diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
index 138ab6bf7a..7f9dd7e05b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/AbstractEndpoint.java
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanNameAware;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
-import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
-import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannelTemplate;
 import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.TaskScheduler;
 import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.TaskSchedulerAware;
 
@@ -31,7 +28,7 @@ import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.TaskSchedulerAware;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, TaskSchedulerAware, BeanNameAware, InitializingBean {
+public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, TaskSchedulerAware, BeanNameAware {
 
 	protected final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(this.getClass());
 
@@ -39,8 +36,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, TaskScheduler
 
 	private volatile TaskScheduler taskScheduler;
 
-	private final MessageChannelTemplate channelTemplate = new MessageChannelTemplate();
-
 
 	public void setBeanName(String name) {
 		this.name = name;
@@ -54,28 +49,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractEndpoint implements MessageEndpoint, TaskScheduler
 		this.taskScheduler = taskScheduler;
 	}
 
-	protected MessageChannelTemplate getChannelTemplate() {
-		return this.channelTemplate;
-	}
-
-	public final void afterPropertiesSet() {
-		try {
-			this.initialize();
-		}
-		catch (Exception e) {
-			if (e instanceof RuntimeException) {
-				throw (RuntimeException) e;
-			}
-			throw new ConfigurationException("failed to initialize endpoint '" + this + "'", e);
-		}
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Subclasses may override this method for custom initialization requirements.
-	 */
-	protected void initialize()  throws Exception {
-	}
-
 	public String toString() {
 		return (this.name != null) ? this.name : super.toString();
 	}
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 77b1cae08e..6fefb7037d 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
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 
 package org.springframework.integration.endpoint;
 
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannel;
+import org.springframework.integration.channel.MessageChannelTemplate;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.Message;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
@@ -26,26 +28,23 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public abstract class AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint {
+public abstract class AbstractMessageProducingEndpoint extends AbstractEndpoint implements InitializingBean {
 
 	private volatile MessageChannel outputChannel;
 
+	private final MessageChannelTemplate channelTemplate = new MessageChannelTemplate();
+
 
 	public void setOutputChannel(MessageChannel outputChannel) {
 		this.outputChannel = outputChannel;
 	}
 
-	protected MessageChannel getOutputChannel() {
-		return this.outputChannel;
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	protected void initialize() {
+	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
 		Assert.notNull(this.outputChannel, "outputChannel is required");
 	}
 
 	protected boolean sendMessage(Message<?> message) {
-		return this.getChannelTemplate().send(message, this.outputChannel);
+		return this.channelTemplate.send(message, this.outputChannel);
 	}
 
 }