diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/builder/SpringApplicationBuilder.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/builder/SpringApplicationBuilder.java
index 947d33ea17..8b7045e13a 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/builder/SpringApplicationBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/builder/SpringApplicationBuilder.java
@@ -397,16 +397,6 @@ public class SpringApplicationBuilder {
 		return this;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Default properties for the environment in the form {@code key=value} or
-	 * {@code key:value}.
-	 * @param defaultProperties the properties to set.
-	 * @return the current builder
-	 */
-	public SpringApplicationBuilder properties(String... defaultProperties) {
-		return properties(getMapFromKeyValuePairs(defaultProperties));
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Flag to control whether the application should be initialized lazily.
 	 * @param lazyInitialization the flag to set. Defaults to false.
@@ -418,6 +408,19 @@ public class SpringApplicationBuilder {
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Default properties for the environment in the form {@code key=value} or
+	 * {@code key:value}. Multiple calls to this method are cumulative and will not clear
+	 * any previously set properties.
+	 * @param defaultProperties the properties to set.
+	 * @return the current builder
+	 * @see SpringApplicationBuilder#properties(Properties)
+	 * @see SpringApplicationBuilder#properties(Map)
+	 */
+	public SpringApplicationBuilder properties(String... defaultProperties) {
+		return properties(getMapFromKeyValuePairs(defaultProperties));
+	}
+
 	private Map<String, Object> getMapFromKeyValuePairs(String[] properties) {
 		Map<String, Object> map = new HashMap<>();
 		for (String property : properties) {
@@ -441,10 +444,12 @@ public class SpringApplicationBuilder {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Default properties for the environment in the form {@code key=value} or
-	 * {@code key:value}.
+	 * Default properties for the environment.Multiple calls to this method are cumulative
+	 * and will not clear any previously set properties.
 	 * @param defaultProperties the properties to set.
 	 * @return the current builder
+	 * @see SpringApplicationBuilder#properties(String...)
+	 * @see SpringApplicationBuilder#properties(Map)
 	 */
 	public SpringApplicationBuilder properties(Properties defaultProperties) {
 		return properties(getMapFromProperties(defaultProperties));
@@ -460,10 +465,11 @@ public class SpringApplicationBuilder {
 
 	/**
 	 * Default properties for the environment. Multiple calls to this method are
-	 * cumulative.
+	 * cumulative and will not clear any previously set properties.
 	 * @param defaults the default properties
 	 * @return the current builder
 	 * @see SpringApplicationBuilder#properties(String...)
+	 * @see SpringApplicationBuilder#properties(Properties)
 	 */
 	public SpringApplicationBuilder properties(Map<String, Object> defaults) {
 		this.defaultProperties.putAll(defaults);