diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/ChainParser.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/ChainParser.java
index 2fe05c16fa..e18aa5c8c4 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/ChainParser.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/ChainParser.java
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionBuilder;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionReaderUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.ManagedList;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.ParserContext;
-import org.springframework.integration.handler.AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler;
 
 /**
  * Parser for the <chain> element.
@@ -56,20 +55,25 @@ public class ChainParser extends AbstractConsumerEndpointParser {
 	}
 
 	private String parseChild(Element element, ParserContext parserContext, BeanDefinition parentDefinition) {
-		BeanDefinition beanDefinition;
+		BeanDefinitionHolder holder = null;
 		if (element.getLocalName().equals("bean")) {
-			beanDefinition = parserContext.getDelegate().parseBeanDefinitionElement(element).getBeanDefinition();
+			holder = parserContext.getDelegate().parseBeanDefinitionElement(element, parentDefinition);
 		}
 		else {
-			beanDefinition = parserContext.getDelegate().parseCustomElement(element, parentDefinition);
+			BeanDefinition beanDefinition = parserContext.getDelegate().parseCustomElement(element, parentDefinition);
+			if (beanDefinition == null) {
+				parserContext.getReaderContext().error("child BeanDefinition must not be null", element);
+			}
+			else {
+				String beanName = BeanDefinitionReaderUtils.generateBeanName(beanDefinition, parserContext.getRegistry());
+				holder = new BeanDefinitionHolder(beanDefinition, beanName);
+			}
 		}
-		if (beanDefinition == null) {
-			parserContext.getReaderContext().error("child BeanDefinition must not be null", element);
+		if (holder == null) {
+			return null;
 		}
-		String beanName = BeanDefinitionReaderUtils.generateBeanName(beanDefinition, parserContext.getRegistry());
-		BeanDefinitionHolder holder = new BeanDefinitionHolder(beanDefinition, beanName);
 		BeanDefinitionReaderUtils.registerBeanDefinition(holder, parserContext.getRegistry());
-		return beanName;
+		return holder.getBeanName();
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChainParserTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChainParserTests.java
index d01b7a2343..a10a34a678 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChainParserTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChainParserTests.java
@@ -33,9 +33,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.core.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.ReplyMessageHolder;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageBuilder;
-import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
-import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.AbstractJUnit4SpringContextTests;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;
 
 /**
@@ -66,12 +64,11 @@ public class ChainParserTests  {
 	@Qualifier("replyOutput")
 	private PollableChannel replyOutput;
 
-	
 	@Autowired
 	@Qualifier("beanInput")
 	private MessageChannel beanInput;
 
-	public static Message successMessage = MessageBuilder.withPayload("success").build();
+	public static Message<?> successMessage = MessageBuilder.withPayload("success").build();
 
 
 	@Test
@@ -113,14 +110,16 @@ public class ChainParserTests  {
 	}
 	
 	@Test
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public void chainHandlerBean() throws Exception {
 		Message<?> message = MessageBuilder.withPayload("test").build();
 		this.beanInput.send(message);
-		Message<?> reply = this.output.receive(3000);
+		Message reply = this.output.receive(3000);
 		assertNotNull(reply);
 		assertThat(reply, is(successMessage));
 	}
-	
+
+
 	public static class StubHandler extends AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler {
 		@Override
 		protected void handleRequestMessage(Message<?> requestMessage, ReplyMessageHolder replyMessageHolder) {