diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/AbstractMessageChannel.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/AbstractMessageChannel.java
index 6d4bf73ef8..2f24cff723 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/AbstractMessageChannel.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/AbstractMessageChannel.java
@@ -26,11 +26,9 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.core.OrderComparator;
 import org.springframework.core.convert.ConversionService;
 import org.springframework.integration.context.IntegrationObjectSupport;
-import org.springframework.integration.context.NamedComponent;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.Message;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.MessagingException;
-import org.springframework.integration.history.MessageHistory;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageBuilder;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageDeliveryException;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
@@ -159,7 +157,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMessageChannel extends IntegrationObjectSupport im
 	 * time or the sending thread is interrupted.
 	 */
 	public final boolean send(Message<?> message, long timeout) {
-		this.writeMessageHistory(message, this);
+		this.writeMessageHistory(message);
 		Assert.notNull(message, "message must not be null");
 		Assert.notNull(message.getPayload(), "message payload must not be null");
 		message = this.convertPayloadIfNecessary(message);
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationObjectSupport.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationObjectSupport.java
index 1a0bc6521f..f9ae8abf45 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationObjectSupport.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationObjectSupport.java
@@ -105,10 +105,10 @@ public abstract class IntegrationObjectSupport implements BeanNameAware, NamedCo
 			}
 			throw new BeanInitializationException("failed to initialize", e);
 		}
-		if (this.beanFactory != null){
-			if (this.beanFactory.containsBean(MessageHistoryWriter.HISTORY_WRITER_BEAN_NAME)){
+		if (this.beanFactory != null) {
+			if (this.beanFactory.containsBean(MessageHistoryWriter.HISTORY_WRITER_BEAN_NAME)) {
 				historyWriter = this.beanFactory.getBean(MessageHistoryWriter.HISTORY_WRITER_BEAN_NAME, MessageHistoryWriter.class);
-			}	
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -166,10 +166,11 @@ public abstract class IntegrationObjectSupport implements BeanNameAware, NamedCo
 	public String toString() {
 		return (this.beanName != null) ? this.beanName : super.toString();
 	}
-	
-	protected void writeMessageHistory(Message<?> message, NamedComponent component){
-		if (historyWriter != null){
-			historyWriter.writeHistory(component, message);
+
+	protected void writeMessageHistory(Message<?> message) {
+		if (historyWriter != null) {
+			historyWriter.writeHistory(this, message);
 		}
 	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/gateway/SimpleMessagingGateway.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/gateway/SimpleMessagingGateway.java
index 887094520b..c4e1ea90e4 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/gateway/SimpleMessagingGateway.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/gateway/SimpleMessagingGateway.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package org.springframework.integration.gateway;
 
 import org.springframework.integration.core.Message;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.MessagingException;
-import org.springframework.integration.history.MessageHistory;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.InboundMessageMapper;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.OutboundMessageMapper;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ public class SimpleMessagingGateway extends AbstractMessagingGateway {
 		Message<?> message = null;
 		try {
 			message = this.inboundMapper.toMessage(object);
-			this.writeMessageHistory(message, this);
+			this.writeMessageHistory(message);
 		}
 		catch (Exception e) {
 			if (e instanceof RuntimeException) {
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java
index d8abd7d25a..c6e4209073 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/AbstractMessageHandler.java
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import org.springframework.integration.context.IntegrationObjectSupport;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.Message;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.MessagingException;
-import org.springframework.integration.history.MessageHistory;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHandlingException;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
@@ -62,7 +61,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMessageHandler extends IntegrationObjectSupport im
     public final void handleMessage(Message<?> message) {
         Assert.notNull(message, "Message must not be null");
         Assert.notNull(message.getPayload(), "Message payload must not be null");
-        this.writeMessageHistory(message, this);
+        this.writeMessageHistory(message);
         if (this.logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
             this.logger.debug(this + " received message: " + message);
         }
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/history/MessageHistoryWriter.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/history/MessageHistoryWriter.java
index 4f5f6cf5eb..f2356424f3 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/history/MessageHistoryWriter.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/history/MessageHistoryWriter.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
+
 package org.springframework.integration.history;
 
 import org.springframework.integration.context.NamedComponent;
@@ -23,9 +24,13 @@ import org.springframework.integration.core.Message;
  * @since 2.0
  */
 public class MessageHistoryWriter {
+
 	public final static String HISTORY_WRITER_BEAN_NAME = "historyWriter";
-	
-	public void writeHistory(NamedComponent component, Message<?> message){
-		message.getHeaders().getHistory().addEvent(component);
+
+	public void writeHistory(NamedComponent component, Message<?> message) {
+		if (message != null) {
+			message.getHeaders().getHistory().addEvent(component);
+		}
 	}
+
 }