diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.event/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/event/ApplicationEventOutboundChannelAdapter.java b/org.springframework.integration.event/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/event/ApplicationEventOutboundChannelAdapter.java
index 449552973c..b72f80517f 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.event/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/event/ApplicationEventOutboundChannelAdapter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.event/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/event/ApplicationEventOutboundChannelAdapter.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ package org.springframework.integration.event;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationEvent;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationEventPublisher;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationEventPublisherAware;
-import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint;
+import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageConsumer;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class ApplicationEventOutboundChannelAdapter<T> extends AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint implements ApplicationEventPublisherAware {
+public class ApplicationEventOutboundChannelAdapter<T> extends AbstractMessageConsumer implements ApplicationEventPublisherAware {
 
 	private ApplicationEventPublisher applicationEventPublisher;
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java
index 7cc214c57b..b181dae985 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.channel.ChannelRegistryAware;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.PollableChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.SubscribableChannel;
-import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint;
+import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageConsumer;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.MessageEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.PollingConsumerEndpoint;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor<T extends Annotation
 		if (StringUtils.hasText(inputChannelName)) {
 			MessageChannel inputChannel = this.messageBus.lookupChannel(inputChannelName);
 			Assert.notNull(inputChannel, "unable to resolve inputChannel '" + inputChannelName + "'");
-			if (consumer instanceof AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint) {
+			if (consumer instanceof AbstractMessageConsumer) {
 				if (inputChannel instanceof PollableChannel) {
 					PollingConsumerEndpoint pollingEndpoint = new PollingConsumerEndpoint(
 							consumer, (PollableChannel) inputChannel);
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageConsumer.java
similarity index 87%
rename from org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint.java
rename to org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageConsumer.java
index 6c4bc674c9..a716912208 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageConsumer.java
@@ -27,11 +27,14 @@ import org.springframework.integration.util.ErrorHandler;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
- * Base class for MessageConsumer implementations.
+ * Base class for MessageConsumer implementations that provides basic
+ * validation and error handling capabilities. Asserts that the incoming
+ * Message is not null and that it does not contain a null payload. For custom
+ * error handling, provide a reference to an {@link ErrorHandler}.  
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public abstract class AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint implements MessageConsumer {
+public abstract class AbstractMessageConsumer implements MessageConsumer {
 
 	protected final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(this.getClass());
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint.java
index 7eea6b5dd9..654c8f9071 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 /**
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public abstract class AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint extends AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint implements ChannelRegistryAware {
+public abstract class AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint extends AbstractMessageConsumer implements ChannelRegistryAware {
 
 	private MessageChannel outputChannel;
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessagingBridge.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessagingBridge.java
index d648b559d8..a5a5d1dfe9 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessagingBridge.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessagingBridge.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 /**
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class MessagingBridge extends AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint {
+public class MessagingBridge extends AbstractMessageConsumer {
 
 	private final MessageConsumer consumer;
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/OutboundChannelAdapter.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/OutboundChannelAdapter.java
index 121c0022f4..1e5b25c43b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/OutboundChannelAdapter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/OutboundChannelAdapter.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class OutboundChannelAdapter extends AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint {
+public class OutboundChannelAdapter extends AbstractMessageConsumer {
 
 	private final MessageConsumer consumer;
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/router/RouterEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/router/RouterEndpoint.java
index b20e4c378c..0543bdb6e9 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/router/RouterEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/router/RouterEndpoint.java
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.channel.ChannelRegistry;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.ChannelRegistryAware;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannelTemplate;
-import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint;
+import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageConsumer;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageDeliveryException;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 /**
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class RouterEndpoint extends AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint implements ChannelRegistryAware {
+public class RouterEndpoint extends AbstractMessageConsumer implements ChannelRegistryAware {
 
 	private final ChannelResolver channelResolver;