diff --git a/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClient.java b/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClient.java
index e7589c41faa7..0b7b80a9fc7d 100644
--- a/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClient.java
+++ b/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClient.java
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class DefaultWebClient implements WebClient {
 	private static final String URI_TEMPLATE_ATTRIBUTE = WebClient.class.getName() + ".uriTemplate";
 
 	private static final Mono<ClientResponse> NO_HTTP_CLIENT_RESPONSE_ERROR = Mono.error(
-			new IllegalStateException("The underlying HTTP client completed without emitting a response."));
+			() -> new IllegalStateException("The underlying HTTP client completed without emitting a response."));
 
 
 	private final ExchangeFunction exchangeFunction;