diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/filecopy/fileCopyDemo-common.xml b/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/filecopy/fileCopyDemo-common.xml
index f7aaf1918c..1d83a97169 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/filecopy/fileCopyDemo-common.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/filecopy/fileCopyDemo-common.xml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 	<service-activator input-channel="channel1"
 	                   output-channel="channel2"
                        ref="exclaimer" method="exclaim">
-    	<schedule period="5000"/>
+    	<poller period="5000"/>
     </service-activator>
 
 	<channel-adapter id="channel2" target="fileTarget"/>
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/oddeven/oddEvenDemo.xml b/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/oddeven/oddEvenDemo.xml
index 434ce922eb..c2cb4efa16 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/oddeven/oddEvenDemo.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/samples/oddeven/oddEvenDemo.xml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 	<channel-adapter id="numbers" source="counter"/>
 
 	<router ref="parityResolver" method="getParity" input-channel="numbers">
-		<schedule period="3000"/>
+		<poller period="3000" max-messages-per-poll="1"/>
 	</router>
 
 	<service-activator ref="oddLogger" input-channel="odd"/>
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java
index 0c421ae3c6..e7bea07ad5 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/bus/DefaultMessageBus.java
@@ -344,6 +344,11 @@ public class DefaultMessageBus implements MessageBus, ApplicationContextAware, A
 		}
 		if (source != null && source instanceof SubscribableSource) {
 			((SubscribableSource) source).subscribe(endpoint);
+			if (source instanceof PollingDispatcher) {
+				PollingDispatcher poller = (PollingDispatcher) source;
+				this.pollingDispatchers.add(poller);
+				this.taskScheduler.schedule(poller);
+			}
 			if (logger.isInfoEnabled()) {
 				logger.info("activated subscription to channel '"
 						+ source + "' for endpoint '" + endpoint + "'");
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractHandlerEndpointParser.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractHandlerEndpointParser.java
index 143eb61f98..77dd9c19eb 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractHandlerEndpointParser.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractHandlerEndpointParser.java
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 package org.springframework.integration.config;
 
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
-import org.w3c.dom.Node;
-import org.w3c.dom.NodeList;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.BeanDefinitionHolder;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.RuntimeBeanReference;
@@ -31,9 +29,8 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.ParserContext;
 import org.springframework.integration.ConfigurationException;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.HandlerEndpoint;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.MessageHandler;
-import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.PollingSchedule;
-import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.Schedule;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
+import org.springframework.util.xml.DomUtils;
 
 /**
  * Base class parser for elements that create handler-invoking endpoints.
@@ -52,10 +49,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractHandlerEndpointParser extends AbstractSingleBeanDe
 
 	protected static final String RETURN_ADDRESS_OVERRIDES_ATTRIBUTE = "return-address-overrides";
 
-	private static final String PERIOD_ATTRIBUTE = "period";
-
-	private static final String SCHEDULE_ELEMENT = "schedule";
-
 	private static final String POLLER_ELEMENT = "poller";
 
 	private static final String SELECTOR_ATTRIBUTE = "selector";
@@ -96,32 +89,24 @@ public abstract class AbstractHandlerEndpointParser extends AbstractSingleBeanDe
 		else {
 			builder.addConstructorArgReference(ref);
 		}
-		Schedule schedule = null;
-		NodeList childNodes = element.getChildNodes();
-		for (int i = 0; i < childNodes.getLength(); i++) {
-			Node child = childNodes.item(i);
-			if (child.getNodeType() == Node.ELEMENT_NODE) {
-				Element childElement = (Element) child;
-				String localName = child.getLocalName();
-				if (SCHEDULE_ELEMENT.equals(localName)) {
-					schedule = this.parseSchedule(childElement);
-				}
-				else if (POLLER_ELEMENT.equals(localName)) {
-					builder.addPropertyReference("messageExchangeTemplate",
-							IntegrationNamespaceUtils.parsePoller(childElement, parserContext));
-				}
-				else if (INTERCEPTORS_ELEMENT.equals(localName)) {
-					EndpointInterceptorParser parser = new EndpointInterceptorParser();
-					ManagedList interceptors = parser.parseInterceptors(childElement, parserContext);
-					builder.addPropertyValue("interceptors", interceptors);
-				}
-			}
+		String inputChannel = element.getAttribute(INPUT_CHANNEL_ATTRIBUTE);
+		if (!StringUtils.hasText(inputChannel)) {
+			throw new ConfigurationException("the '" + INPUT_CHANNEL_ATTRIBUTE + "' attribute is required");
 		}
-		if (schedule != null) {
-			builder.addPropertyValue("schedule", schedule);
+		Element pollerElement = DomUtils.getChildElementByTagName(element, POLLER_ELEMENT);
+		if (pollerElement != null) {
+			String pollerBeanName = IntegrationNamespaceUtils.parsePoller(inputChannel, pollerElement, parserContext);
+			builder.addPropertyReference("source", pollerBeanName);
+		}
+		else {
+			builder.addPropertyReference("source", inputChannel);
+		}
+		Element interceptorsElement = DomUtils.getChildElementByTagName(element, INTERCEPTORS_ELEMENT);
+		if (interceptorsElement != null) {
+			EndpointInterceptorParser parser = new EndpointInterceptorParser();
+			ManagedList interceptors = parser.parseInterceptors(interceptorsElement, parserContext);
+			builder.addPropertyValue("interceptors", interceptors);
 		}
-		IntegrationNamespaceUtils.setValueIfAttributeDefined(
-				builder, element, INPUT_CHANNEL_ATTRIBUTE, "inputChannelName");
 		IntegrationNamespaceUtils.setValueIfAttributeDefined(
 				builder, element, OUTPUT_CHANNEL_ATTRIBUTE, "outputChannelName");
 		IntegrationNamespaceUtils.setReferenceIfAttributeDefined(builder, element, SELECTOR_ATTRIBUTE);
@@ -151,13 +136,4 @@ public abstract class AbstractHandlerEndpointParser extends AbstractSingleBeanDe
 		return adapterBeanName;
 	}
 
-	private Schedule parseSchedule(Element scheduleElement) {
-		PollingSchedule schedule = new PollingSchedule(0);
-		String period = scheduleElement.getAttribute(PERIOD_ATTRIBUTE);
-		if (StringUtils.hasText(period)) {
-			schedule.setPeriod(Integer.parseInt(period));
-		}
-		return schedule;
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IntegrationNamespaceUtils.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IntegrationNamespaceUtils.java
index 8d811167e6..51bbaefc70 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IntegrationNamespaceUtils.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/IntegrationNamespaceUtils.java
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionReaderUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.BeanDefinitionParserDelegate;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.ParserContext;
 import org.springframework.core.Conventions;
+import org.springframework.integration.dispatcher.PollingDispatcher;
+import org.springframework.integration.dispatcher.SimpleDispatcher;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.AsyncMessageExchangeTemplate;
 import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageExchangeTemplate;
+import org.springframework.integration.scheduling.PollingSchedule;
 import org.springframework.transaction.support.DefaultTransactionDefinition;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.xml.DomUtils;
@@ -135,26 +138,30 @@ public abstract class IntegrationNamespaceUtils {
 
 	/**
 	 * Parse a "poller" element and return the bean name of the poller instance.
-	 * The name will be generated for a newly created bean, or if the poller
-	 * element simply provides a "ref", that value will be returned.
 	 * 
+	 * @param sourceBeanName the name of the PollableSource bean
 	 * @param element the "poller" element to parse
 	 * @param parserContext the parserContext for registering a newly created bean definition
 	 * @return the name of the poller bean definition
 	 */
-	public static String parsePoller(Element element, ParserContext parserContext) {
-		String ref = element.getAttribute("ref");
+	public static String parsePoller(String sourceBeanName, Element element, ParserContext parserContext) {
+		BeanDefinitionBuilder builder = BeanDefinitionBuilder.genericBeanDefinition(PollingDispatcher.class);
+		Long period = Long.valueOf(element.getAttribute("period"));
+		PollingSchedule schedule = new PollingSchedule(period);
+		String templateBeanName = parseMessageExhangeTemplate(element, parserContext);
+		builder.addConstructorArgReference(sourceBeanName);
+		builder.addConstructorArgValue(schedule);
+		builder.addConstructorArgValue(new SimpleDispatcher());
+		builder.addConstructorArgReference(templateBeanName);
+		setValueIfAttributeDefined(builder, element, "receive-timeout");
+		setValueIfAttributeDefined(builder, element, "send-timeout");
+		setValueIfAttributeDefined(builder, element, "max-messages-per-poll");
+		return BeanDefinitionReaderUtils.registerWithGeneratedName(builder.getBeanDefinition(), parserContext.getRegistry());
+	}
+
+	private static String parseMessageExhangeTemplate(Element element, ParserContext parserContext) {
 		String taskExecutorRef = element.getAttribute("task-executor");
 		Element txElement = DomUtils.getChildElementByTagName(element, "transactional");
-		if (StringUtils.hasText(ref)) {
-			if (StringUtils.hasText(taskExecutorRef) || (txElement != null)) {
-				parserContext.getReaderContext().error(
-						"Neither the 'task-executor' attribute or 'transactional' sub-element "
-						+ "should be provided when using the 'ref' attribute.",
-						parserContext.extractSource(element));
-			}
-			return ref;
-		}
 		Class<?> beanClass = (StringUtils.hasText(taskExecutorRef)) ?
 				AsyncMessageExchangeTemplate.class : MessageExchangeTemplate.class;
 		BeanDefinitionBuilder builder = BeanDefinitionBuilder.genericBeanDefinition(beanClass);
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/spring-integration-core-1.0.xsd b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/spring-integration-core-1.0.xsd
index babfdfa896..eaa5772f8b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/spring-integration-core-1.0.xsd
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/spring-integration-core-1.0.xsd
@@ -207,7 +207,6 @@
 		<xsd:complexContent>
 			<xsd:extension base="beans:identifiedType">
 				<xsd:all>
-					<xsd:element ref="schedule" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
 					<xsd:element ref="poller" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
 					<xsd:element name="interceptors" type="endpointInterceptorsType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
 				</xsd:all>
@@ -219,17 +218,6 @@
 		</xsd:complexContent>
 	</xsd:complexType>
 
-	<xsd:element name="schedule">
-		<xsd:complexType>
-			<xsd:annotation>
-				<xsd:documentation>
-	Defines a schedule.
-				</xsd:documentation>
-			</xsd:annotation>
-			<xsd:attribute name="period" type="xsd:int"/>
-		</xsd:complexType>
-	</xsd:element>
-
 	<xsd:element name="poller">
 		<xsd:complexType>
 			<xsd:annotation>
@@ -240,10 +228,11 @@
 			<xsd:sequence>
 				<xsd:element name="transactional" type="transactionalType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
 			</xsd:sequence>
-			<xsd:attribute name="ref" type="xsd:string"/>
-			<xsd:attribute name="task-executor" type="xsd:string"/>
+			<xsd:attribute name="period" type="xsd:long" use="required"/>
 			<xsd:attribute name="receive-timeout" type="xsd:long"/>
 			<xsd:attribute name="send-timeout" type="xsd:long"/>
+			<xsd:attribute name="max-messages-per-poll" type="xsd:long"/>
+			<xsd:attribute name="task-executor" type="xsd:string"/>
 		</xsd:complexType>
 	</xsd:element>
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointInterceptorTests.xml b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointInterceptorTests.xml
index 876cfa3af1..0b867c3086 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointInterceptorTests.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointInterceptorTests.xml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 	                   input-channel="testChannel"
 	                   ref="testHandler"
 	                   output-channel="replyChannel">
-		<schedule period="100"/>
+		<poller period="100"/>
 		<interceptors>
 			<beans:bean class="org.springframework.integration.config.TestPreSendInterceptor"/>
 			<beans:bean class="org.springframework.integration.config.TestAroundSendEndpointInterceptor"/>
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 	                   input-channel="testChannel"
 	                   ref="testHandler"
 	                   output-channel="replyChannel">
-		<schedule period="100"/>
+		<poller period="100"/>
 		<interceptors>
 			<ref bean="preInterceptor"/>
 			<ref bean="aroundInterceptor"/>
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithHandlerChainElement.xml b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithHandlerChainElement.xml
index 7db153c6cd..4f269ddb4c 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithHandlerChainElement.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithHandlerChainElement.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 	</handler-chain>
 
 	<service-activator input-channel="testChannel" ref="chain" output-channel="replyChannel">
-		<schedule period="100"/>
+		<poller period="100"/>
 	</service-activator>
 
 	<beans:bean id="handler1" class="org.springframework.integration.config.TestConcatenatingHandler">
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithSelector.xml b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithSelector.xml
index 4f5c4d78f4..8bcdc28bab 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithSelector.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/endpointWithSelector.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 	<service-activator id="endpoint" input-channel="testChannel"
 	                  ref="testHandler" selector="typeSelector">
-		<schedule period="100"/>
+		<poller period="100"/>
 	</service-activator>
 
 	<beans:bean id="typeSelector" class="org.springframework.integration.message.selector.PayloadTypeSelector">
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/handlerAdapterEndpointTests.xml b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/handlerAdapterEndpointTests.xml
index 10b9613034..2059ed410a 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/handlerAdapterEndpointTests.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/handlerAdapterEndpointTests.xml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 	<queue-channel id="testChannel" capacity="50"/>
 
 	<service-activator input-channel="testChannel" ref="testBean" method="store">
-		<schedule period="100"/>
+		<poller period="100"/>
 	</service-activator>
 
 	<beans:bean id="testBean" class="org.springframework.integration.config.TestBean">
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/simpleEndpointTests.xml b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/simpleEndpointTests.xml
index 827d49c7ec..ba32d5fe0f 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/simpleEndpointTests.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/config/simpleEndpointTests.xml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 	<queue-channel id="testChannel" capacity="50"/>
 
 	<service-activator input-channel="testChannel" ref="testHandler">
-		<schedule period="100"/>
+		<poller period="100"/>
 	</service-activator>
 
 	<beans:bean id="testHandler" class="org.springframework.integration.config.TestHandler">
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorPropagationTests.xml b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorPropagationTests.xml
index 10434ba1c6..221b577eec 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorPropagationTests.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorPropagationTests.xml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 	                  ref="testBean"
 	                  method="good"
                       output-channel="output">
-        <schedule period="10000"/>
+        <poller period="10000"/>
     	<interceptors>
 			<transaction-interceptor transaction-manager="txManager" propagation="REQUIRED"/>
     	</interceptors>
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 	                  ref="testBean"
 	                  method="good"
                       output-channel="output">
-        <schedule period="10000"/>
+        <poller period="10000"/>
     	<interceptors>
 			<transaction-interceptor transaction-manager="txManager" propagation="REQUIRES_NEW"/>
     	</interceptors>
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 	                  ref="testBean"
 	                  method="good"
                       output-channel="output">
-        <schedule period="10000"/>
+        <poller period="10000"/>
     	<interceptors>
 			<transaction-interceptor transaction-manager="txManager" propagation="SUPPORTS"/>
     	</interceptors>
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 	                  ref="testBean"
 	                  method="good"
                       output-channel="output">
-        <schedule period="10000"/>
+        <poller period="10000"/>
     	<interceptors>
 			<transaction-interceptor transaction-manager="txManager" propagation="NOT_SUPPORTED"/>
     	</interceptors>
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 	                  ref="testBean"
 	                  method="good"
                       output-channel="output">
-        <schedule period="10000"/>
+        <poller period="10000"/>
     	<interceptors>
 			<transaction-interceptor transaction-manager="txManager" propagation="MANDATORY"/>
     	</interceptors>
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorTests.xml b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorTests.xml
index 56be721c69..58b2b6716c 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorTests.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/endpoint/interceptor/transactionInterceptorTests.xml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 	                  ref="testBean"
 	                  method="bad"
                       output-channel="output">
-        <schedule period="100"/>
+        <poller period="100"/>
     	<interceptors>
 			<transaction-interceptor transaction-manager="txManager"/>
     	</interceptors>
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 	                  ref="testBean"
 	                  method="good"
                       output-channel="output">
-        <schedule period="100"/>
+        <poller period="100"/>
 		<interceptors>
 			<transaction-interceptor transaction-manager="txManager" propagation="REQUIRED"/>
 		</interceptors>