diff --git a/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/AbstractMessageBrokerConfiguration.java b/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/AbstractMessageBrokerConfiguration.java
index 97790e42ed..127079b210 100644
--- a/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/AbstractMessageBrokerConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/AbstractMessageBrokerConfiguration.java
@@ -248,27 +248,44 @@ public abstract class AbstractMessageBrokerConfiguration implements ApplicationC
 
 	@Bean
 	public CompositeMessageConverter brokerMessageConverter() {
+
 		List<MessageConverter> converters = new ArrayList<MessageConverter>();
-		if (configureMessageConverters(converters)) {
+		boolean registerDefaults = configureMessageConverters(converters);
+		if (registerDefaults) {
 			if (jackson2Present) {
 				converters.add(new MappingJackson2MessageConverter());
 			}
 			converters.add(new StringMessageConverter());
 			converters.add(new ByteArrayMessageConverter());
 		}
-		return new CompositeMessageConverter(converters, getContentTypeResolver());
+
+		ContentTypeResolver contentTypeResolver = getContentTypeResolver();
+		if (contentTypeResolver == null) {
+			contentTypeResolver = new DefaultContentTypeResolver();
+			if (jackson2Present && registerDefaults) {
+				((DefaultContentTypeResolver) contentTypeResolver).setDefaultMimeType(MimeTypeUtils.APPLICATION_JSON);
+			}
+		}
+
+		return new CompositeMessageConverter(converters, contentTypeResolver);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Override this method to add custom message converters.
+	 * @param messageConverters the list to add converters to, initially empty
+	 *
+	 * @return {@code true} if default message converters should be added to list,
+	 * 	{@code false} if no more converters should be added.
+	 */
 	protected boolean configureMessageConverters(List<MessageConverter> messageConverters) {
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Override this method to provide a custom {@link ContentTypeResolver}.
+	 */
 	protected ContentTypeResolver getContentTypeResolver() {
-		DefaultContentTypeResolver contentTypeResolver = new DefaultContentTypeResolver();
-		if (jackson2Present) {
-			contentTypeResolver.setDefaultMimeType(MimeTypeUtils.APPLICATION_JSON);
-		}
-		return contentTypeResolver;
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	@Bean
diff --git a/spring-messaging/src/test/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/MessageBrokerConfigurationTests.java b/spring-messaging/src/test/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/MessageBrokerConfigurationTests.java
index 55ecc33a14..28a13c9a88 100644
--- a/spring-messaging/src/test/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/MessageBrokerConfigurationTests.java
+++ b/spring-messaging/src/test/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/config/MessageBrokerConfigurationTests.java
@@ -270,15 +270,6 @@ public class MessageBrokerConfigurationTests {
 		assertEquals(33, taskExecutor.getKeepAliveSeconds());
 	}
 
-	@Test
-	public void messageConverter() {
-		CompositeMessageConverter messageConverter = this.brokerRelayContext.getBean(
-				"brokerMessageConverter", CompositeMessageConverter.class);
-
-		DefaultContentTypeResolver resolver = (DefaultContentTypeResolver) messageConverter.getContentTypeResolver();
-		assertEquals(MimeTypeUtils.APPLICATION_JSON, resolver.getDefaultMimeType());
-	}
-
 	@Test
 	public void configureMessageConvertersDefault() {
 		AbstractMessageBrokerConfiguration config = new AbstractMessageBrokerConfiguration() {};
@@ -289,6 +280,9 @@ public class MessageBrokerConfigurationTests {
 		assertThat(iterator.next(), Matchers.instanceOf(MappingJackson2MessageConverter.class));
 		assertThat(iterator.next(), Matchers.instanceOf(StringMessageConverter.class));
 		assertThat(iterator.next(), Matchers.instanceOf(ByteArrayMessageConverter.class));
+
+		DefaultContentTypeResolver resolver = (DefaultContentTypeResolver) compositeConverter.getContentTypeResolver();
+		assertEquals(MimeTypeUtils.APPLICATION_JSON, resolver.getDefaultMimeType());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -301,11 +295,14 @@ public class MessageBrokerConfigurationTests {
 				return false;
 			}
 		};
-		CompositeMessageConverter compositeConverter = config.brokerMessageConverter();
 
+		CompositeMessageConverter compositeConverter = config.brokerMessageConverter();
 		assertThat(compositeConverter.getConverters().size(), Matchers.is(1));
 		Iterator<MessageConverter> iterator = compositeConverter.getConverters().iterator();
 		assertThat(iterator.next(), Matchers.is(testConverter));
+
+		DefaultContentTypeResolver resolver = (DefaultContentTypeResolver) compositeConverter.getContentTypeResolver();
+		assertNull(resolver.getDefaultMimeType());
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -328,6 +325,9 @@ public class MessageBrokerConfigurationTests {
 		assertThat(iterator.next(), Matchers.instanceOf(MappingJackson2MessageConverter.class));
 		assertThat(iterator.next(), Matchers.instanceOf(StringMessageConverter.class));
 		assertThat(iterator.next(), Matchers.instanceOf(ByteArrayMessageConverter.class));
+
+		DefaultContentTypeResolver resolver = (DefaultContentTypeResolver) compositeConverter.getContentTypeResolver();
+		assertEquals(MimeTypeUtils.APPLICATION_JSON, resolver.getDefaultMimeType());
 	}
 
 	@Test