diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java
index eb45917c9a..48ffb48cb5 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMessageHandler implements MessageHandler, Initiali
 	public void setMethod(Method method) {
 		Assert.notNull(method, "method must not be null");
 		if (method.getParameterTypes().length == 0) {
-			throw new IllegalArgumentException("method must accept at least one parameter");
+			throw new ConfigurationException("method must accept at least one parameter");
 		}
 		if (method.getParameterTypes()[0].equals(Message.class)) {
 			this.methodExpectsMessage = true;
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTarget.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTarget.java
index 6cd0635076..417958d483 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTarget.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTarget.java
@@ -17,15 +17,15 @@
 package org.springframework.integration.handler;
 
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
-import org.springframework.integration.message.MessagingException;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageTarget;
+import org.springframework.integration.message.MessagingException;
 
 /**
  * A messaging target that invokes the specified method on the provided object.
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class MethodInvokingTarget extends AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter implements MessageTarget {
+public class MethodInvokingTarget extends AbstractMessageHandler implements MessageTarget {
 
 	public boolean send(Message<?> message) {
 		this.handle(message);
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ public class MethodInvokingTarget extends AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter implemen
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	protected Message<?> handleReturnValue(Object returnValue, Message<?> originalMessage) {
-		if (returnValue != null) {
-			throw new MessagingException(originalMessage, "The target method returned a non-null Object. " +
+	protected Message<?> createReplyMessage(Object result, Message<?> requestMessage) {
+		if (result != null) {
+			throw new MessagingException(requestMessage, "The target method returned a non-null Object. " +
 					"MethodInvokingTarget should only be used for methods that return no value (preferably void).");
 		}
 		return null;
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/splitter/SplitterMessageHandlerCreator.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/splitter/SplitterMessageHandlerCreator.java
index 74b60524b9..9e3d3419e0 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/splitter/SplitterMessageHandlerCreator.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/splitter/SplitterMessageHandlerCreator.java
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@ package org.springframework.integration.splitter;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.util.Map;
 
-import org.springframework.aop.support.AopUtils;
-import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
-import org.springframework.integration.annotation.MessageEndpoint;
-import org.springframework.integration.handler.AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.config.AbstractMessageHandlerCreator;
 
@@ -34,13 +30,6 @@ import org.springframework.integration.handler.config.AbstractMessageHandlerCrea
 public class SplitterMessageHandlerCreator extends AbstractMessageHandlerCreator {
 
 	public MessageHandler doCreateHandler(Object object, Method method, Map<String, ?> attributes) {
-		String outputChannelName = (String) attributes.get(AbstractMessageHandlerAdapter.OUTPUT_CHANNEL_NAME_KEY);
-		if (outputChannelName == null) {
-			MessageEndpoint endpointAnnotation = AnnotationUtils.findAnnotation(AopUtils.getTargetClass(object), MessageEndpoint.class);
-			if (endpointAnnotation != null) {
-				outputChannelName = endpointAnnotation.output();
-			}
-		}
 		return new SplitterMessageHandler(object, method);
 	}
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTargetTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTargetTests.java
index 5ca0084af5..4ebb76277a 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTargetTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingTargetTests.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
 import org.springframework.integration.bus.DefaultMessageBus;
 import org.springframework.integration.bus.MessageBus;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.QueueChannel;
@@ -50,32 +51,36 @@ public class MethodInvokingTargetTests {
 		assertTrue(result);
 	}
 
-	@Test(expected=MessagingException.class)
+	@Test(expected = ConfigurationException.class)
 	public void testInvalidMethodWithNoArgs() {
 		MethodInvokingTarget target = new MethodInvokingTarget();
 		target.setObject(new TestSink());
 		target.setMethodName("invalidMethodWithNoArgs");
 		target.afterPropertiesSet();
-		target.send(new StringMessage("test"));
 	}
 
-	@Test(expected=MessagingException.class)
+	@Test(expected = MessagingException.class)
 	public void testMethodWithReturnValue() {
-		MethodInvokingTarget target = new MethodInvokingTarget();
-		target.setObject(new TestSink());
-		target.setMethodName("methodWithReturnValue");
-		target.afterPropertiesSet();
-		boolean result = target.send(new StringMessage("test"));
-		assertTrue(result);
+		Message<?> message = new StringMessage("test");
+		try {
+			MethodInvokingTarget target = new MethodInvokingTarget();
+			target.setObject(new TestSink());
+			target.setMethodName("methodWithReturnValue");
+			target.afterPropertiesSet();
+			target.send(message);
+		}
+		catch (MessagingException e) {
+			assertEquals(e.getFailedMessage(), message);
+			throw e;
+		}
 	}
 
-	@Test(expected=MessagingException.class)
+	@Test(expected = ConfigurationException.class)
 	public void testNoMatchingMethodName() {
 		MethodInvokingTarget target = new MethodInvokingTarget();
 		target.setObject(new TestSink());
 		target.setMethodName("noSuchMethod");
 		target.afterPropertiesSet();
-		target.send(new StringMessage("test"));
 	}
 
 	@Test