diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
index 3dfd9ddba3..fdefae56b2 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageSource;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageTarget;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.selector.MessageSelector;
 import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.Schedule;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
  * Base class for {@link MessageEndpoint} implementations.
@@ -86,9 +87,18 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, ChannelRegist
 	}
 
 	public void setMessageExchangeTemplate(MessageExchangeTemplate messageExchangeTemplate) {
+		Assert.notNull(messageExchangeTemplate, "messageExchangeTemplate must not be null");
 		this.messageExchangeTemplate = messageExchangeTemplate;
 	}
 
+	public MessageExchangeTemplate getMessageExchangeTemplate() {
+		if (this.messageExchangeTemplate == null) {
+			this.messageExchangeTemplate = new MessageExchangeTemplate();
+			this.messageExchangeTemplate.afterPropertiesSet();
+		}
+		return this.messageExchangeTemplate;
+	}
+
 	public void setInputChannelName(String inputChannelName) {
 		this.inputChannelName = inputChannelName;
 	}
@@ -134,7 +144,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, ChannelRegist
 	}
 
 	public void setSendTimeout(long sendTimeout) {
-		this.messageExchangeTemplate.setSendTimeout(sendTimeout);
+		this.getMessageExchangeTemplate().setSendTimeout(sendTimeout);
 	}
 
 	public MessageTarget getTarget() {
@@ -181,10 +191,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, ChannelRegist
 	}
 
 	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
-		if (this.messageExchangeTemplate == null) {
-			this.messageExchangeTemplate = new MessageExchangeTemplate();
-			this.messageExchangeTemplate.afterPropertiesSet();
-		}
 		if (this.target == null) {
 			this.target = this.getTarget();
 		}
@@ -235,15 +241,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, ChannelRegist
 	}
 
 	private boolean doSend(Message<?> message) {
-		if (this.messageExchangeTemplate == null) {
-			this.afterPropertiesSet();
-		}
 		if (!this.supports(message)) {
 			throw new MessageRejectedException(message, "unsupported message");
 		}
 		Message<?> result = this.handleMessage(message);
 		if (result != null) {
-			return this.messageExchangeTemplate.send(message, this.target);
+			return this.getMessageExchangeTemplate().send(message, this.target);
 		}
 		return true;
 	}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java
index cb01cbf823..83822471f4 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 package org.springframework.integration.endpoint;
 
 import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
-import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageExchangeTemplate;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageSource;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.PollableSource;
 
@@ -26,14 +25,6 @@ import org.springframework.integration.message.PollableSource;
  */
 public class EndpointPoller implements EndpointVisitor {
 
-	private final MessageExchangeTemplate template;
-
-
-	public EndpointPoller() {
-		 this.template = new MessageExchangeTemplate();
-		 this.template.setSendTimeout(0);
-	}
-
 	public void visitEndpoint(MessageEndpoint endpoint) {
 		MessageSource<?> source = endpoint.getSource();
 		if (source == null) {
@@ -44,7 +35,7 @@ public class EndpointPoller implements EndpointVisitor {
 			throw new ConfigurationException("unable to poll for endpoint '"
 					+ endpoint + ", source is not a PollableSource");
 		}
-		this.template.receiveAndForward((PollableSource<?>) source, endpoint);
+		endpoint.getMessageExchangeTemplate().receiveAndForward((PollableSource<?>) source, endpoint);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java
index 0c3911d6f6..e44f61f092 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.integration.endpoint;
 
+import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageExchangeTemplate;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageSource;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageTarget;
 import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.Schedule;
@@ -43,4 +44,6 @@ public interface MessageEndpoint extends MessageTarget {
 
 	String getOutputChannelName();
 
+	MessageExchangeTemplate getMessageExchangeTemplate();
+
 }