diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractProducerEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractProducerEndpoint.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a8d0f9b1b
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+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractProducerEndpoint.java
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * 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.endpoint;
+
+import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannel;
+import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+
+/**
+ * @author Mark Fisher
+ */
+public class AbstractProducerEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint {
+
+	private volatile MessageChannel outputChannel;
+
+
+	public void setOutputChannel(MessageChannel outputChannel) {
+		this.outputChannel = outputChannel;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected void initialize() {
+		Assert.notNull(this.outputChannel, "outputChannel is required");
+	}
+
+	protected boolean sendMessage(Message<?> message) {
+		return this.getChannelTemplate().send(message, this.outputChannel);
+	}
+
+}