diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/support/MessageBuilder.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/support/MessageBuilder.java
index 3500723cef..f029d3b5dc 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/support/MessageBuilder.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/support/MessageBuilder.java
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ public final class MessageBuilder<T> {
 		this.originalMessage = originalMessage;
 		if (originalMessage != null) {
 			this.copyHeaders(originalMessage.getHeaders());
+			this.modified = (!this.payload.equals(originalMessage.getPayload()));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -93,12 +94,17 @@ public final class MessageBuilder<T> {
 		if (StringUtils.hasLength(headerName) && !headerName.equals(MessageHeaders.ID)
 				&& !headerName.equals(MessageHeaders.TIMESTAMP)) {
 			this.verifyType(headerName, headerValue);
-			this.modified = true;
 			if (headerValue == null) {
-				this.headers.remove(headerName);
+				Object removedValue = this.headers.remove(headerName);
+				if (removedValue != null) {
+					this.modified = true;
+				}
 			}
 			else {
-				this.headers.put(headerName, headerValue);
+				Object replacedValue = this.headers.put(headerName, headerValue);
+				if (!headerValue.equals(replacedValue)) {
+					this.modified = true;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		return this;
@@ -113,6 +119,7 @@ public final class MessageBuilder<T> {
 		}
 		return this;
 	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Removes all headers provided via array of 'headerPatterns'. As the name suggests the array
 	 * may contain simple matching patterns for header names. Supported pattern styles are: 
@@ -147,8 +154,10 @@ public final class MessageBuilder<T> {
 	public MessageBuilder<T> removeHeader(String headerName) {
 		if (StringUtils.hasLength(headerName) && !headerName.equals(MessageHeaders.ID)
 				&& !headerName.equals(MessageHeaders.TIMESTAMP)) {
-			this.modified = true;
-			this.headers.remove(headerName);
+			Object removedValue = this.headers.remove(headerName);
+			if (removedValue != null) {
+				this.modified = true;
+			}
 		}
 		return this;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageBuilderTests.java b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageBuilderTests.java
index ea54675a99..afa09e7f9b 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageBuilderTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageBuilderTests.java
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotSame;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.UUID;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -106,7 +108,7 @@ public class MessageBuilderTests {
 	public void createIdRegenerated() {
 		Message<String> message1 = MessageBuilder.withPayload("test")
 				.setHeader("foo", "bar").build();
-		Message<String> message2 = MessageBuilder.fromMessage(message1).build();
+		Message<String> message2 = MessageBuilder.fromMessage(message1).setHeader("another", 1).build();
 		assertEquals("bar", message2.getHeaders().get("foo"));
 		assertNotSame(message1.getHeaders().getId(), message2.getHeaders().getId());
 	}
@@ -202,4 +204,40 @@ public class MessageBuilderTests {
 		assertFalse(message3.getHeaders().containsKey(MessageHeaders.SEQUENCE_DETAILS));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testNotModifiedSameMessage() throws Exception {
+		Message<?> original = MessageBuilder.withPayload("foo").build();
+		Message<?> result = MessageBuilder.fromMessage(original).build();
+		assertEquals(original, result);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testContainsHeaderNotModifiedSameMessage() throws Exception {
+		Message<?> original = MessageBuilder.withPayload("foo").setHeader("bar", 42).build();
+		Message<?> result = MessageBuilder.fromMessage(original).build();
+		assertEquals(original, result);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testSameHeaderValueAddedNotModifiedSameMessage() throws Exception {
+		Message<?> original = MessageBuilder.withPayload("foo").setHeader("bar", 42).build();
+		Message<?> result = MessageBuilder.fromMessage(original).setHeader("bar", 42).build();
+		assertEquals(original, result);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testCopySameHeaderValuesNotModifiedSameMessage() throws Exception {
+		Date current = new Date();
+		Map<String, Object> originalHeaders = new HashMap<String, Object>();
+		originalHeaders.put("b", "xyz");
+		originalHeaders.put("c", current);
+		Message<?> original = MessageBuilder.withPayload("foo").setHeader("a", 123).copyHeaders(originalHeaders).build();
+		Map<String, Object> newHeaders = new HashMap<String, Object>();
+		newHeaders.put("a", 123);
+		newHeaders.put("b", "xyz");
+		newHeaders.put("c", current);		
+		Message<?> result = MessageBuilder.fromMessage(original).copyHeaders(newHeaders).build();
+		assertEquals(original, result);
+	}
+
 }