diff --git a/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/connection/jedis/JedisSubscription.java b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/connection/jedis/JedisSubscription.java
index bfdda40dd..4f47c2be9 100644
--- a/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/connection/jedis/JedisSubscription.java
+++ b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/connection/jedis/JedisSubscription.java
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class JedisSubscription implements Subscription {
 
 	@Override
 	public void subscribe(byte[]... channels) {
-		Assert.notEmpty(patterns, "at least one pattern required");
+		Assert.notEmpty(channels, "at least one channel required");
 
 		synchronized (this.channels) {
 			for (byte[] bs : channels) {
diff --git a/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java
index aa7bd513f..99e89f3b4 100644
--- a/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java
+++ b/spring-data-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArraySet;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 	public static final String DEFAULT_THREAD_NAME_PREFIX = ClassUtils.getShortName(RedisMessageListenerContainer.class)
 			+ "-";
 
+	private long initWait = TimeUnit.SECONDS.toMillis(5);
 
 	private Executor subscriptionExecutor;
 
@@ -98,7 +100,6 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 
 	private final SubscriptionTask subscriptionTask = new SubscriptionTask();
 
-	private final MessageListener multiplexer = new DispatchMessageListener();
 	private volatile RedisSerializer<String> serializer = new StringRedisSerializer();
 
 
@@ -171,7 +172,18 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 	public void start() {
 		if (!running) {
 			running = true;
-			lazyListen();
+			// wait for the subscription to start before returning
+			// technically speaking we can only be notified right before the subscription starts
+			synchronized (monitor) {
+				lazyListen();
+				try {
+					// wait up to 5 seconds
+					monitor.wait(initWait);
+				} catch (InterruptedException e) {
+					// stop waiting
+				}
+			}
+
 			if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
 				log.debug("Started RedisMessageListenerContainer");
 			}
@@ -181,7 +193,14 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 	@Override
 	public void stop() {
 		running = false;
-		subscriptionTask.cancel();
+		synchronized (monitor) {
+			subscriptionTask.cancel();
+			try {
+				monitor.wait(initWait);
+			} catch (InterruptedException ex) {
+				// stop waiting
+			}
+		}
 
 		if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
 			log.debug("Stopped RedisMessageListenerContainer");
@@ -393,7 +412,7 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 		 */
 		private class PatternSubscriptionTask implements SchedulingAwareRunnable {
 
-			private long WAIT = 1000;
+			private long WAIT = 500;
 			private long ROUNDS = 3;
 
 			@Override
@@ -444,6 +463,10 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 
 				// NB: each Xsubscribe call blocks
 
+				synchronized (monitor) {
+					monitor.notify();
+				}
+
 				// subscribe one way or the other
 				// and schedule the rest
 				if (!channelMapping.isEmpty()) {
@@ -460,6 +483,7 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 			} finally {
 				// this block is executed once the subscription has ended
 				// meaning cleanup is required
+
 				listening = false;
 
 				if (connection != null) {
@@ -470,6 +494,12 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 						}
 					}
 				}
+
+				// done with the thread, app can be destroyed
+				synchronized (monitor) {
+					monitor.notify();
+				}
+
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/spring-data-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java b/spring-data-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java
index 75f1a744f..c0a2fb04c 100644
--- a/spring-data-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java
@@ -116,11 +116,6 @@ public class PubSubTests<T> {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testContainerSubscribe() throws Exception {
-
-
-		// wait for the container to start the registration
-
-		Thread.sleep(500);
 		String payload1 = "do";
 		String payload2 = "re mi";
 		template.convertAndSend(CHANNEL, payload1);
@@ -137,13 +132,7 @@ public class PubSubTests<T> {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testMessageBatch() throws Exception {
-
-		container.addMessageListener(adapter, Arrays.asList(new ChannelTopic(CHANNEL)));
-
-		// wait for the container to start the registration
-
 		int COUNT = 10;
-		Thread.sleep(500);
 		for (int i = 0; i < COUNT; i++) {
 			template.convertAndSend(CHANNEL, "message=" + i);
 		}