diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/MessagingGateway.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/MessagingGateway.java
index 29a9012039..6ebb392ad9 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/MessagingGateway.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/MessagingGateway.java
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public @interface MessagingGateway {
 	 * For example if this gateway is hooked up to a {@code QueueChannel}. 
 	 * @return the suggested timeout in milliseconds, if any
 	 */
-	long defaultRequestTimeout() default Long.MIN_VALUE;
+	String defaultRequestTimeout() default "-9223372036854775808";
 
 	/**
 	 * Allows to specify how long this gateway will wait for the reply {@code Message}
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public @interface MessagingGateway {
 	 if the gateway times out.
 	 * @return the suggested timeout in milliseconds, if any
 	 */
-	long defaultReplyTimeout() default Long.MIN_VALUE;
+	String defaultReplyTimeout() default "-9223372036854775808";
 
 	/**
 	 * Provide a reference to an implementation of {@link java.util.concurrent.Executor}
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java
index 74b5896f98..0cef0032c1 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ import java.lang.annotation.Target;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
-import java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
@@ -44,19 +43,10 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 import org.aopalliance.intercept.MethodInterceptor;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
-import org.apache.log4j.Level;
-import org.apache.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.hamcrest.Matchers;
-import org.junit.AfterClass;
-import org.junit.BeforeClass;
-import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.rules.TestRule;
-import org.junit.rules.TestWatcher;
-import org.junit.runner.Description;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.FactoryBean;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Qualifier;
@@ -73,7 +63,6 @@ import org.springframework.context.annotation.PropertySource;
 import org.springframework.context.support.PropertySourcesPlaceholderConfigurer;
 import org.springframework.core.convert.converter.Converter;
 import org.springframework.core.serializer.support.SerializingConverter;
-import org.springframework.integration.aggregator.AbstractCorrelatingMessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Aggregator;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.BridgeFrom;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.BridgeTo;
@@ -89,7 +78,6 @@ import org.springframework.integration.annotation.ServiceActivator;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Transformer;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.AbstractMessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.DirectChannel;
-import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessagePublishingErrorHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.NullChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.QueueChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.interceptor.WireTap;
@@ -99,7 +87,6 @@ import org.springframework.integration.config.EnablePublisher;
 import org.springframework.integration.config.ExpressionControlBusFactoryBean;
 import org.springframework.integration.config.GlobalChannelInterceptor;
 import org.springframework.integration.config.IntegrationConverter;
-import org.springframework.integration.context.IntegrationContextUtils;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.MessagingTemplate;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.MethodInvokingMessageSource;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.PollingConsumer;
@@ -120,12 +107,10 @@ import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.Payload;
 import org.springframework.messaging.support.ChannelInterceptor;
 import org.springframework.messaging.support.ChannelInterceptorAdapter;
 import org.springframework.messaging.support.GenericMessage;
-import org.springframework.scheduling.TaskScheduler;
 import org.springframework.scheduling.Trigger;
 import org.springframework.scheduling.TriggerContext;
 import org.springframework.scheduling.annotation.Async;
 import org.springframework.scheduling.annotation.EnableAsync;
-import org.springframework.scheduling.concurrent.ThreadPoolTaskScheduler;
 import org.springframework.scheduling.support.CronTrigger;
 import org.springframework.scheduling.support.PeriodicTrigger;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
@@ -1248,6 +1233,7 @@ public class EnableIntegrationTests {
 	@Target({ElementType.TYPE, ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE})
 	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 	@MessagingGateway(defaultRequestChannel = "gatewayChannel", reactorEnvironment = "reactorEnv",
+			defaultRequestTimeout="${default.request.timeout:23}", defaultReplyTimeout="#{34}",
 			defaultHeaders = @GatewayHeader(name = "foo", value = "FOO"))
 	public @interface TestMessagingGateway {
 
diff --git a/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc b/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc
index 5f2a2a6e06..1de1519638 100644
--- a/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc
+++ b/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc
@@ -163,12 +163,19 @@ The `AbstractPersistentFileListFilter` has a new property `flushOnUpdate` which,
 metadata store if it implements `Flushable` (e.g. the `PropertiesPersistenMetadataStore`).
 
 
-[[x4.2-gw-completable-future]]
-==== Gateway Methods can Return CompletableFuture<?>
+[[x4.2-gw]]
+==== Gateway Changes
+
+===== Gateway Methods can Return CompletableFuture<?>
 
 When using Java 8, gateway methods can now return `CompletableFuture<?>`.
 See <<gw-completable-future>> for more information.
 
+===== MessagingGateway Annotation
+
+The request and reply timeout properties are now `String` instead of `Long` to allow configuration with property
+placeholders or SpEL. See [[messaging-gateway-annotation]].
+
 [[x4.2-aggregator-perf]]
 ==== Aggregator Performance