diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/spring-integration-1.0.xsd b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/spring-integration-1.0.xsd
index f609db5a5f..0e43b530df 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/spring-integration-1.0.xsd
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/config/xml/spring-integration-1.0.xsd
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
 			</xsd:appinfo>
 		</xsd:annotation>
 		<xsd:complexType>
-
 			<xsd:complexContent>
 				<xsd:extension base="channelType">
 					<xsd:sequence>
@@ -422,7 +421,7 @@
 		</xsd:complexContent>
 	</xsd:complexType>
 
-	<xsd:element name="bridge" type="inputOutputEndpointType">
+	<xsd:element name="bridge">
 		<xsd:annotation>
 			<xsd:documentation>
 				Defines an endpoint that passes a Message to the
@@ -430,6 +429,22 @@
 				modifying it.
 			</xsd:documentation>
 		</xsd:annotation>
+		<xsd:complexType>
+			<xsd:complexContent>
+				<xsd:extension base="inputEndpointType">
+					<xsd:attribute name="output-channel" type="xsd:string" use="required">
+						<xsd:annotation>
+							<xsd:appinfo>
+								<tool:annotation kind="ref">
+									<tool:expected-type
+											type="org.springframework.integration.core.MessageChannel" />
+								</tool:annotation>
+							</xsd:appinfo>
+						</xsd:annotation>
+					</xsd:attribute>
+				</xsd:extension>
+			</xsd:complexContent>
+		</xsd:complexType>
 	</xsd:element>
 
 	<xsd:element name="chain">
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/BridgeHandler.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/BridgeHandler.java
index 69ba41d4ea..f2d6d12a89 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/BridgeHandler.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/BridgeHandler.java
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 
 package org.springframework.integration.handler;
 
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.integration.core.Message;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
  * A simple MessageHandler implementation that passes the request Message
@@ -26,11 +28,20 @@ import org.springframework.integration.core.Message;
  * 
  * @author Mark Fisher
  */
-public class BridgeHandler extends AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler {
+public class BridgeHandler extends AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler implements InitializingBean {
+
+	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
+		this.verifyOutputChannel();
+	}
 
 	@Override
 	protected void handleRequestMessage(Message<?> requestMessage, ReplyMessageHolder replyMessageHolder) {
+		this.verifyOutputChannel();
 		replyMessageHolder.set(requestMessage);
 	}
 
+	private void verifyOutputChannel() {
+		Assert.state(super.getOutputChannel() != null, "Bridge handler requires an output channel");
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/BridgeHandlerTests.java b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/BridgeHandlerTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cb5908bb9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.springframework.integration/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/BridgeHandlerTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2009 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.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.integration.handler;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import org.springframework.integration.channel.QueueChannel;
+import org.springframework.integration.core.Message;
+import org.springframework.integration.message.MessageHandlingException;
+import org.springframework.integration.message.StringMessage;
+
+/**
+ * @author Mark Fisher
+ */
+public class BridgeHandlerTests {
+
+	@Test
+	public void simpleBridge() {
+		QueueChannel outputChannel = new QueueChannel();
+		BridgeHandler handler = new BridgeHandler();
+		handler.setOutputChannel(outputChannel);
+		Message<?> request = new StringMessage("test");
+		handler.handleMessage(request);
+		Message<?> reply = outputChannel.receive(0);
+		assertNotNull(reply);
+		assertEquals(request, reply);
+	}
+
+	@Test(expected = IllegalStateException.class)
+	public void missingOutputChannelVerifiedUponInitialization() {
+		BridgeHandler handler = new BridgeHandler();
+		handler.afterPropertiesSet();
+	}
+
+	@Test(expected = MessageHandlingException.class)
+	public void missingOutputChannelVerifiedAtRuntime() {
+		BridgeHandler handler = new BridgeHandler();
+		Message<?> request = new StringMessage("test");
+		handler.handleMessage(request);
+	}
+
+}