diff --git a/openid/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumer.java b/openid/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumer.java
index 7713d44ab3..2730cf46e5 100644
--- a/openid/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumer.java
+++ b/openid/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumer.java
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ import org.openid4java.message.ax.AxMessage;
 import org.openid4java.message.ax.FetchRequest;
 import org.openid4java.message.ax.FetchResponse;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.DisposableBean;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @author Rob Winch
  */
 @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-public class OpenID4JavaConsumer implements OpenIDConsumer, DisposableBean, InitializingBean {
+public class OpenID4JavaConsumer implements OpenIDConsumer, DisposableBean {
     private static final String DISCOVERY_INFO_KEY = DiscoveryInformation.class.getName();
     private static final String ATTRIBUTE_LIST_KEY = "SPRING_SECURITY_OPEN_ID_ATTRIBUTES_FETCH_LIST";
 
@@ -60,7 +59,6 @@ public class OpenID4JavaConsumer implements OpenIDConsumer, DisposableBean, Init
     private final ConsumerManager consumerManager;
     private final AxFetchListFactory attributesToFetchFactory;
     private boolean skipShutdownConnectionManager;
-    private boolean skipSignedAxMessageRegistration;
 
     //~ Constructors ===================================================================================================
 
@@ -244,22 +242,6 @@ public class OpenID4JavaConsumer implements OpenIDConsumer, DisposableBean, Init
         this.skipShutdownConnectionManager = skipShutdownConnectionManager;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * If <code>false</code> {@link SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory} is
-     * registered with openid4java library in {@link #afterPropertiesSet()}. The
-     * effect is that all attributes from attribute exchange are guaranteed to
-     * be signed. If the value is <code>true</code>, then
-     * {@link SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory} is not registered. The default
-     * value is <code>false</code>.
-     *
-     * @param skipAxMessageRegistration
-     *            the new value to determine if
-     *            {@link SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory} is registered or not.
-     */
-    public void setSkipSignedAxMessageRegistration(boolean skipAxMessageRegistration) {
-        this.skipSignedAxMessageRegistration = skipAxMessageRegistration;
-    }
-
     public void destroy() throws Exception {
         if(!skipShutdownConnectionManager) {
             MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.shutdownAll();
@@ -268,12 +250,4 @@ public class OpenID4JavaConsumer implements OpenIDConsumer, DisposableBean, Init
                     + "Note this could cause memory leaks if the resources are not cleaned up else where.");
         }
     }
-
-    public void afterPropertiesSet() throws Exception {
-        if(!skipSignedAxMessageRegistration) {
-            Message.addExtensionFactory(SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory.class);
-        }else {
-            logger.debug("Skipping SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory. Attributes from attribute exchange are not guaranteed to be signed.");
-        }
-    }
 }
diff --git a/openid/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/openid/SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory.java b/openid/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/openid/SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 7bfdb3ace1..0000000000
--- a/openid/src/main/java/org/springframework/security/openid/SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,118 +0,0 @@
-/* Copyright 2011 to 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.security.openid;
-
-import org.openid4java.message.MessageException;
-import org.openid4java.message.MessageExtension;
-import org.openid4java.message.MessageExtensionFactory;
-import org.openid4java.message.ParameterList;
-import org.openid4java.message.ax.AxMessage;
-import org.openid4java.message.ax.FetchRequest;
-import org.openid4java.message.ax.FetchResponse;
-import org.openid4java.message.ax.StoreRequest;
-import org.openid4java.message.ax.StoreResponse;
-
-/**
- * <p>
- * An extension to the openid4java library which when registered with the Message class will guarantee that attribute
- * exchange attributes are signed.
- * </p>
- * <p>
- * <strong>WARNING</strong> The scope of this class must be public because it is required in order for
- * it to be registered as MessageExtensionFactory. However, this class is meant for internal use only.
- * </p>
- *
- * @since 3.1
- * @author Rob Winch
- */
-public final class SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory implements MessageExtensionFactory {
-
-    //~ Methods =======================================================================================================
-
-    public String getTypeUri() {
-        return AxMessage.OPENID_NS_AX;
-    }
-
-    public MessageExtension getExtension(ParameterList parameterList,
-            boolean isRequest) throws MessageException {
-        String axMode = parameterList.getParameterValue("mode");
-
-        if ("fetch_request".equals(axMode)) {
-            return new SignedFetchRequest(parameterList);
-        } else if ("fetch_response".equals(axMode)) {
-            return new SignedFetchResponse(parameterList);
-        } else if ("store_request".equals(axMode)) {
-            return new SignedStoreRequest(parameterList);
-        } else if ("store_response_success".equals(axMode) ||
-                "store_response_failure".equals(axMode)) {
-            return new SignedStoreResponse(parameterList);
-        }
-        throw new MessageException("Invalid value for attribute exchange mode: "
-                                   + axMode);
-    }
-
-    //~ Inner Classes =================================================================================================
-
-    private static class SignedFetchRequest extends FetchRequest {
-        public SignedFetchRequest(ParameterList params) throws MessageException {
-            super(params);
-            if(!isValid()) {
-                throw new MessageException("Invalid parameters for a fetch request");
-            }
-        }
-        @Override
-        public boolean signRequired() {
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static class SignedFetchResponse extends FetchResponse {
-        public SignedFetchResponse(ParameterList params) throws MessageException {
-            super(params);
-            if(!isValid()) {
-                throw new MessageException("Invalid parameters for a fetch response");
-            }
-        }
-        @Override
-        public boolean signRequired() {
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static class SignedStoreRequest extends StoreRequest {
-        public SignedStoreRequest(ParameterList params) throws MessageException {
-            super(params);
-            if(!isValid()) {
-                throw new MessageException("Invalid parameters for a store request");
-            }
-        }
-        @Override
-        public boolean signRequired() {
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static class SignedStoreResponse extends StoreResponse {
-        public SignedStoreResponse(ParameterList params) throws MessageException {
-            super(params);
-            // validate the params
-            StoreResponse.createStoreResponse(params);
-        }
-        @Override
-        public boolean signRequired() {
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/openid/src/test/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumerTests.java b/openid/src/test/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumerTests.java
index f185c847f1..0b93b87adf 100644
--- a/openid/src/test/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumerTests.java
+++ b/openid/src/test/java/org/springframework/security/openid/OpenID4JavaConsumerTests.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import org.powermock.modules.junit4.PowerMockRunner;
  * @author Rob Winch
  */
 @RunWith(PowerMockRunner.class)
-@PrepareForTest({MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.class,Message.class})
+@PrepareForTest(MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.class)
 public class OpenID4JavaConsumerTests {
     List<OpenIDAttribute> attributes = Arrays.asList(new OpenIDAttribute("a","b"), new OpenIDAttribute("b","b", Arrays.asList("c")));
 
@@ -210,26 +210,6 @@ public class OpenID4JavaConsumerTests {
         new OpenID4JavaConsumer(attributes);
     }
 
-    @Test
-    public void afterPropertiesSetRegister() throws Exception {
-        mockStatic(Message.class);
-        new OpenID4JavaConsumer().afterPropertiesSet();
-
-        verifyStatic();
-        Message.addExtensionFactory(SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory.class);
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void afterPropertiesSetSkipRegister() throws Exception {
-        mockStatic(Message.class);
-        OpenID4JavaConsumer consumer = new OpenID4JavaConsumer();
-        consumer.setSkipSignedAxMessageRegistration(true);
-        consumer.afterPropertiesSet();
-
-        verifyStatic(never());
-        Message.addExtensionFactory(SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory.class);
-    }
-
     @Test
     public void destroyInvokesShutdownAll() throws Exception {
         mockStatic(MultiThreadedHttpConnectionManager.class);
diff --git a/openid/src/test/java/org/springframework/security/openid/SignedAxMessageExtensionFactoryTests.java b/openid/src/test/java/org/springframework/security/openid/SignedAxMessageExtensionFactoryTests.java
deleted file mode 100644
index bd5077d4b3..0000000000
--- a/openid/src/test/java/org/springframework/security/openid/SignedAxMessageExtensionFactoryTests.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,139 +0,0 @@
-/* Copyright 2011 to 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.security.openid;
-
-import static junit.framework.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static junit.framework.Assert.assertTrue;
-
-import java.util.HashMap;
-import java.util.Map;
-
-import org.junit.Before;
-import org.junit.Test;
-import org.openid4java.message.MessageException;
-import org.openid4java.message.MessageExtension;
-import org.openid4java.message.ParameterList;
-import org.openid4java.message.ax.AxMessage;
-
-public class SignedAxMessageExtensionFactoryTests {
-    private Map<String,String> params;
-    private SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory factory;
-
-    @Before
-    public void setUp() {
-        factory = new SignedAxMessageExtensionFactory();
-        params = new HashMap<String,String>();
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void getTypeUri() {
-        assertEquals(AxMessage.OPENID_NS_AX, factory.getTypeUri());
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void fetchRequestSigned() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "fetch_request");
-        params.put("value.email","email@example.com");
-        params.put("type.email","http://axschema.org/contact/email");
-        params.put("required", "email");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test(expected=MessageException.class)
-    public void fetchRequestInvalid() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "fetch_request");
-        params.put("type.email","http://axschema.org/contact/email");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void fetchResponseSigned() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "fetch_response");
-        params.put("value.email","email@example.com");
-        params.put("type.email","http://axschema.org/contact/email");
-        params.put("required", "email");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), false);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test(expected=MessageException.class)
-    public void fetchResponseInvalid() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "fetch_response");
-        params.put("type.email","http://axschema.org/contact/email");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void storeRequestSigned() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "store_request");
-        params.put("value.email","email@example.com");
-        params.put("type.email","http://axschema.org/contact/email");
-        params.put("required", "email");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test(expected=MessageException.class)
-    public void storeRequestInvalid() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "store_request");
-        params.put("type.email","http://axschema.org/contact/email");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void storeResponseSuccessSigned() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "store_response_success");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), false);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test(expected=MessageException.class)
-    public void storeResponseSuccessInvalid() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "store_response_success");
-        params.put("invalid","value");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void storeResponseFailureSigned() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "store_response_failure");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), false);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test(expected=MessageException.class)
-    public void storeResponseFailureInvalid() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "store_response_failure");
-        params.put("value.email","email@example.com");
-        MessageExtension ext = factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-        assertTrue(ext.signRequired());
-    }
-
-    @Test(expected=MessageException.class)
-    public void nullMode() throws Exception {
-        factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-    }
-
-    @Test(expected=MessageException.class)
-    public void invalidMode() throws Exception {
-        params.put("mode", "invalid");
-        factory.getExtension(new ParameterList(params), true);
-    }
-}