diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java
index b4016cb828..dd2398f3af 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.MessageEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.MessagingGateway;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.TargetEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandler;
+import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageSource;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageTarget;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Subscribable;
 import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.MessagePublishingErrorHandler;
@@ -319,21 +320,21 @@ public class DefaultMessageBus implements MessageBus, ApplicationContextAware, A
 
 	private void activateEndpoint(MessageEndpoint endpoint) {
 		Assert.notNull(endpoint, "'endpoint' must not be null");
-		if (endpoint.getOutputChannel() == null) {
+		if (endpoint.getTarget() == null) {
 			this.lookupOrCreateChannel(endpoint.getOutputChannelName());
 		}
-		MessageChannel channel = endpoint.getInputChannel();
-		if (channel == null) {
-			channel = this.lookupOrCreateChannel(endpoint.getInputChannelName());
-			if (channel != null) {
-				endpoint.setSource(channel);
+		MessageSource<?> source = endpoint.getSource();
+		if (source == null) {
+			source = this.lookupOrCreateChannel(endpoint.getInputChannelName());
+			if (source != null) {
+				endpoint.setSource(source);
 			}
 		}
-		if (channel != null && channel instanceof Subscribable) {
-			((Subscribable) channel).subscribe(endpoint);
+		if (source != null && source instanceof Subscribable) {
+			((Subscribable) source).subscribe(endpoint);
 			if (logger.isInfoEnabled()) {
 				logger.info("activated subscription to channel '"
-						+ channel.getName() + "' for endpoint '" + endpoint + "'");
+						+ source + "' for endpoint '" + endpoint + "'");
 			}
 			return;
 		}
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 6f6454c423..6f558ddf07 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
@@ -105,20 +105,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, ChannelRegist
 		this.source = source;
 	}
 
-	public MessageChannel getInputChannel() {
-		if (this.source != null) {
-			if (this.source instanceof MessageChannel) {
-				return (MessageChannel) this.source;
-			}
-		}
-		else if (this.inputChannelName != null && this.channelRegistry != null) {
+	public MessageSource<?> getSource() {
+		if (this.source == null && this.inputChannelName != null && this.channelRegistry != null) {
 			MessageChannel inputChannel = this.channelRegistry.lookupChannel(this.inputChannelName);
 			if (inputChannel != null) {
 				this.source = inputChannel;
 			}
-			return inputChannel;
 		}
-		return null;
+		return this.source;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -144,20 +138,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, ChannelRegist
 		this.messageExchangeTemplate.setSendTimeout(sendTimeout);
 	}
 
-	public MessageChannel getOutputChannel() {
-		if (this.target != null) {
-			if (this.target instanceof MessageChannel) {
-				return (MessageChannel) this.target;
-			}
-		}
-		else if (this.outputChannelName != null && this.channelRegistry != null) {
+	public MessageTarget getTarget() {
+		if (this.target == null && this.outputChannelName != null && this.channelRegistry != null) {
 			MessageChannel outputChannel = this.channelRegistry.lookupChannel(this.outputChannelName);
 			if (outputChannel != null) {
 				this.target = outputChannel;
 			}
-			return outputChannel;
 		}
-		return null;
+		return this.target;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -199,7 +187,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, ChannelRegist
 			this.messageExchangeTemplate.afterPropertiesSet();
 		}
 		if (this.target == null) {
-			this.target = this.getOutputChannel();
+			this.target = this.getTarget();
 		}
 		if (this.target != null && this.target instanceof ChannelRegistryAware
 				&& this.channelRegistry != null) {
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java
index c06c80d1e4..77c8b9678c 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/EndpointPoller.java
@@ -16,13 +16,22 @@
 
 package org.springframework.integration.endpoint;
 
+import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageExchangeTemplate;
+
 /**
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
 public class EndpointPoller implements EndpointVisitor {
 
+	private final MessageExchangeTemplate template;
+
+	public EndpointPoller() {
+		 this.template = new MessageExchangeTemplate();
+		 this.template.setSendTimeout(0);
+	}
+
 	public void visitEndpoint(MessageEndpoint endpoint) {
-		endpoint.poll();
+		template.receiveAndForward(endpoint.getSource(), endpoint);
 	}
 
 }
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 245dcf7d34..0b31d74748 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
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ public class HandlerEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint {
 		if (this.returnAddressOverrides) {
 			MessageTarget target = this.getReturnAddress(originalMessage);
 			if (target == null) {
-				target = this.getOutputChannel();
+				target = this.getTarget();
 			}
 			return target;
 		}
 		else {
-			MessageTarget target = this.getOutputChannel();
+			MessageTarget target = this.getTarget();
 			if (target == null) {
 				target = this.getReturnAddress(originalMessage);
 			}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java
index 2458d1d79b..cb3d82fc2b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/MessageEndpoint.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.integration.endpoint;
 
-import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageSource;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageTarget;
 import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.Schedule;
@@ -36,16 +35,14 @@ public interface MessageEndpoint extends MessageTarget {
 
 	void setSource(MessageSource<?> source);
 
+	MessageSource<?> getSource();
+
 	void setTarget(MessageTarget target);
 
+	MessageTarget getTarget();
+
 	String getInputChannelName();
 
-	MessageChannel getInputChannel();
-
 	String getOutputChannelName();
 
-	MessageChannel getOutputChannel();
-
-	boolean poll();
-
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpoint.java
index 3c84fb394a..d6e5a34eb3 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/SourceEndpoint.java
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ public class SourceEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint {
 
 	@Override
 	public void initialize() {
-		if (this.getOutputChannel() == null) {
+		if (this.getTarget() == null) {
 			throw new ConfigurationException(
-					"no output channel has been configured for source endpoint '" + this.getName() + "'");
+					"no output has been configured for source endpoint '" + this.getName() + "'");
 		}
 	}