diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java
index ebeb4bc823..a890d865cd 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
-import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Poller;
 import org.springframework.integration.bus.MessageBus;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.ChannelRegistry;
@@ -80,23 +79,18 @@ public abstract class AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor<T extends Annotation
 		String inputChannelName = (String) AnnotationUtils.getValue(annotation, INPUT_CHANNEL_ATTRIBUTE);
 		if (StringUtils.hasText(inputChannelName)) {
 			MessageChannel inputChannel = this.messageBus.lookupChannel(inputChannelName);
-			if (inputChannel == null) {
-				throw new ConfigurationException("unable to resolve inputChannel '" + inputChannelName + "'");
-			}
+			Assert.notNull(inputChannel, "unable to resolve inputChannel '" + inputChannelName + "'");
 			if (endpoint instanceof AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint) {
 				AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint consumingEndpoint = (AbstractMessageConsumingEndpoint) endpoint;
-				if (pollerAnnotation != null) {	
-					if (inputChannel instanceof PollableChannel) {
-						IntervalTrigger trigger = new IntervalTrigger(
-								pollerAnnotation.interval(), pollerAnnotation.timeUnit());
-						trigger.setInitialDelay(pollerAnnotation.initialDelay(), pollerAnnotation.timeUnit());
-						trigger.setFixedRate(pollerAnnotation.fixedRate());
-						consumingEndpoint.setTrigger(trigger);
-						consumingEndpoint.setMaxMessagesPerPoll(pollerAnnotation.maxMessagesPerPoll());
-					}
-					else {
-						throw new ConfigurationException("The @Poller annotation should only be provided for a PollableChannel");
-					}
+				if (pollerAnnotation != null) {
+					Assert.isInstanceOf(PollableChannel.class, inputChannel,
+							"The @Poller annotation should only be provided for a PollableChannel");							
+					IntervalTrigger trigger = new IntervalTrigger(
+							pollerAnnotation.interval(), pollerAnnotation.timeUnit());
+					trigger.setInitialDelay(pollerAnnotation.initialDelay(), pollerAnnotation.timeUnit());
+					trigger.setFixedRate(pollerAnnotation.fixedRate());
+					consumingEndpoint.setTrigger(trigger);
+					consumingEndpoint.setMaxMessagesPerPoll(pollerAnnotation.maxMessagesPerPoll());
 				}
 				consumingEndpoint.setInputChannel(inputChannel);
 			}
@@ -104,9 +98,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMethodAnnotationPostProcessor<T extends Annotation
 				String outputChannelName = (String) AnnotationUtils.getValue(annotation, OUTPUT_CHANNEL_ATTRIBUTE);
 				if (StringUtils.hasText(outputChannelName)) {
 					MessageChannel outputChannel = this.messageBus.lookupChannel(outputChannelName);
-					if (outputChannel == null) {
-						throw new ConfigurationException("unable to resolve outputChannel '" + outputChannelName + "'");
-					}
+					Assert.notNull(outputChannel, "unable to resolve outputChannel '" + outputChannelName + "'");
 					((AbstractMessageHandlingEndpoint) endpoint).setOutputChannel(outputChannel);
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AggregatorAnnotationPostProcessor.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AggregatorAnnotationPostProcessor.java
index d805020d63..efd0f5f300 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AggregatorAnnotationPostProcessor.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/AggregatorAnnotationPostProcessor.java
@@ -20,16 +20,16 @@ import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
-import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
 import org.springframework.integration.aggregator.AggregatorEndpoint;
-import org.springframework.integration.aggregator.MethodInvokingAggregator;
 import org.springframework.integration.aggregator.CompletionStrategyAdapter;
+import org.springframework.integration.aggregator.MethodInvokingAggregator;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Aggregator;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.CompletionStrategy;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Poller;
 import org.springframework.integration.bus.MessageBus;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractEndpoint;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ReflectionUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
@@ -67,9 +67,7 @@ public class AggregatorAnnotationPostProcessor extends AbstractMethodAnnotationP
 		String discardChannelName = annotation.discardChannel();
 		if (StringUtils.hasText(discardChannelName)) {
 			MessageChannel discardChannel = this.getChannelRegistry().lookupChannel(discardChannelName);
-			if (discardChannel == null) {
-				throw new ConfigurationException("unable to resolve discardChannel '" + discardChannelName + "'");
-			}
+			Assert.notNull(discardChannel, "unable to resolve discardChannel '" + discardChannelName + "'");
 			aggregatorEndpoint.setDiscardChannel(discardChannel);
 		}
 		aggregatorEndpoint.setSendTimeout(annotation.sendTimeout());
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 3c06a91971..250ab76b9a 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
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.ConfigurableBeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
-import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.ChannelAdapter;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Poller;
 import org.springframework.integration.bus.MessageBus;
@@ -80,8 +79,9 @@ public class ChannelAdapterAnnotationPostProcessor implements MethodAnnotationPo
 			endpoint = this.createOutboundChannelAdapter(consumer, channel, pollerAnnotation);
 		}
 		else {
-			throw new ConfigurationException("The @ChannelAdapter can only be applied to methods that accept no arguments but have"
-					+ " a return value (inbound) or methods that have no return value but do accept arguments (outbound)");
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException("The @ChannelAdapter can only be applied to methods"
+					+ " that accept no arguments but have a return value (inbound) or methods that"
+					+ " have no return value but do accept arguments (outbound)");
 		}
 		if (endpoint != null) {
 			String annotationName = ClassUtils.getShortNameAsProperty(annotation.annotationType());
@@ -92,10 +92,8 @@ public class ChannelAdapterAnnotationPostProcessor implements MethodAnnotationPo
 	}
 
 	private SourcePollingChannelAdapter createInboundChannelAdapter(MethodInvokingSource source, MessageChannel channel, Poller pollerAnnotation) {
-		if (pollerAnnotation == null) {
-			throw new ConfigurationException("The @Poller annotation is required (at method-level) "
+		Assert.notNull(pollerAnnotation, "The @Poller annotation is required (at method-level) "
 					+ "when using the @ChannelAdapter annotation with a no-arg method.");
-		}
 		Trigger trigger = this.createTrigger(pollerAnnotation);
 		SourcePollingChannelAdapter adapter = new SourcePollingChannelAdapter();
 		adapter.setSource(source);
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/MessagingAnnotationPostProcessor.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/MessagingAnnotationPostProcessor.java
index 9b02bdc2a4..c9ac6aaa92 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/MessagingAnnotationPostProcessor.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/MessagingAnnotationPostProcessor.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.BeanPostProcessor;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.ConfigurableBeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationUtils;
-import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Aggregator;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.ChannelAdapter;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Router;
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@ public class MessagingAnnotationPostProcessor implements BeanPostProcessor, Bean
 										continue;
 									}
 									if (proxyFactory.isInterfaceProxied(iface)) {
-										throw new ConfigurationException("interface [" + iface + "] is already proxied");
+										throw new IllegalStateException("interface [" + iface + "] is already proxied");
 									}
 									shouldProxy = true;
 								}
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/RouterAnnotationPostProcessor.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/RouterAnnotationPostProcessor.java
index b17a6885a8..1d6c371426 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/RouterAnnotationPostProcessor.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/annotation/RouterAnnotationPostProcessor.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package org.springframework.integration.config.annotation;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
-import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Poller;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.Router;
 import org.springframework.integration.bus.MessageBus;
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.router.MethodInvokingChannelResolver;
 import org.springframework.integration.router.RouterEndpoint;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
@@ -59,9 +59,7 @@ public class RouterAnnotationPostProcessor extends AbstractMethodAnnotationPostP
 		String defaultOutputChannelName = annotation.defaultOutputChannel();
 		if (StringUtils.hasText(defaultOutputChannelName)) {
 			MessageChannel defaultOutputChannel = this.getChannelRegistry().lookupChannel(defaultOutputChannelName);
-			if (defaultOutputChannel == null) {
-				throw new ConfigurationException("unable to resolve defaultOutputChannel '" + defaultOutputChannelName + "'");
-			}
+			Assert.notNull(defaultOutputChannel, "unable to resolve defaultOutputChannel '" + defaultOutputChannelName + "'");
 			((RouterEndpoint) endpoint).setDefaultOutputChannel(defaultOutputChannel);
 		}
 	}