diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/ws/temperatureConversion.xml b/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/ws/temperatureConversion.xml
index ed698c4749..cfcec298dc 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/ws/temperatureConversion.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/ws/temperatureConversion.xml
@@ -11,15 +11,12 @@
 
 	<channel id="fahrenheitChannel"/>
 
-	<!-- The service activator receives from the 'fahrenheitChannel',
-	     invokes the handler, and sends the reply Message to the 'celsiusChannel'. -->
-	<service-activator input-channel="fahrenheitChannel"
-	                   ref="temperatureConverter"
-	                   output-channel="celsiusChannel"/>
-
-	<!-- The handler invokes the WebService for the given URI and returns a reply Message. -->
-	<ws-handler id="temperatureConverter" 
-				uri="http://www.w3schools.com/webservices/tempconvert.asmx"/>
+	<!-- The service activator receives from the 'fahrenheitChannel', invokes the
+	     Web Service for the given URI, and sends the reply Message to the 'celsiusChannel'. -->
+	<ws-service-activator id="temperatureConverter"
+				          input-channel="fahrenheitChannel" 
+				          output-channel="celsiusChannel"
+				          uri="http://www.w3schools.com/webservices/tempconvert.asmx"/>
 
 	<!-- The response from the service is logged to the console. -->
 	<channel-adapter id="celsiusChannel" target="console"/>
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParser.java b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParser.java
index 156e6d1585..d288797bff 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParser.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParser.java
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParser extends AbstractSingleBeanDefinitionParser
 			throw new ConfigurationException("The 'uri' attribute is required.");
 		}
 		builder.addConstructorArgValue(uri);
+		String inputChannel = element.getAttribute("input-channel");
+		builder.addPropertyReference("source", inputChannel);
+		String outputChannel = element.getAttribute("output-channel");
+		if (StringUtils.hasText(outputChannel)) {
+			builder.addPropertyReference("outputChannel", outputChannel);
+		}
 		String marshallerRef = element.getAttribute("marshaller");
 		if (StringUtils.hasText(marshallerRef)) {
 			builder.addConstructorArgReference(marshallerRef);
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/spring-integration-ws-1.0.xsd b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/spring-integration-ws-1.0.xsd
index 78bf3ad71f..19dd0925f9 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/spring-integration-ws-1.0.xsd
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/spring-integration-ws-1.0.xsd
@@ -19,14 +19,16 @@
 		]]></xsd:documentation>
 	</xsd:annotation>
 
-	<xsd:element name="ws-handler">
+	<xsd:element name="ws-service-activator">
 		<xsd:complexType>
 			<xsd:annotation>
 				<xsd:documentation>
-	Defines a Web Service MessageHandler adapter.
+	Defines a Web Service based Service Activator endpoint.
 				</xsd:documentation>
 			</xsd:annotation>
 			<xsd:attribute name="id" type="xsd:string"/>
+			<xsd:attribute name="input-channel" type="xsd:string" use="required"/>
+			<xsd:attribute name="output-channel" type="xsd:string"/>
 			<xsd:attribute name="uri" type="xsd:string" use="required"/>
 			<xsd:attribute name="marshaller" type="xsd:string"/>
 			<xsd:attribute name="unmarshaller" type="xsd:string"/>			
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/handler/AbstractWebServiceHandler.java b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/handler/AbstractWebServiceHandler.java
index abb55619d3..fb41e8165c 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/handler/AbstractWebServiceHandler.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/handler/AbstractWebServiceHandler.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package org.springframework.integration.ws.handler;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URI;
 
+import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractInOutEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.GenericMessage;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ import org.springframework.ws.soap.client.core.SoapActionCallback;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public abstract class AbstractWebServiceHandler implements MessageHandler {
+public abstract class AbstractWebServiceHandler extends AbstractInOutEndpoint {
 
 	public static final String SOAP_ACTION_PROPERTY_KEY = "_ws.soapAction";
 
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractWebServiceHandler implements MessageHandler {
 		return this.webServiceTemplate;
 	}
 
+	@Override
 	public final Message<?> handle(Message<?> message) {
 		Object responsePayload = this.doHandle(message.getPayload(), this.getRequestCallback(message));
 		return responsePayload != null ? new GenericMessage<Object>(responsePayload, message.getHeaders()) : null;
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-integration.parsers b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-integration.parsers
index 091f968c3e..a7b5c85138 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-integration.parsers
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-integration.parsers
@@ -1 +1 @@
-ws-handler=org.springframework.integration.ws.config.WebServiceHandlerParser
\ No newline at end of file
+ws-service-activator=org.springframework.integration.ws.config.WebServiceHandlerParser
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParserTests.java b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParserTests.java
index e44ddee57d..8cd13b7db0 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParserTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.ws/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/ws/config/WebServiceHandlerParserTests.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.beans.DirectFieldAccessor;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext;
-import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandler;
+import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.MessageEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.ws.handler.MarshallingWebServiceHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.ws.handler.SimpleWebServiceHandler;
 import org.springframework.oxm.Marshaller;
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testSimpleWebServiceHandlerWithDefaultSourceExtractor() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"simpleWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithDefaultSourceExtractor");
-		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithDefaultSourceExtractor");
+		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		assertEquals("DefaultSourceExtractor", accessor.getPropertyValue("sourceExtractor").getClass().getSimpleName());
 	}
 
@@ -52,9 +52,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testSimpleWebServiceHandlerWithCustomSourceExtractor() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"simpleWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomSourceExtractor");
-		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomSourceExtractor");
+		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		SourceExtractor sourceExtractor = (SourceExtractor) context.getBean("sourceExtractor");
 		assertEquals(sourceExtractor, accessor.getPropertyValue("sourceExtractor"));
 	}
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testSimpleWebServiceHandlerWithCustomRequestCallback() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"simpleWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomRequestCallback");
-		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomRequestCallback");
+		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		WebServiceMessageCallback callback = (WebServiceMessageCallback) context.getBean("requestCallback");
 		assertEquals(callback, accessor.getPropertyValue("requestCallback"));
 	}
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testSimpleWebServiceHandlerWithCustomMessageFactory() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"simpleWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomMessageFactory");
-		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomMessageFactory");
+		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(accessor.getPropertyValue("webServiceTemplate"));
 		WebServiceMessageFactory factory = (WebServiceMessageFactory) context.getBean("messageFactory");
 		assertEquals(factory, accessor.getPropertyValue("messageFactory"));
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testSimpleWebServiceHandlerWithCustomSourceExtractorAndMessageFactory() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"simpleWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomSourceExtractorAndMessageFactory");
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomSourceExtractorAndMessageFactory");
 		SourceExtractor sourceExtractor = (SourceExtractor) context.getBean("sourceExtractor");
-		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		assertEquals(sourceExtractor, accessor.getPropertyValue("sourceExtractor"));
 		accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(accessor.getPropertyValue("webServiceTemplate"));
 		WebServiceMessageFactory factory = (WebServiceMessageFactory) context.getBean("messageFactory");
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testSimpleWebServiceHandlerWithCustomFaultMessageResolver() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"simpleWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomFaultMessageResolver");
-		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomFaultMessageResolver");
+		assertEquals(SimpleWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(accessor.getPropertyValue("webServiceTemplate"));
 		FaultMessageResolver resolver = (FaultMessageResolver) context.getBean("faultMessageResolver");
 		assertEquals(resolver, accessor.getPropertyValue("faultMessageResolver"));
@@ -112,9 +112,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testWebServiceHandlerWithAllInOneMarshaller() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"marshallingWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithAllInOneMarshaller");
-		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithAllInOneMarshaller");
+		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		DirectFieldAccessor templateAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(
 				handlerAccessor.getPropertyValue("webServiceTemplate"));
 		Marshaller marshaller = (Marshaller) context.getBean("marshallerAndUnmarshaller");
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testWebServiceHandlerWithSeparateMarshallerAndUnmarshaller() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"marshallingWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithSeparateMarshallerAndUnmarshaller");
-		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithSeparateMarshallerAndUnmarshaller");
+		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		DirectFieldAccessor templateAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(
 				handlerAccessor.getPropertyValue("webServiceTemplate"));
 		Marshaller marshaller = (Marshaller) context.getBean("marshaller");
@@ -141,9 +141,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testMarshallingWebServiceHandlerWithCustomRequestCallback() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"marshallingWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomRequestCallback");
-		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithCustomRequestCallback");
+		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor accessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		WebServiceMessageCallback callback = (WebServiceMessageCallback) context.getBean("requestCallback");
 		assertEquals(callback, accessor.getPropertyValue("requestCallback"));
 	}
@@ -152,9 +152,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testWebServiceHandlerWithAllInOneMarshallerAndMessageFactory() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"marshallingWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithAllInOneMarshallerAndMessageFactory");
-		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithAllInOneMarshallerAndMessageFactory");
+		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		DirectFieldAccessor templateAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(
 				handlerAccessor.getPropertyValue("webServiceTemplate"));
 		Marshaller marshaller = (Marshaller) context.getBean("marshallerAndUnmarshaller");
@@ -168,9 +168,9 @@ public class WebServiceHandlerParserTests {
 	public void testWebServiceHandlerWithSeparateMarshallerAndUnmarshallerAndMessageFactory() {
 		ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(
 				"marshallingWebServiceHandlerParserTests.xml", this.getClass());
-		MessageHandler handler = (MessageHandler) context.getBean("handlerWithSeparateMarshallerAndUnmarshallerAndMessageFactory");
-		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, handler.getClass());
-		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(handler);
+		MessageEndpoint endpoint = (MessageEndpoint) context.getBean("handlerWithSeparateMarshallerAndUnmarshallerAndMessageFactory");
+		assertEquals(MarshallingWebServiceHandler.class, endpoint.getClass());
+		DirectFieldAccessor handlerAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(endpoint);
 		DirectFieldAccessor templateAccessor = new DirectFieldAccessor(
 				handlerAccessor.getPropertyValue("webServiceTemplate"));
 		Marshaller marshaller = (Marshaller) context.getBean("marshaller");