diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IdGeneratorConfigurer.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IdGeneratorConfigurer.java
index d986f8e66d..1af8c02cbd 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IdGeneratorConfigurer.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IdGeneratorConfigurer.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanDefinitionStoreException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.DisposableBean;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.NoSuchBeanDefinitionException;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
@@ -28,7 +29,6 @@ import org.springframework.context.ApplicationListener;
 import org.springframework.context.event.ContextRefreshedEvent;
 import org.springframework.integration.MessageHeaders;
 import org.springframework.integration.MessageHeaders.IdGenerator;
-import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ReflectionUtils;
 
 /**
@@ -56,21 +56,27 @@ public final class IdGeneratorConfigurer implements ApplicationListener<ContextR
 			}
 			Field idGeneratorField = ReflectionUtils.findField(MessageHeaders.class, "idGenerator");
 			ReflectionUtils.makeAccessible(idGeneratorField);
-			IdGenerator existingIdGenerator = (IdGenerator) idGeneratorField.get(null);
-			Assert.state(existingIdGenerator == null, "'MessageHeaders.idGenerator' " +
-					"has already been set and can not be set again");
+			IdGenerator existingIdGenerator = (IdGenerator) ReflectionUtils.getField(idGeneratorField, null);
+			if (existingIdGenerator != null) {
+				throw new BeanDefinitionStoreException(
+						"'MessageHeaders.idGenerator' has already been set and can not be set again");
+			}
 			if (logger.isInfoEnabled()) {
 				logger.info("Message IDs will be generated using custom IdGenerator [" + idGeneratorBean.getClass() + "]");
 			}
 			ReflectionUtils.setField(idGeneratorField, null, idGeneratorBean);
 		}
+		catch (BeanDefinitionStoreException e) {
+			// let this one propagate
+			throw e;
+		}
 		catch (NoSuchBeanDefinitionException e) {
 			// We will use the default.
 			if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
 				logger.debug("Unable to locate MessageHeaders.IdGenerator. Will use default: UUID.randomUUID()");
 			}
 		}
-		catch (Exception e) {
+		catch (IllegalStateException e) {
 			if (logger.isWarnEnabled()) {
 				logger.warn("Unexpected exception occurred while accessing idGenerator of MessageHeaders." +
 						" Will use default: UUID.randomUUID()", e);