diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParser.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParser.java
index b58547ceb3..29ef7ab219 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParser.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParser.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ public class BarrierParser extends AbstractConsumerEndpointParser {
 		IntegrationNamespaceUtils.injectConstructorWithAdapter("correlation-strategy",
 				"correlation-strategy-method", "correlation-strategy-expression",
 				"CorrelationStrategy", element, handlerBuilder, null, parserContext);
+		IntegrationNamespaceUtils.setValueIfAttributeDefined(handlerBuilder, element, "requires-reply");
 		return handlerBuilder;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/aggregator/BarrierMessageHandlerTests.java b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/aggregator/BarrierMessageHandlerTests.java
index f6ce939005..66818b99bb 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/aggregator/BarrierMessageHandlerTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/aggregator/BarrierMessageHandlerTests.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.spy;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
@@ -46,12 +47,12 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
-import org.springframework.integration.aggregator.BarrierMessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Poller;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.ServiceActivator;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.DirectChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.QueueChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.config.EnableIntegration;
+import org.springframework.integration.handler.ReplyRequiredException;
 import org.springframework.integration.support.MessageBuilder;
 import org.springframework.integration.test.util.TestUtils;
 import org.springframework.messaging.Message;
@@ -194,6 +195,23 @@ public class BarrierMessageHandlerTests {
 		assertEquals(0, suspensions.size());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testRequiresReply() throws Exception {
+		final BarrierMessageHandler handler = new BarrierMessageHandler(0);
+		QueueChannel outputChannel = new QueueChannel();
+		handler.setOutputChannel(outputChannel);
+		handler.setBeanFactory(mock(BeanFactory.class));
+		handler.setRequiresReply(true);
+		handler.afterPropertiesSet();
+		try {
+			handler.handleMessage(MessageBuilder.withPayload("foo").setCorrelationId("foo").build());
+			fail("exception expected");
+		}
+		catch (Exception e) {
+			assertThat(e, Matchers.instanceOf(ReplyRequiredException.class));
+		}
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testExceptionReply() throws Exception {
 		final BarrierMessageHandler handler = new BarrierMessageHandler(10000);
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests-context.xml b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests-context.xml
index fd33ed8db9..b0e3e3273a 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests-context.xml
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests-context.xml
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 		<int:queue />
 	</int:channel>
 
-	<int:barrier id="barrier1" input-channel="in" output-channel="out" correlation-strategy-expression="'foo'" 
+	<int:barrier id="barrier1" input-channel="in" output-channel="out" correlation-strategy-expression="'foo'"
+				requires-reply="true"
 				timeout="10000">
 		<int:poller fixed-delay="100" />
 	</int:barrier>
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests.java b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests.java
index 03e5e4fbbc..ef4b6c1879 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/BarrierParserTests.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.instanceOf;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
@@ -83,13 +84,13 @@ public class BarrierParserTests {
 		BarrierMessageHandler handler = TestUtils.getPropertyValue(this.barrier1, "handler",
 				BarrierMessageHandler.class);
 		assertEquals(10000L, TestUtils.getPropertyValue(handler, "timeout"));
+		assertTrue(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(handler, "requiresReply", Boolean.class));
 		assertThat(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(this.barrier2, "handler.correlationStrategy"),
 				instanceOf(HeaderAttributeCorrelationStrategy.class));
 		assertThat(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(this.barrier3, "handler.messageGroupProcessor"),
 				instanceOf(TestMGP.class));
 		assertThat(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(this.barrier3, "handler.correlationStrategy"),
 				instanceOf(TestCS.class));
-
 	}
 
 	public static class TestMGP implements MessageGroupProcessor {