diff --git a/spring-integration-http/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/http/DefaultOutboundRequestMapper.java b/spring-integration-http/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/http/DefaultOutboundRequestMapper.java
index 54047f7216..5ef47bdbf8 100644
--- a/spring-integration-http/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/http/DefaultOutboundRequestMapper.java
+++ b/spring-integration-http/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/http/DefaultOutboundRequestMapper.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  */
 public class DefaultOutboundRequestMapper implements OutboundRequestMapper {
 
-	private volatile HttpMethod httpMethod;
+	private volatile HttpMethod httpMethod = HttpMethod.POST;
 
 	private volatile boolean extractPayload = true;