diff --git a/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/Handler.java b/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/Handler.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63d0e1f3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/Handler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2007 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.integration.annotation;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Inherited;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+/**
+ * Indicates that a method is capable of handling a message or message payload.
+ * The method may only accept a single parameter, and the enclosing class should
+ * be annotated with {@link MessageEndpoint @MessageEndpoint}.
+ * 
+ * @author Mark Fisher
+ */
+@Target(ElementType.METHOD)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+@Inherited
+@Documented
+public @interface Handler {
+
+}
diff --git a/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/MessageEndpoint.java b/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/MessageEndpoint.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3a393cc9cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/MessageEndpoint.java
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2007 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.integration.annotation;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Inherited;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+import org.springframework.integration.channel.consumer.ConsumerType;
+import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
+
+/**
+ * Indicates that a class is capable of serving as a message endpoint.
+ * 
+ * @author Mark Fisher
+ */
+@Target(ElementType.TYPE)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+@Inherited
+@Documented
+@Component
+public @interface MessageEndpoint {
+
+	String source();
+
+	String target();
+
+	ConsumerType consumerType() default ConsumerType.EVENT_DRIVEN;
+
+}
diff --git a/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/Source.java b/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/Source.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cd8cbe45ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-eai-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/annotation/Source.java
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2007 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.integration.annotation;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Inherited;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+/**
+ * Indicates that a method is capable of providing messages. The method must not
+ * accept any parameters but can return either a single object or collection.
+ * The enclosing class should be annotated with
+ * {@link MessageEndpoint @MessageEndpoint}.
+ * 
+ * @author Mark Fisher
+ */
+@Target(ElementType.METHOD)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+@Inherited
+@Documented
+public @interface Source {
+
+}