diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/DefaultMessageHeader.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/DefaultMessageHeader.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8ef60fb33b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/DefaultMessageHeader.java
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2008 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.message;
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Properties;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
+
+/**
+ * The default implementation of the {@link MessageHeader} interface.
+ * 
+ * @author Mark Fisher
+ */
+public class DefaultMessageHeader implements MessageHeader, Serializable {
+
+	private final Date timestamp = new Date();
+
+	private volatile Date expiration;
+
+	private volatile Object correlationId;
+
+	private transient volatile Object returnAddress;
+
+	private volatile int sequenceNumber = 1;
+
+	private volatile int sequenceSize = 1;
+
+	private volatile MessagePriority priority = MessagePriority.NORMAL;
+
+	private final Properties properties = new Properties();
+
+	private final ConcurrentMap<String, Object> attributes = new ConcurrentHashMap<String, Object>();
+
+
+	/**
+	 * Return the creation time of this message.  
+	 */
+	public Date getTimestamp() {
+		return this.timestamp;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Return the expiration date for this message or <code>null</code> to
+	 * indicate 'never expire'.
+	 */
+	public Date getExpiration() {
+		return this.expiration;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Set the expiration date for this message or <code>null</code> to
+	 * indicate 'never expire'. The default is <code>null</code>.
+	 */
+	public void setExpiration(Date expiration) {
+		this.expiration = expiration;
+	}
+
+	public Object getCorrelationId() {
+		return this.correlationId;
+	}
+
+	public void setCorrelationId(Object correlationId) {
+		this.correlationId = correlationId;
+	}
+
+	public Object getReturnAddress() {
+		return this.returnAddress;
+	}
+
+	public void setReturnAddress(Object returnAddress) {
+		this.returnAddress = returnAddress;
+	}
+
+	public int getSequenceNumber() {
+		return this.sequenceNumber;
+	}
+
+	public void setSequenceNumber(int sequenceNumber) {
+		this.sequenceNumber = sequenceNumber;
+	}
+
+	public int getSequenceSize() {
+		return this.sequenceSize;
+	}
+
+	public void setSequenceSize(int sequenceSize) {
+		this.sequenceSize = sequenceSize;
+	}
+
+	public MessagePriority getPriority() {
+		return this.priority;
+	}
+
+	public void setPriority(MessagePriority priority) {
+		this.priority = priority;
+	}
+
+	public String getProperty(String key) {
+		return this.properties.getProperty(key);
+	}
+
+	public String setProperty(String key, String value) {
+		return (String) this.properties.setProperty(key, value);
+	}
+
+	public String removeProperty(String key) {
+		return (String) this.properties.remove(key);
+	}
+
+	public Set<String> getPropertyNames() {
+		Set<String> propertyNames = new HashSet<String>();
+		for (Object key : this.properties.keySet()) {
+			propertyNames.add((String) key);
+		}
+		return propertyNames;
+	}
+
+	public Object getAttribute(String key) {
+		return this.attributes.get(key);
+	}
+
+	public Object setAttribute(String key, Object value) {
+		return this.attributes.put(key, value);
+	}
+
+	public Object setAttributeIfAbsent(String key, Object value) {
+		return this.attributes.putIfAbsent(key, value);
+	}
+
+	public Object removeAttribute(String key) {
+		return this.attributes.remove(key);
+	}
+
+	public Set<String> getAttributeNames() {
+		return this.attributes.keySet();
+	}
+
+	public String toString() {
+		return "[CorrelationID=" + this.correlationId + "][Properties=" + this.properties + "][Attributes=" + this.attributes +
+				"][Timestamp=" + this.timestamp + "][Expiration=" + this.expiration + "][Priority=" + this.priority + 
+				"][Sequence #" + this.sequenceNumber + " (of " + this.sequenceSize + ")]";
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessage.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessage.java
index 43544af848..3fd0967aa2 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessage.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessage.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public class GenericMessage<T> implements Message<T> {
 
 	private final Object id;
 
-	private final MessageHeader header = new MessageHeader();
+	private final MessageHeader header = new DefaultMessageHeader();
 
 	private volatile T payload;
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageHeader.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageHeader.java
index 59d3280a20..48651bdeaa 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageHeader.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/message/MessageHeader.java
@@ -16,13 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.integration.message;
 
-import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.Date;
-import java.util.HashSet;
-import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
-import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
-import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
 
 /**
  * A holder for Message metadata. This includes information that may be used by
@@ -33,134 +28,50 @@ import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class MessageHeader implements Serializable {
+public interface MessageHeader {
 
-	private final Date timestamp = new Date();
+	Date getTimestamp();
 
-	private volatile Date expiration;
+	Date getExpiration();
 
-	private volatile Object correlationId;
+	void setExpiration(Date expiration);
 
-	private transient volatile Object returnAddress;
+	Object getCorrelationId();
 
-	private volatile int sequenceNumber = 1;
+	void setCorrelationId(Object correlationId);
 
-	private volatile int sequenceSize = 1;
+	Object getReturnAddress();
 
-	private volatile MessagePriority priority = MessagePriority.NORMAL;
+	void setReturnAddress(Object returnAddress);
 
-	private final Properties properties = new Properties();
+	int getSequenceNumber();
 
-	private final ConcurrentMap<String, Object> attributes = new ConcurrentHashMap<String, Object>();
+	void setSequenceNumber(int sequenceNumber);
 
+	int getSequenceSize();
 
-	/**
-	 * Return the creation time of this message.  
-	 */
-	public Date getTimestamp() {
-		return this.timestamp;
-	}
+	void setSequenceSize(int sequenceSize);
 
-	/**
-	 * Return the expiration date for this message or <code>null</code> to
-	 * indicate 'never expire'.
-	 */
-	public Date getExpiration() {
-		return this.expiration;
-	}
+	MessagePriority getPriority();
 
-	/**
-	 * Set the expiration date for this message or <code>null</code> to
-	 * indicate 'never expire'. The default is <code>null</code>.
-	 */
-	public void setExpiration(Date expiration) {
-		this.expiration = expiration;
-	}
+	void setPriority(MessagePriority priority);
 
-	public Object getCorrelationId() {
-		return this.correlationId;
-	}
+	String getProperty(String key);
 
-	public void setCorrelationId(Object correlationId) {
-		this.correlationId = correlationId;
-	}
+	String setProperty(String key, String value);
 
-	public Object getReturnAddress() {
-		return this.returnAddress;
-	}
+	String removeProperty(String key);
 
-	public void setReturnAddress(Object returnAddress) {
-		this.returnAddress = returnAddress;
-	}
+	Set<String> getPropertyNames();
 
-	public int getSequenceNumber() {
-		return this.sequenceNumber;
-	}
+	Object getAttribute(String key);
 
-	public void setSequenceNumber(int sequenceNumber) {
-		this.sequenceNumber = sequenceNumber;
-	}
+	Object setAttribute(String key, Object value);
 
-	public int getSequenceSize() {
-		return this.sequenceSize;
-	}
+	Object setAttributeIfAbsent(String key, Object value);
 
-	public void setSequenceSize(int sequenceSize) {
-		this.sequenceSize = sequenceSize;
-	}
+	Object removeAttribute(String key);
 
-	public MessagePriority getPriority() {
-		return this.priority;
-	}
-
-	public void setPriority(MessagePriority priority) {
-		this.priority = priority;
-	}
-
-	public String getProperty(String key) {
-		return this.properties.getProperty(key);
-	}
-
-	public String setProperty(String key, String value) {
-		return (String) this.properties.setProperty(key, value);
-	}
-
-	public String removeProperty(String key) {
-		return (String) this.properties.remove(key);
-	}
-
-	public Set<String> getPropertyNames() {
-		Set<String> propertyNames = new HashSet<String>();
-		for (Object key : this.properties.keySet()) {
-			propertyNames.add((String) key);
-		}
-		return propertyNames;
-	}
-
-	public Object getAttribute(String key) {
-		return this.attributes.get(key);
-	}
-
-	public Object setAttribute(String key, Object value) {
-		return this.attributes.put(key, value);
-	}
-
-	public Object setAttributeIfAbsent(String key, Object value) {
-		return this.attributes.putIfAbsent(key, value);
-	}
-
-	public Object removeAttribute(String key) {
-		return this.attributes.remove(key);
-	}
-
-	public Set<String> getAttributeNames() {
-		return this.attributes.keySet();
-	}
-
-	public String toString() {
-		return "[CorrelationID=" + this.correlationId + "][Properties=" + this.properties + "][Attributes=" + this.attributes +
-				"][Timestamp=" + this.timestamp + "][Expiration=" + this.expiration + "][Priority=" + this.priority + 
-				"][Sequence #" + this.sequenceNumber + " (of " + this.sequenceSize + ")]";
-	}
+	Set<String> getAttributeNames();
 
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/MessageHeaderTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/DefaultMessageHeaderTests.java
similarity index 87%
rename from org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/MessageHeaderTests.java
rename to org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/DefaultMessageHeaderTests.java
index 2717567295..9fca868c1f 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/MessageHeaderTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/DefaultMessageHeaderTests.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package org.springframework.integration;
+package org.springframework.integration.message;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
@@ -26,22 +26,23 @@ import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import org.springframework.integration.message.DefaultMessageHeader;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHeader;
 
 /**
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class MessageHeaderTests {
+public class DefaultMessageHeaderTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testTimestamp() {
-		MessageHeader header = new MessageHeader();
+		MessageHeader header = new DefaultMessageHeader();
 		assertNotNull(header.getTimestamp());
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void testAttributes() {
-		MessageHeader header = new MessageHeader();
+		MessageHeader header = new DefaultMessageHeader();
 		Integer value = new Integer(123);
 		Object previousValue = header.setAttribute("test", value);
 		assertNull(previousValue);
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ public class MessageHeaderTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testProperties() {
-		MessageHeader header = new MessageHeader();
+		MessageHeader header = new DefaultMessageHeader();
 		String previousValue = header.setProperty("foo", "bar");
 		assertNull(previousValue);
 		assertEquals("bar", header.getProperty("foo"));
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ public class MessageHeaderTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testSetAttributeIfAbsent() {
-		MessageHeader header = new MessageHeader();
+		MessageHeader header = new DefaultMessageHeader();
 		Integer integer = new Integer(123);
 		assertNull(header.getAttribute("test"));
 		assertFalse(header.getAttributeNames().contains("test"));
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ public class MessageHeaderTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testSetAttributeIfAbsentDoesNotOverride() {
-		MessageHeader header = new MessageHeader();
+		MessageHeader header = new DefaultMessageHeader();
 		Integer originalValue = new Integer(123);
 		header.setAttributeIfAbsent("test", originalValue);
 		Object existingValue = header.setAttributeIfAbsent("test", new Integer(456));
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessageTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessageTests.java
index da019f6e2c..96153b204a 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessageTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/message/GenericMessageTests.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class GenericMessageTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testMessageHeaderCopied() {
-		MessageHeader header = new MessageHeader();
+		MessageHeader header = new DefaultMessageHeader();
 		header.setAttribute("testAttribute", new Integer(123));
 		header.setProperty("testProperty", "foo");
 		header.setSequenceSize(42);