diff --git a/spring-integration-file/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway.java b/spring-integration-file/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway.java
index d2894cef2d..a9a1e62bbe 100644
--- a/spring-integration-file/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway.java
+++ b/spring-integration-file/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway.java
@@ -307,11 +307,20 @@ public abstract class AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway<F> extends AbstractReply
 		Assert.notNull(remoteFileTemplate, "'remoteFileTemplate' cannot be null");
 		this.remoteFileTemplate = remoteFileTemplate;
 		this.command = command;
-		Expression parsedExpression = new SpelExpressionParser().parseExpression(expression);
-		this.fileNameProcessor = new ExpressionEvaluatingMessageProcessor<String>(
-			parsedExpression);
+		if (expression == null) {
+			Assert.state(Command.LS.equals(this.command)
+							|| Command.PUT.equals(this.command)
+							|| Command.MPUT.equals(this.command),
+					"Only LS, PUT and MPUT commands can rely on the working directory.\n" +
+							"All other commands must be supplied with the filename expression");
+			this.fileNameProcessor = null;
+		}
+		else {
+			Expression parsedExpression = new SpelExpressionParser().parseExpression(expression);
+			this.fileNameProcessor = new ExpressionEvaluatingMessageProcessor<String>(parsedExpression);
+			setPrimaryExpression(parsedExpression);
+		}
 		this.messageSessionCallback = null;
-		setPrimaryExpression(parsedExpression);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -503,10 +512,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway<F> extends AbstractReply
 					"Cannot use " + Option.SUBDIRS.toString() + " when using 'mget' use "
 							+ Option.RECURSIVE.toString() +	" to obtain files in subdirectories");
 		}
-		if (this.fileNameProcessor != null && getBeanFactory() != null) {
-			this.fileNameProcessor.setBeanFactory(this.getBeanFactory());
-			this.renameProcessor.setBeanFactory(this.getBeanFactory());
-			this.remoteFileTemplate.setBeanFactory(this.getBeanFactory());
+
+		if (getBeanFactory() != null) {
+			if (this.fileNameProcessor != null) {
+				this.fileNameProcessor.setBeanFactory(getBeanFactory());
+			}
+
+			this.renameProcessor.setBeanFactory(getBeanFactory());
+			this.remoteFileTemplate.setBeanFactory(getBeanFactory());
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -542,7 +555,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway<F> extends AbstractReply
 	}
 
 	private Object doLs(Message<?> requestMessage) {
-		String dir = this.fileNameProcessor.processMessage(requestMessage);
+		String dir = this.fileNameProcessor != null
+				? this.fileNameProcessor.processMessage(requestMessage)
+				: null;
 		if (dir != null && !dir.endsWith(this.remoteFileTemplate.getRemoteFileSeparator())) {
 			dir += this.remoteFileTemplate.getRemoteFileSeparator();
 		}
diff --git a/spring-integration-file/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/RemoteFileOutboundGatewayTests.java b/spring-integration-file/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/RemoteFileOutboundGatewayTests.java
index bd4a59b769..a35192481b 100644
--- a/spring-integration-file/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/RemoteFileOutboundGatewayTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-file/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/file/remote/gateway/RemoteFileOutboundGatewayTests.java
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ public class RemoteFileOutboundGatewayTests {
 		template.setRemoteDirectoryExpression(new LiteralExpression("foo/"));
 		template.setBeanFactory(mock(BeanFactory.class));
 		template.afterPropertiesSet();
-		TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway gw = new TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway(template, "put", null);
+		TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway gw = new TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway(template, "put", "payload");
 		FileTransferringMessageHandler<TestLsEntry> handler = new FileTransferringMessageHandler<TestLsEntry>(sessionFactory);
 		handler.setRemoteDirectoryExpressionString("'foo/'");
 		handler.setBeanFactory(mock(BeanFactory.class));
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ public class RemoteFileOutboundGatewayTests {
 		template.setRemoteDirectoryExpression(new LiteralExpression("foo/"));
 		template.setBeanFactory(mock(BeanFactory.class));
 		template.afterPropertiesSet();
-		TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway gw = new TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway(template, "put", null);
+		TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway gw = new TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway(template, "put", "payload");
 		FileTransferringMessageHandler<TestLsEntry> handler = new FileTransferringMessageHandler<TestLsEntry>(sessionFactory);
 		handler.setRemoteDirectoryExpression(new LiteralExpression("foo/"));
 		handler.setBeanFactory(mock(BeanFactory.class));
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ public class RemoteFileOutboundGatewayTests {
 		template.setRemoteDirectoryExpression(new LiteralExpression("foo/"));
 		template.setBeanFactory(mock(BeanFactory.class));
 		template.afterPropertiesSet();
-		TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway gw = new TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway(template, "mput", null);
+		TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway gw = new TestRemoteFileOutboundGateway(template, "mput", "payload");
 		gw.afterPropertiesSet();
 		when(sessionFactory.getSession()).thenReturn(session);
 		final AtomicReference<String> written = new AtomicReference<String>();
diff --git a/spring-integration-ftp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ftp/gateway/FtpOutboundGateway.java b/spring-integration-ftp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ftp/gateway/FtpOutboundGateway.java
index 7275f64b63..016b89eedf 100644
--- a/spring-integration-ftp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ftp/gateway/FtpOutboundGateway.java
+++ b/spring-integration-ftp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ftp/gateway/FtpOutboundGateway.java
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ public class FtpOutboundGateway extends AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway<FTPFil
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Construct an instance with the supplied session factory, a command ('ls', 'get'
-	 * etc).
+	 * Construct an instance with the supplied session factory
+	 * and command ('ls', 'nlst', 'put' or 'mput').
 	 * <p> The {@code remoteDirectory} expression is {@code null} assuming to use
 	 * the {@code workingDirectory} from the FTP Client.
 	 * @param sessionFactory the session factory.
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ public class FtpOutboundGateway extends AbstractRemoteFileOutboundGateway<FTPFil
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Construct an instance with the supplied remote file template, a command ('ls',
-	 * 'get' etc).
+	 * Construct an instance with the supplied remote file template
+	 * and command ('ls', 'nlst', 'put' or 'mput').
 	 * <p> The {@code remoteDirectory} expression is {@code null} assuming to use
 	 * the {@code workingDirectory} from the FTP Client.
 	 * @param remoteFileTemplate the remote file template.
diff --git a/src/reference/asciidoc/ftp.adoc b/src/reference/asciidoc/ftp.adoc
index e59e42aeb5..a1275919e0 100644
--- a/src/reference/asciidoc/ftp.adoc
+++ b/src/reference/asciidoc/ftp.adoc
@@ -684,8 +684,9 @@ directories, which is achievable using the `FileInfo` objects.
 
 Starting with _version 4.3_, the `FtpSession` supports `null` for the `list()` and `listNames()` methods,
 therefore the `expression` attribute can be omitted.
-From Java perspective there are two new constructor without `expression` argument for convenience.
-The `null` for `LS` command is treated as an Client working directory according to the FTP protocol.
+For Java configuration, there are two constructors without an `expression` argument for convenience.
+`null` for `LS`, `PUT` and `MPUT` commands is treated as the Client working directory according to the FTP protocol.
+All other commands must be supplied with the `expression` to evaluate remote path against request message.
 The working directory can be set via the `FTPClient.changeWorkingDirectory()` function when you extend the `DefaultFtpSessionFactory` and implement `postProcessClientAfterConnect()` callback.
 
 *get*