResult;
+		return (this.first.remove(o) || this.second.remove(o));
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollectionTests.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollectionTests.java
index cd158eaeab9..51253469698 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollectionTests.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/CompositeCollectionTests.java
@@ -124,8 +124,19 @@ class CompositeCollectionTests {
 		assertThat(composite.remove("foo")).isTrue();
 		assertThat(composite.contains("foo")).isFalse();
 		assertThat(first).containsExactly("bar");
-
 		assertThat(composite.remove("quux")).isFalse();
+
+		// test remove element existing in both first and second
+		first = new ArrayList<>(List.of("foo", "bar"));
+		second = new ArrayList<>(List.of("foo", "qux"));
+		composite = new CompositeCollection<>(first, second);
+
+		assertThat(composite.remove("foo")).isTrue();
+		assertThat(first).containsExactly("bar");
+		assertThat(composite.contains("foo")).isTrue();
+		assertThat(composite.remove("foo")).isTrue();
+		assertThat(second).containsExactly("qux");
+		assertThat(composite.contains("foo")).isFalse();
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -207,4 +218,5 @@ class CompositeCollectionTests {
 
 		assertThat(composite).containsExactly("foo", null, "bar", null);
 	}
+
 }