diff --git a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/MulticastSendingMessageHandler.java b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/MulticastSendingMessageHandler.java
index 24a7f471ea..d6936b44f8 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/MulticastSendingMessageHandler.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/MulticastSendingMessageHandler.java
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public class MulticastSendingMessageHandler extends UnicastSendingMessageHandler
 			}
 			this.setSocket(socket);
 		}
-		return this.getSocket();
+		return this.getTheSocket();
 	}