diff --git a/python/pyspark/ml/tests.py b/python/pyspark/ml/tests.py
index de95a47a2b8aa..ae95f177b1f5d 100755
--- a/python/pyspark/ml/tests.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/ml/tests.py
@@ -379,6 +379,24 @@ def test_word2vec_param(self):
         self.assertEqual(model.getWindowSize(), 6)
 
 
+class EvaluatorTests(SparkSessionTestCase):
+
+    def test_java_params(self):
+        """
+        This tests a bug fixed by SPARK-18274 which causes multiple copies
+        of a Params instance in Python to be linked to the same Java instance.
+        """
+        evaluator = RegressionEvaluator(metricName="r2")
+        df = self.spark.createDataFrame([Row(label=1.0, prediction=1.1)])
+        evaluator.evaluate(df)
+        self.assertEqual(evaluator._java_obj.getMetricName(), "r2")
+        evaluatorCopy = evaluator.copy({evaluator.metricName: "mae"})
+        evaluator.evaluate(df)
+        evaluatorCopy.evaluate(df)
+        self.assertEqual(evaluator._java_obj.getMetricName(), "r2")
+        self.assertEqual(evaluatorCopy._java_obj.getMetricName(), "mae")
+
+
 class FeatureTests(SparkSessionTestCase):
 
     def test_binarizer(self):
diff --git a/python/pyspark/ml/wrapper.py b/python/pyspark/ml/wrapper.py
index 25c44b7533c77..13b75e9919221 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/ml/wrapper.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/ml/wrapper.py
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ class JavaParams(JavaWrapper, Params):
 
     __metaclass__ = ABCMeta
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        if SparkContext._active_spark_context:
+            SparkContext._active_spark_context._gateway.detach(self._java_obj)
+
     def _make_java_param_pair(self, param, value):
         """
         Makes a Java parm pair.
@@ -180,6 +184,25 @@ def __get_class(clazz):
                                       % stage_name)
         return py_stage
 
+    def copy(self, extra=None):
+        """
+        Creates a copy of this instance with the same uid and some
+        extra params. This implementation first calls Params.copy and
+        then make a copy of the companion Java pipeline component with
+        extra params. So both the Python wrapper and the Java pipeline
+        component get copied.
+
+        :param extra: Extra parameters to copy to the new instance
+        :return: Copy of this instance
+        """
+        if extra is None:
+            extra = dict()
+        that = super(JavaParams, self).copy(extra)
+        if self._java_obj is not None:
+            that._java_obj = self._java_obj.copy(self._empty_java_param_map())
+            that._transfer_params_to_java()
+        return that
+
 
 @inherit_doc
 class JavaEstimator(JavaParams, Estimator):
@@ -256,21 +279,3 @@ def __init__(self, java_model=None):
         super(JavaModel, self).__init__(java_model)
         if java_model is not None:
             self._resetUid(java_model.uid())
-
-    def copy(self, extra=None):
-        """
-        Creates a copy of this instance with the same uid and some
-        extra params. This implementation first calls Params.copy and
-        then make a copy of the companion Java model with extra params.
-        So both the Python wrapper and the Java model get copied.
-
-        :param extra: Extra parameters to copy to the new instance
-        :return: Copy of this instance
-        """
-        if extra is None:
-            extra = dict()
-        that = super(JavaModel, self).copy(extra)
-        if self._java_obj is not None:
-            that._java_obj = self._java_obj.copy(self._empty_java_param_map())
-            that._transfer_params_to_java()
-        return that