diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler.java
index 7b4050b666..88166e2b33 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler.java
@@ -139,9 +139,16 @@ public abstract class AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler extends AbstractMessa
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	private Message<?> createReplyMessage(Object reply, MessageHeaders requestHeaders) {
-		MessageBuilder<?> builder = (reply instanceof MessageBuilder) ? (MessageBuilder) reply
-				: (reply instanceof Message) ? MessageBuilder.fromMessage((Message) reply)
-						: MessageBuilder.withPayload(reply);
+		MessageBuilder<?> builder = null;
+		if (reply instanceof MessageBuilder) {
+			builder = (MessageBuilder<?>) reply;
+		}
+		else if (reply instanceof Message) {
+			builder = MessageBuilder.fromMessage((Message) reply);
+		}
+		else {
+			builder = MessageBuilder.withPayload(reply);
+		}
 		builder.copyHeadersIfAbsent(requestHeaders);
 		return builder.build();
 	}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/CollectionAndArrayTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/CollectionAndArrayTests.java
index d5b9ef59c5..fd8481c03a 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/CollectionAndArrayTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/CollectionAndArrayTests.java
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ package org.springframework.integration.handler;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.is;
 
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.HashSet;
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ public class CollectionAndArrayTests {
 		Message<?> reply2 = channel.receive(0);
 		assertNotNull(reply1);
 		assertNull(reply2);
-		assertTrue(Set.class.isAssignableFrom(reply1.getPayload().getClass()));
+		assertThat(reply1.getPayload(), is(Set.class));
 		assertEquals(2, ((Set<?>) reply1.getPayload()).size());
 	}