diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter.java
index c8901e47e8..aeb24e25b6 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter implements MessageHandler, I
 		}
 		Object args[] = null;
 		Object mappingResult = (this.methodExpectsMessage) ? message : this.messageMapper.mapMessage(message);
-		if (mappingResult.getClass().isArray()) {
+		if (mappingResult != null && mappingResult.getClass().isArray()) {
 			args = (Object[]) mappingResult;
 		}
 		else {
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/AbstractMessageHandlerCreator.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/AbstractMessageHandlerCreator.java
index f2d250d398..067028482d 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/AbstractMessageHandlerCreator.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/AbstractMessageHandlerCreator.java
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
-import org.springframework.integration.handler.AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandler;
 
 /**
@@ -34,11 +33,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractMessageHandlerCreator implements MessageHandlerCre
 
 	public final MessageHandler createHandler(Object object, Method method, Map<String, ?> attributes) {
 		MessageHandler handler = this.doCreateHandler(object, method, attributes);
-		if (handler instanceof AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter) {
-			AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter adapter = ((AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter) handler);
-			adapter.setObject(object);
-			adapter.setMethodName(method.getName());
-		}
 		if (handler instanceof InitializingBean) {
 			try {
 				((InitializingBean) handler).afterPropertiesSet();
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/DefaultMessageHandlerCreator.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/DefaultMessageHandlerCreator.java
index 318f24082b..c55c29c7de 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/DefaultMessageHandlerCreator.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/config/DefaultMessageHandlerCreator.java
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ public class DefaultMessageHandlerCreator extends AbstractMessageHandlerCreator
 			throw new ConfigurationException("exactly one method parameter is required");
 		}
 		DefaultMessageHandlerAdapter adapter = new DefaultMessageHandlerAdapter();
+		adapter.setObject(object);
+		adapter.setMethodName(method.getName());
 		adapter.setMethodExpectsMessage(Message.class.isAssignableFrom(types[0]));
 		return adapter;
 	}