diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/DefaultWebTestClientBuilder.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/DefaultWebTestClientBuilder.java
index 82006d37b255..69279499fe73 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/DefaultWebTestClientBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/DefaultWebTestClientBuilder.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import org.springframework.http.HttpHeaders;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ClientHttpConnector;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ReactorClientHttpConnector;
+import org.springframework.http.codec.ClientCodecConfigurer;
 import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
@@ -136,12 +137,19 @@ public WebTestClient.Builder filters(Consumer<List<ExchangeFilterFunction>> filt
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public WebTestClient.Builder codecs(Consumer<ClientCodecConfigurer> configurer) {
+		this.webClientBuilder.codecs(configurer);
+		return this;
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public WebTestClient.Builder exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies strategies) {
 		this.webClientBuilder.exchangeStrategies(strategies);
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
 	@Override
 	public WebTestClient.Builder exchangeStrategies(Consumer<ExchangeStrategies.Builder> configurer) {
 		this.webClientBuilder.exchangeStrategies(configurer);
diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/WebTestClient.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/WebTestClient.java
index 814a3a9ebd09..1c772e50b404 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/WebTestClient.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/reactive/server/WebTestClient.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 import org.springframework.http.MediaType;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ClientHttpConnector;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ClientHttpRequest;
+import org.springframework.http.codec.ClientCodecConfigurer;
 import org.springframework.http.codec.ServerCodecConfigurer;
 import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
 import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
@@ -442,14 +443,22 @@ interface Builder {
 		 */
 		Builder filters(Consumer<List<ExchangeFilterFunction>> filtersConsumer);
 
+		/**
+		 * Configure the codecs for the {@code WebClient} in the
+		 * {@link #exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies) underlying}
+		 * {@code ExchangeStrategies}.
+		 * @param configurer the configurer to apply
+		 * @since 5.1.13
+		 */
+		Builder codecs(Consumer<ClientCodecConfigurer> configurer);
+
 		/**
 		 * Configure the {@link ExchangeStrategies} to use.
-		 * <p>Note that in a scenario where the builder is configured by
-		 * multiple parties, it is preferable to use
-		 * {@link #exchangeStrategies(Consumer)} in order to customize the same
-		 * {@code ExchangeStrategies}. This method here sets the strategies that
-		 * everyone else then can customize.
-		 * <p>By default this is {@link ExchangeStrategies#withDefaults()}.
+		 * <p>For most cases, prefer using {@link #codecs(Consumer)} which allows
+		 * customizing the codecs in the {@code ExchangeStrategies} rather than
+		 * replace them. That ensures multiple parties can contribute to codecs
+		 * configuration.
+		 * <p>By default this is set to {@link ExchangeStrategies#withDefaults()}.
 		 * @param strategies the strategies to use
 		 */
 		Builder exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies strategies);
@@ -459,8 +468,9 @@ interface Builder {
 		 * {@link #exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies)}. This method is
 		 * designed for use in scenarios where multiple parties wish to update
 		 * the {@code ExchangeStrategies}.
-		 * @since 5.1.12
+		 * @deprecated as of 5.1.13 in favor of {@link #codecs(Consumer)}
 		 */
+		@Deprecated
 		Builder exchangeStrategies(Consumer<ExchangeStrategies.Builder> configurer);
 
 		/**
diff --git a/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClientBuilder.java b/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClientBuilder.java
index 44c3164b701b..c255c439d326 100644
--- a/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClientBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/DefaultWebClientBuilder.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ClientHttpConnector;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.JettyClientHttpConnector;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ReactorClientHttpConnector;
+import org.springframework.http.codec.ClientCodecConfigurer;
 import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
@@ -206,12 +207,22 @@ public WebClient.Builder clientConnector(ClientHttpConnector connector) {
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public WebClient.Builder codecs(Consumer<ClientCodecConfigurer> configurer) {
+		if (this.strategiesConfigurers == null) {
+			this.strategiesConfigurers = new ArrayList<>(4);
+		}
+		this.strategiesConfigurers.add(builder -> builder.codecs(configurer));
+		return this;
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public WebClient.Builder exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies strategies) {
 		this.strategies = strategies;
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
 	@Override
 	public WebClient.Builder exchangeStrategies(Consumer<ExchangeStrategies.Builder> configurer) {
 		if (this.strategiesConfigurers == null) {
diff --git a/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/WebClient.java b/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/WebClient.java
index 8bafb691fe7d..02d0f07bf3f0 100644
--- a/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/WebClient.java
+++ b/spring-webflux/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/function/client/WebClient.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import org.springframework.http.ResponseEntity;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ClientHttpConnector;
 import org.springframework.http.client.reactive.ClientHttpRequest;
+import org.springframework.http.codec.ClientCodecConfigurer;
 import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
 import org.springframework.web.reactive.function.BodyInserter;
 import org.springframework.web.reactive.function.BodyInserters;
@@ -290,14 +291,22 @@ interface Builder {
 		 */
 		Builder clientConnector(ClientHttpConnector connector);
 
+		/**
+		 * Configure the codecs for the {@code WebClient} in the
+		 * {@link #exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies) underlying}
+		 * {@code ExchangeStrategies}.
+		 * @param configurer the configurer to apply
+		 * @since 5.1.13
+		 */
+		Builder codecs(Consumer<ClientCodecConfigurer> configurer);
+
 		/**
 		 * Configure the {@link ExchangeStrategies} to use.
-		 * <p>Note that in a scenario where the builder is configured by
-		 * multiple parties, it is preferable to use
-		 * {@link #exchangeStrategies(Consumer)} in order to customize the same
-		 * {@code ExchangeStrategies}. This method here sets the strategies that
-		 * everyone else then can customize.
-		 * <p>By default this is {@link ExchangeStrategies#withDefaults()}.
+		 * <p>For most cases, prefer using {@link #codecs(Consumer)} which allows
+		 * customizing the codecs in the {@code ExchangeStrategies} rather than
+		 * replace them. That ensures multiple parties can contribute to codecs
+		 * configuration.
+		 * <p>By default this is set to {@link ExchangeStrategies#withDefaults()}.
 		 * @param strategies the strategies to use
 		 */
 		Builder exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies strategies);
@@ -307,15 +316,17 @@ interface Builder {
 		 * {@link #exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies)}. This method is
 		 * designed for use in scenarios where multiple parties wish to update
 		 * the {@code ExchangeStrategies}.
-		 * @since 5.1.12
+		 * @deprecated as of 5.1.13 in favor of {@link #codecs(Consumer)}
 		 */
+		@Deprecated
 		Builder exchangeStrategies(Consumer<ExchangeStrategies.Builder> configurer);
 
 		/**
 		 * Provide an {@link ExchangeFunction} pre-configured with
 		 * {@link ClientHttpConnector} and {@link ExchangeStrategies}.
 		 * <p>This is an alternative to, and effectively overrides
-		 * {@link #clientConnector}, and {@link #exchangeStrategies}.
+		 * {@link #clientConnector}, and
+		 * {@link #exchangeStrategies(ExchangeStrategies)}.
 		 * @param exchangeFunction the exchange function to use
 		 */
 		Builder exchangeFunction(ExchangeFunction exchangeFunction);
diff --git a/src/docs/asciidoc/web/webflux.adoc b/src/docs/asciidoc/web/webflux.adoc
index b0493abda2c8..704867efef20 100644
--- a/src/docs/asciidoc/web/webflux.adoc
+++ b/src/docs/asciidoc/web/webflux.adoc
@@ -979,31 +979,21 @@ The following example shows how to do so for client-side requests:
 [source,java,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="primary"]
 .Java
 ----
-	Consumer<ClientCodecConfigurer> consumer = configurer -> {
-	        CustomDecoder customDecoder = new CustomDecoder();
-	        configurer.customCodecs().decoder(customDecoder);
-			configurer.customCodecs().withDefaultCodecConfig(config ->
-				customDecoder.maxInMemorySize(config.maxInMemorySize())
-			);
-	}
-
 	WebClient webClient = WebClient.builder()
-			.exchangeStrategies(strategies -> strategies.codecs(consumer))
+			.codecs(configurer -> {
+					CustomDecoder decoder = new CustomDecoder();
+                    configurer.customCodecs().registerWithDefaultConfig(decoder);
+			})
 			.build();
 ----
 [source,kotlin,indent=0,subs="verbatim,quotes",role="secondary"]
 .Kotlin
 ----
-	val consumer: (ClientCodecConfigurer) -> Unit = { configurer ->
-			val customDecoder = CustomDecoder()
-			configurer.customCodecs().decoder(customDecoder)
-			configurer.customCodecs().withDefaultCodecConfig({ config ->
-				customDecoder.maxInMemorySize(config.maxInMemorySize())
-			})
-		}
-
 	val webClient = WebClient.builder()
-			.exchangeStrategies({ strategies -> strategies.codecs(consumer) })
+			.codecs({ configurer ->
+					val decoder = CustomDecoder()
+            		configurer.customCodecs().registerWithDefaultConfig(decoder)
+			 })
 			.build()
 ----