Mockito.spy() should be used with doReturn() instead of thenReturn()
Let me just copy the official documentation List list = new LinkedList(); List spy = spy(list); //Impossible: real method is called so spy.get(0) throws IndexOutOfBoundsException (the list is yet empty) when(spy.get(0)).thenReturn(“foo”); //You have to use doReturn() for stubbing doReturn(“foo”).when(spy).get(0); Don’t ask why !