diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 4db52b0ea9..0333a63068 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ subprojects { subproject ->
 		springSecurityVersion = project.hasProperty('springSecurityVersion') ? project.springSecurityVersion : '4.0.2.RELEASE'
 		springSocialTwitterVersion = '1.1.1.RELEASE'
 		springRetryVersion = '1.1.2.RELEASE'
-		springVersion = project.hasProperty('springVersion') ? project.springVersion : '4.2.2.RELEASE'
+		springVersion = project.hasProperty('springVersion') ? project.springVersion : '4.2.3.RELEASE'
 		springWsVersion = '2.2.2.RELEASE'
 		xmlUnitVersion = '1.5'
 		xstreamVersion = '1.4.7'
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java
index 38ed0bee58..af20dce5d5 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/configuration/EnableIntegrationTests.java
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ 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.doAnswer;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.spy;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
 import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
@@ -46,7 +49,10 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.hamcrest.Matchers;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.mockito.invocation.InvocationOnMock;
+import org.mockito.stubbing.Answer;
 
+import org.springframework.beans.DirectFieldAccessor;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.FactoryBean;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Qualifier;
@@ -129,13 +135,14 @@ import reactor.spring.context.config.EnableReactor;
 
 /**
  * @author Artem Bilan
+ * @author Gary Russell
  * @since 4.0
  */
 @ContextConfiguration(loader = AnnotationConfigContextLoader.class,
 		classes = {EnableIntegrationTests.ContextConfiguration.class, EnableIntegrationTests.ContextConfiguration2.class})
 @RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
-@DirtiesContext(classMode = DirtiesContext.ClassMode.AFTER_EACH_TEST_METHOD)
-public class EnableIntegrationTests extends LogAdjustingTestSupport {
+@DirtiesContext
+public class EnableIntegrationTests {
 
 	@Autowired
 	private ApplicationContext context;
@@ -262,12 +269,15 @@ public class EnableIntegrationTests extends LogAdjustingTestSupport {
 	@Qualifier("enableIntegrationTests.ContextConfiguration2.sendAsyncHandler.serviceActivator")
 	private AbstractEndpoint sendAsyncHandler;
 
-	public EnableIntegrationTests() {
-		super("org.springframework.integration", "org.springframework");
-	}
+	@Autowired
+	private CountDownLatch inputReceiveLatch;
 
 	@Test
-	public void testAnnotatedServiceActivator() {
+	public void testAnnotatedServiceActivator() throws Exception {
+		this.serviceActivatorEndpoint.setReceiveTimeout(10000);
+		this.serviceActivatorEndpoint.start();
+		assertTrue(this.inputReceiveLatch.await(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
+
 		assertEquals(10L, TestUtils.getPropertyValue(this.serviceActivatorEndpoint, "maxMessagesPerPoll"));
 
 		Trigger trigger = TestUtils.getPropertyValue(this.serviceActivatorEndpoint, "trigger", Trigger.class);
@@ -276,8 +286,25 @@ public class EnableIntegrationTests extends LogAdjustingTestSupport {
 		assertFalse(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(trigger, "fixedRate", Boolean.class));
 
 		assertTrue(this.annotationTestService.isRunning());
+		Log logger = spy(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(this.serviceActivatorEndpoint, "logger", Log.class));
+		when(logger.isDebugEnabled()).thenReturn(true);
+		final CountDownLatch pollerInterruptedLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
+		doAnswer(new Answer<Void>() {
+
+			@Override
+			public Void answer(InvocationOnMock invocation) throws Throwable {
+				pollerInterruptedLatch.countDown();
+				invocation.callRealMethod();
+				return null;
+			}
+		}).when(logger).debug("Received no Message during the poll, returning 'false'");
+		new DirectFieldAccessor(this.serviceActivatorEndpoint).setPropertyValue("logger", logger);
+
 		this.serviceActivatorEndpoint.stop();
 		assertFalse(this.annotationTestService.isRunning());
+
+		// wait until the service activator's poller is interrupted.
+		assertTrue(pollerInterruptedLatch.await(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
 		this.serviceActivatorEndpoint.start();
 		assertTrue(this.annotationTestService.isRunning());
 
@@ -381,6 +408,7 @@ public class EnableIntegrationTests extends LogAdjustingTestSupport {
 	}
 
 	@Test
+	@DirtiesContext
 	public void testChangePatterns() {
 		try {
 			this.configurer.setComponentNamePatterns(new String[] {"*"});
@@ -603,6 +631,7 @@ public class EnableIntegrationTests extends LogAdjustingTestSupport {
 	}
 
 	@Test
+	@DirtiesContext
 	public void testRoles() {
 		this.roleController.stopLifecyclesInRole("foo");
 		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -625,9 +654,21 @@ public class EnableIntegrationTests extends LogAdjustingTestSupport {
 	@EnableMessageHistory({"input", "publishedChannel", "annotationTestService*"})
 	public static class ContextConfiguration {
 
+		@Bean
+		public CountDownLatch inputReceiveLatch() {
+			return new CountDownLatch(1);
+		}
+
 		@Bean
 		public QueueChannel input() {
-			return new QueueChannel();
+			return new QueueChannel() {
+
+				@Override
+				protected Message<?> doReceive(long timeout) {
+					inputReceiveLatch().countDown();
+					return super.doReceive(timeout);
+				}
+			};
 		}
 
 		@Bean
@@ -1060,7 +1101,7 @@ public class EnableIntegrationTests extends LogAdjustingTestSupport {
 		private boolean running;
 
 		@Override
-		@ServiceActivator(inputChannel = "input", outputChannel = "output",
+		@ServiceActivator(inputChannel = "input", outputChannel = "output", autoStartup = "false",
 				poller = @Poller(maxMessagesPerPoll = "${poller.maxMessagesPerPoll}", fixedDelay = "${poller.interval}"))
 		@Publisher
 		@Payload("#args[0].toLowerCase()")