diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChannelAdapterParser.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChannelAdapterParser.java
index 52a82ac0ee..a8b02edb1b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChannelAdapterParser.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/ChannelAdapterParser.java
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ public class ChannelAdapterParser extends AbstractBeanDefinitionParser {
 			adapterBuilder =  BeanDefinitionBuilder.genericBeanDefinition(InboundChannelAdapter.class);
 			adapterBuilder.addPropertyReference("source", source);
 			if (StringUtils.hasText(channelName)) {
-				adapterBuilder.addPropertyReference("channel", channelName);
+				adapterBuilder.addPropertyReference("outputChannel", channelName);
 			}
 			else {
-				adapterBuilder.addPropertyReference("channel", this.createDirectChannel(element, parserContext));
+				adapterBuilder.addPropertyReference("outputChannel", this.createDirectChannel(element, parserContext));
 			}
 			if (pollerElement != null) {
 				IntegrationNamespaceUtils.configureSchedule(pollerElement, adapterBuilder);
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/ChannelAdapterAnnotationPostProcessor.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/ChannelAdapterAnnotationPostProcessor.java
index bee1d2446b..780d540f17 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/ChannelAdapterAnnotationPostProcessor.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/ChannelAdapterAnnotationPostProcessor.java
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public class ChannelAdapterAnnotationPostProcessor implements MethodAnnotationPo
 		Schedule schedule = this.createSchedule(pollerAnnotation);
 		InboundChannelAdapter adapter = new InboundChannelAdapter();
 		adapter.setSource(source);
-		adapter.setChannel(channel);
+		adapter.setOutputChannel(channel);
 		adapter.setSchedule(schedule);
 		adapter.setBeanName(this.generateUniqueName(channel.getName() + ".inboundAdapter"));
 		return adapter;
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint.java
index 222d80c16b..3a73cfdd31 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint.java
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ public class AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint {
 		this.outputChannel = outputChannel;
 	}
 
+	protected MessageChannel getOutputChannel() {
+		return this.outputChannel;
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	protected void initialize() {
 		Assert.notNull(this.outputChannel, "outputChannel is required");
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/InboundChannelAdapter.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/InboundChannelAdapter.java
index a851fa5b27..fa55259a5e 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/InboundChannelAdapter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/InboundChannelAdapter.java
@@ -30,12 +30,10 @@ import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.TaskScheduler;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class InboundChannelAdapter extends AbstractEndpoint implements Lifecycle {
+public class InboundChannelAdapter extends AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint implements Lifecycle {
 
 	private volatile PollableSource<?> source;
 
-	private volatile MessageChannel channel;
-
 	private volatile Schedule schedule;
 
 	private volatile SourcePoller poller;
@@ -51,10 +49,6 @@ public class InboundChannelAdapter extends AbstractEndpoint implements Lifecycle
 		this.source = source;
 	}
 
-	public void setChannel(MessageChannel channel) {
-		this.channel = channel;
-	}
-
 	public void setSchedule(Schedule schedule) {
 		this.schedule = schedule;
 	}
@@ -75,7 +69,7 @@ public class InboundChannelAdapter extends AbstractEndpoint implements Lifecycle
 			if (this.running) {
 				return;
 			}
-			this.poller = new SourcePoller(source, channel, schedule);
+			this.poller = new SourcePoller(source, this.getOutputChannel(), schedule);
 			if (maxMessagesPerPoll < 0 && source instanceof MethodInvokingSource) {
 				// the default is 1 since a MethodInvokingSource might return a non-null value
 				// every time it is invoked, thus producing an infinite number of messages per poll
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBusTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBusTests.java
index e28f37d825..eb6cc98c0b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBusTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBusTests.java
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ public class DefaultMessageBusTests {
 		InboundChannelAdapter channelAdapter = new InboundChannelAdapter();
 		channelAdapter.setSource(new FailingSource(latch));
 		channelAdapter.setSchedule(new PollingSchedule(1000));
-		channelAdapter.setChannel(outputChannel);
+		channelAdapter.setOutputChannel(outputChannel);
 		channelAdapter.setBeanName("testChannel");
 		bus.registerEndpoint(channelAdapter);
 		bus.start();