diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/SpanMessageHeaders.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/SpanMessageHeaders.java
index 57b119ec5..a431c8a4d 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/SpanMessageHeaders.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/SpanMessageHeaders.java
@@ -34,6 +34,19 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  */
 public class SpanMessageHeaders {
 
+	public static final String SPAN_HEADER = "X-Current-Span";
+
+	public static Span getSpanFromHeader(Message<?> message) {
+		if (message==null) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		Object object = message.getHeaders().get(SPAN_HEADER);
+		if (object instanceof Span) {
+			return (Span) object;
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	public static Message<?> addSpanHeaders(TraceKeys traceKeys, Message<?> message,
 			Span span) {
 		if (span == null) {
@@ -60,7 +73,8 @@ public class SpanMessageHeaders {
 		else {
 			addHeader(headers, Span.NOT_SAMPLED_NAME, "");
 		}
-		return MessageBuilder.fromMessage(message).copyHeaders(headers).build();
+		return MessageBuilder.fromMessage(message).copyHeaders(headers)
+				.setHeader(SPAN_HEADER, span).build();
 	}
 
 	public static void addAnnotations(TraceKeys traceKeys, Message<?> message,
@@ -100,12 +114,6 @@ public class SpanMessageHeaders {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private static void addHeader(Map<String, String> headers, String name, Long value) {
-		if (value != null) {
-			addHeader(headers, name, Span.toHex(value));
-		}
-	}
-
 	private static Long getFirst(List<Long> parents) {
 		return parents.isEmpty() ? null : parents.get(0);
 	}
diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/TraceChannelInterceptor.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/TraceChannelInterceptor.java
index eb36c9b43..e33b114a2 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/TraceChannelInterceptor.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/integration/TraceChannelInterceptor.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import org.springframework.cloud.sleuth.Span;
 import org.springframework.cloud.sleuth.Tracer;
 import org.springframework.cloud.sleuth.instrument.TraceKeys;
 import org.springframework.cloud.sleuth.sampler.IsTracingSampler;
-import org.springframework.cloud.sleuth.trace.SpanContextHolder;
 import org.springframework.messaging.Message;
 import org.springframework.messaging.MessageChannel;
 
@@ -32,36 +31,21 @@ import org.springframework.messaging.MessageChannel;
  */
 public class TraceChannelInterceptor extends AbstractTraceChannelInterceptor {
 
-	private final ThreadLocal<Span> traceHolder = new ThreadLocal<>();
-
 	public TraceChannelInterceptor(Tracer tracer, TraceKeys traceKeys, Random random) {
 		super(tracer, traceKeys, random);
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public void postSend(Message<?> message, MessageChannel channel, boolean sent) {
-		Span trace = closeAllParentMessageRelatedSpans(this.traceHolder.get());
-		this.traceHolder.remove();
-		if (trace != null) {
-			SpanContextHolder.setCurrentSpan(trace);
-		}
-	}
-
-	private Span closeAllParentMessageRelatedSpans(Span trace) {
-		Span traceToClose = trace;
-		while (traceToClose != null && traceToClose.getName() != null &&
-				traceToClose.getName().startsWith(MESSAGE_NAME_PREFIX)) {
-			traceToClose = getTracer().close(traceToClose);
-		}
-		return traceToClose;
+		getTracer().close(SpanMessageHeaders.getSpanFromHeader(message));
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public Message<?> preSend(Message<?> message, MessageChannel channel) {
-		Span parentSpan = getTracer().isTracing() ? getTracer().getCurrentSpan() : buildSpan(message);
+		Span parentSpan = getTracer().isTracing() ? getTracer().getCurrentSpan()
+				: buildSpan(message);
 		String name = getMessageChannelName(channel);
 		Span span = startSpan(parentSpan, name, message);
-		this.traceHolder.set(span);
 		return SpanMessageHeaders.addSpanHeaders(getTraceKeys(), message, span);
 	}