diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
index 8d94a5dec3..bfe450ce14 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanNameAware;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
+import org.springframework.context.Lifecycle;
 import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
+import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandlerNotRunningException;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHandlingException;
 
@@ -34,7 +37,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHandlingException;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, BeanNameAware {
+public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, BeanNameAware, Lifecycle, InitializingBean {
 
 	protected final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(this.getClass());
 
@@ -42,6 +45,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, BeanNameAware
 
 	private final List<Advice> interceptors = new ArrayList<Advice>();
 
+	private volatile boolean autoStartup = true;
+
+	private volatile boolean running;
+
+	private final Object lifecycleMonitor = new Object();
+
 
 	public String getName() {
 		return this.name;
@@ -55,8 +64,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, BeanNameAware
 		this.setName(beanName);
 	}
 
-	public String toString() {
-		return (this.name != null) ? this.name : super.toString();
+	public void setAutoStartup(boolean autoStartup) {
+		this.autoStartup = autoStartup;
 	}
 
 	public void addInterceptor(Object interceptor) {
@@ -83,10 +92,55 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, BeanNameAware
 		return this.interceptors;
 	}
 
+	public String toString() {
+		return (this.name != null) ? this.name : super.toString();
+	}
+
+	protected void initialize() {
+	}
+
+	public boolean isRunning() {
+		return this.running;
+	}
+
+	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
+		if (this.autoStartup) {
+			this.start();
+		}
+		else {
+			this.initialize();
+		}
+	}
+
+	public void start() {
+		this.initialize();
+		synchronized (this.lifecycleMonitor) {
+			if (this.running) {
+				return;
+			}
+			this.running = true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	public void stop() {
+		synchronized (this.lifecycleMonitor) {
+			if (!this.running) {
+				return;
+			}
+			this.running = false;
+		}
+	}
+
 	public final boolean invoke(Message<?> message) {
 		if (message == null) {
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException("Message must not be null.");
 		}
+		if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+			logger.debug("endpoint '" + this + "' handling message: " + message);
+		}
+		if (!this.isRunning()) {
+			throw new MessageHandlerNotRunningException(message);
+		}
 		if (!this.supports(message)) {
 			throw new MessageHandlingException(message, "unsupported message");
 		}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/HandlerEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/HandlerEndpoint.java
index e492220894..a7d4a2e476 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/HandlerEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/HandlerEndpoint.java
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ public class HandlerEndpoint extends TargetEndpoint implements MessageProducingE
 		this.returnAddressOverrides = returnAddressOverrides;
 	}
 
-	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
+	public void initialize() {
 		Assert.notNull(this.handler, "handler must not be null");
 		if (this.handler instanceof ChannelRegistryAware) {
 			((ChannelRegistryAware) this.handler).setChannelRegistry(this.getChannelRegistry());
 		}
 		super.setTarget(new HandlerInvokingTarget(this.handler, this.replyHandler));
-		super.afterPropertiesSet();
+		super.initialize();
 	}
 
 	private MessageChannel resolveReplyChannel(MessageHeader originalMessageHeader) {
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/TargetEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/TargetEndpoint.java
index 811c4101c9..7c1359b6e1 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/TargetEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/TargetEndpoint.java
@@ -16,12 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.integration.endpoint;
 
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.DisposableBean;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
-import org.springframework.context.Lifecycle;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.ChannelRegistry;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.ChannelRegistryAware;
-import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandlerNotRunningException;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageTarget;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.selector.MessageSelector;
@@ -34,7 +30,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
 public class TargetEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint
-		implements MessageTarget, MessageConsumingEndpoint, ChannelRegistryAware, InitializingBean, Lifecycle {
+		implements MessageTarget, MessageConsumingEndpoint, ChannelRegistryAware {
 
 	private volatile MessageTarget target;
 
@@ -46,7 +42,7 @@ public class TargetEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint
 
 	private volatile boolean initialized;
 
-	private volatile boolean running;
+	private final Object initializationMonitor = new Object();
 
 
 	public TargetEndpoint() {
@@ -90,52 +86,20 @@ public class TargetEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint
 		return this.channelRegistry;
 	}
 
-	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
-		if (this.target instanceof ChannelRegistryAware && this.channelRegistry != null) {
-			((ChannelRegistryAware) this.target).setChannelRegistry(this.channelRegistry);
+	protected void initialize() {
+		synchronized (this.initializationMonitor) {
+	        if (this.initialized) {
+	        	return;
+	        }
+	        if (this.target instanceof ChannelRegistryAware && this.channelRegistry != null) {
+	        	((ChannelRegistryAware) this.target).setChannelRegistry(this.channelRegistry);
+	        }
+	        this.initialized = true;
 		}
-		this.initialized = true;
-	}
-
-	public boolean isRunning() {
-		return this.running;
-	}
-
-	public void start() {
-		if (this.isRunning()) {
-			return;
-		}
-		if (!this.initialized) {
-			this.afterPropertiesSet();
-		}
-		this.running = true;
-	}
-
-	public void stop() {
-		if (!this.isRunning()) {
-			return;
-		}
-		if (this.target instanceof DisposableBean) {
-			try {
-				((DisposableBean) this.target).destroy();
-			}
-			catch (Exception e) {
-				if (logger.isWarnEnabled()) {
-					logger.warn("exception occurred when destroying target", e);
-				}
-			}
-		}
-		this.running = false;
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	protected final boolean doInvoke(Message<?> message) {
-		if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-			logger.debug("endpoint '" + this + "' handling message: " + message);
-		}
-		if (!this.isRunning()) {
-			throw new MessageHandlerNotRunningException(message);
-		}
 		if (this.selector != null && !this.selector.accept(message)) {
 			return false;
 		}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpointTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpointTests.java
index 3a88cac602..921d9d6bd8 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpointTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpointTests.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.channel.QueueChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.CommandMessage;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.GenericMessage;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
+import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHandlingException;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.PollCommand;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageSource;
 
@@ -40,12 +41,22 @@ public class SourceEndpointTests {
 		TestSource source = new TestSource("testing", 1);
 		QueueChannel channel = new QueueChannel();
 		SourceEndpoint endpoint = new SourceEndpoint(source, channel);
+		endpoint.afterPropertiesSet();
 		endpoint.invoke(new CommandMessage(new PollCommand()));
 		Message<?> message = channel.receive(1000);
 		assertNotNull("message should not be null", message);
 		assertEquals("testing.1", message.getPayload());
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected = MessageHandlingException.class)
+	public void testAutoStartupDisabled() {
+		TestSource source = new TestSource("testing", 1);
+		QueueChannel channel = new QueueChannel();
+		SourceEndpoint endpoint = new SourceEndpoint(source, channel);
+		endpoint.setAutoStartup(false);
+		endpoint.afterPropertiesSet();
+		endpoint.invoke(new CommandMessage(new PollCommand()));
+	}
 
 	private static class TestSource implements MessageSource<String> {