diff --git a/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/core/RedisTemplate.java b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/core/RedisTemplate.java
index d58ab847d..8b083554b 100644
--- a/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/core/RedisTemplate.java
+++ b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/core/RedisTemplate.java
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
  */
 public class RedisTemplate<K, V> extends RedisAccessor implements RedisOperations<K, V> {
 
+	private static final byte[] EMPTY_ARRAY = new byte[0];
+
 	private boolean exposeConnection = false;
 	private RedisSerializer keySerializer = new JdkSerializationRedisSerializer();
 	private RedisSerializer valueSerializer = new JdkSerializationRedisSerializer();
@@ -279,16 +281,16 @@ public class RedisTemplate<K, V> extends RedisAccessor implements RedisOperation
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	private byte[] rawKey(Object key) {
-		return (key != null ? keySerializer.serialize(key) : null);
+		return (key != null ? keySerializer.serialize(key) : EMPTY_ARRAY);
 	}
 
 	private byte[] rawString(String key) {
-		return (key != null ? stringSerializer.serialize(key) : null);
+		return (key != null ? stringSerializer.serialize(key) : EMPTY_ARRAY);
 	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	private byte[] rawValue(Object value) {
-		return (value != null ? valueSerializer.serialize(value) : null);
+		return (value != null ? valueSerializer.serialize(value) : EMPTY_ARRAY);
 	}
 
 	private byte[][] rawKeys(Collection<K> keys) {
@@ -317,12 +319,12 @@ public class RedisTemplate<K, V> extends RedisAccessor implements RedisOperation
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	private <HK> byte[] rawHashKey(HK value) {
-		return (value != null ? hashKeySerializer.serialize(value) : null);
+		return (value != null ? hashKeySerializer.serialize(value) : EMPTY_ARRAY);
 	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	private <HV> byte[] rawHashValue(HV value) {
-		return (value != null ? hashValueSerializer.serialize(value) : null);
+		return (value != null ? hashValueSerializer.serialize(value) : EMPTY_ARRAY);
 	}
 
 
@@ -390,7 +392,7 @@ public class RedisTemplate<K, V> extends RedisAccessor implements RedisOperation
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	private String deserializeString(byte[] value) {
-		return (String) deserialize(value, stringSerializer);
+		return deserialize(value, stringSerializer);
 	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings( { "unchecked" })
@@ -537,7 +539,7 @@ public class RedisTemplate<K, V> extends RedisAccessor implements RedisOperation
 		execute(new RedisCallback<Object>() {
 			@Override
 			public Object doInRedis(RedisConnection connection) {
-				connection.publish(rawMessage, rawChannel);
+				connection.publish(rawChannel, rawMessage);
 				return null;
 			}
 		}, true);
diff --git a/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/serializer/SerializerUtils.java b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/serializer/SerializerUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d78954b9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/serializer/SerializerUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2011 the original author or authors.
+ * 
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ * 
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.data.keyvalue.redis.serializer;
+
+/**
+ * Minimal class used for sharing pieces of code between the serializers
+ * 
+ * @author Costin Leau
+ */
+abstract class SerializerUtils {
+
+	static boolean isEmpty(byte[] data) {
+		return (data == null || data.length == 0);
+	}
+}