diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractMessageHandlerFactoryBean.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractMessageHandlerFactoryBean.java
index 3357847ad2..a0e2fd3e0e 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractMessageHandlerFactoryBean.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/AbstractMessageHandlerFactoryBean.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2009 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2010 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ package org.springframework.integration.config;
 import org.springframework.beans.BeansException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryAware;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanInitializationException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.FactoryBean;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.MessageChannel;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.AbstractMessageHandler;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler;
@@ -126,8 +128,19 @@ abstract class AbstractMessageHandlerFactoryBean implements FactoryBean<MessageH
 			else {
 				this.handler = this.createDefaultHandler();
 			}
+			if (this.handler instanceof BeanFactoryAware) {
+				((BeanFactoryAware) this.handler).setBeanFactory(beanFactory);
+			}
 			this.initialized = true;
 		}
+		if (this.handler instanceof InitializingBean) {
+			try {
+				((InitializingBean) this.handler).afterPropertiesSet();
+			}
+			catch (Exception e) {
+				throw new BeanInitializationException("failed to initialize MessageHandler", e);
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**