diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/DefaultBinderFactory.java b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/DefaultBinderFactory.java
index fedf9162f..2750e837f 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/DefaultBinderFactory.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/DefaultBinderFactory.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import org.springframework.cloud.stream.config.SpelExpressionConverterConfigurat
 import org.springframework.cloud.stream.reflection.GenericsUtils;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContextAware;
+import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContextInitializer;
 import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.core.env.ConfigurableEnvironment;
 import org.springframework.core.env.StandardEnvironment;
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @author Ilayaperumal Gopinathan
  * @author Gary Russell
  * @author Oleg Zhurakousky
+ * @author Soby Chacko
  */
 public class DefaultBinderFactory implements BinderFactory, DisposableBean, ApplicationContextAware {
 
@@ -88,8 +90,8 @@ public class DefaultBinderFactory implements BinderFactory, DisposableBean, Appl
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public void destroy() throws Exception {
-		this.binderInstanceCache.values().stream().map(e -> e.getValue()).forEach(ctx -> ctx.close());
+	public void destroy() {
+		this.binderInstanceCache.values().stream().map(Entry::getValue).forEach(ConfigurableApplicationContext::close);
 		this.defaultBinderForBindingTargetType.clear();
 	}
 
@@ -229,6 +231,11 @@ public class DefaultBinderFactory implements BinderFactory, DisposableBean, Appl
 			if (useApplicationContextAsParent) {
 				springApplicationBuilder.parent(this.context);
 			}
+			// If the current application context is not set as parent and the environment is set,
+			// provide the current context as an additional bean in the BeanFactory.
+			if (environment != null && !useApplicationContextAsParent){
+				springApplicationBuilder.initializers(new InitializerWithOuterContext(this.context));
+			}
 
 			if (environment != null && (useApplicationContextAsParent || binderConfiguration.isInheritEnvironment())) {
 				StandardEnvironment binderEnvironment = new StandardEnvironment();
@@ -288,4 +295,18 @@ public class DefaultBinderFactory implements BinderFactory, DisposableBean, Appl
 		void afterBinderContextInitialized(String configurationName,
 				ConfigurableApplicationContext binderContext);
 	}
+
+	private static class InitializerWithOuterContext implements ApplicationContextInitializer<ConfigurableApplicationContext> {
+		private final ApplicationContext context;
+
+		InitializerWithOuterContext(ApplicationContext context) {
+			this.context = context;
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public void initialize(ConfigurableApplicationContext applicationContext) {
+			applicationContext.getBeanFactory().registerSingleton("outerContext", context);
+		}
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/BinderFactoryConfigurationTests.java b/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/BinderFactoryConfigurationTests.java
index 5737f6871..bcec896f5 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/BinderFactoryConfigurationTests.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/BinderFactoryConfigurationTests.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 /**
  * @author Marius Bogoevici
  * @author Ilayaperumal Gopinathan
+ * @author Soby Chacko
  */
 public class BinderFactoryConfigurationTests {
 
@@ -138,6 +139,37 @@ public class BinderFactoryConfigurationTests {
 		assertThat(binderFactory.getBinder(null, MessageChannel.class)).isSameAs(binder1);
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
+	@Test
+	public void testCustomEnvironmentHasAccessToOuterContext() throws Exception {
+		ConfigurableApplicationContext context = createBinderTestContext(
+				new String[] { "binder1" }, "binder1.name=foo",
+				"spring.cloud.stream.binders.custom.environment.foo=bar",
+				"spring.cloud.stream.binders.custom.type=binder1");
+
+		BinderFactory binderFactory = context.getBean(BinderFactory.class);
+
+		Binder binder1 = binderFactory.getBinder("custom", MessageChannel.class);
+
+		assertThat(binder1).hasFieldOrPropertyWithValue("name", "foo");
+		assertThat(binder1).hasFieldOrPropertyWithValue("outerContext", context);
+
+		assertThat(binderFactory.getBinder(null, MessageChannel.class)).isSameAs(binder1);
+	}
+
+	@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
+	@Test
+	public void testStandardBinderDoesNotHaveTheOuterContextBean() throws Exception {
+		ConfigurableApplicationContext context = createBinderTestContext(
+				new String[] { "binder1" }, "binder1.name=foo");
+
+		BinderFactory binderFactory = context.getBean(BinderFactory.class);
+		Binder binder1 = binderFactory.getBinder("binder1", MessageChannel.class);
+		assertThat(binder1).hasFieldOrPropertyWithValue("name", "foo");
+
+		assertThat(((StubBinder1) binder1).getOuterContext()).isNull();
+	}
+
 	@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
 	@Test
 	public void loadBinderTypeRegistryWithTwoBinders() throws Exception {
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1.java b/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1.java
index 0f5ca7b77..8d4021fad 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1.java
@@ -20,15 +20,27 @@ import org.springframework.cloud.stream.binder.Binder;
 import org.springframework.cloud.stream.binder.Binding;
 import org.springframework.cloud.stream.binder.ConsumerProperties;
 import org.springframework.cloud.stream.binder.ProducerProperties;
+import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
 
 /**
  * @author Marius Bogoevici
  * @author Mark Fisher
+ * @author Soby Chacko
  */
 public class StubBinder1 implements Binder<Object, ConsumerProperties, ProducerProperties> {
 
 	private String name;
 
+	private ConfigurableApplicationContext outerContext;
+
+	public ConfigurableApplicationContext getOuterContext() {
+		return outerContext;
+	}
+
+	public void setOuterContext(ConfigurableApplicationContext outerContext) {
+		this.outerContext = outerContext;
+	}
+
 	public String getName() {
 		return this.name;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1Configuration.java b/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1Configuration.java
index eef040acd..66f147ef6 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1Configuration.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/stub1/StubBinder1Configuration.java
@@ -16,16 +16,20 @@
 
 package org.springframework.cloud.stream.binder.stub1;
 
+import org.springframework.beans.BeansException;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
 import org.springframework.boot.actuate.health.ApplicationHealthIndicator;
 import org.springframework.boot.actuate.health.HealthIndicator;
 import org.springframework.boot.context.properties.ConfigurationProperties;
 import org.springframework.boot.context.properties.EnableConfigurationProperties;
 import org.springframework.cloud.stream.binder.Binder;
+import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
 
 /**
  * @author Marius Bogoevici
+ * @author Soby Chacko
  */
 @Configuration
 @EnableConfigurationProperties
@@ -33,8 +37,19 @@ public class StubBinder1Configuration {
 
 	@Bean
 	@ConfigurationProperties("binder1")
-	public Binder<?, ?, ?> binder() {
-		return new StubBinder1();
+	public Binder<?, ?, ?> binder(BeanFactory beanFactory) {
+		StubBinder1 stubBinder1 = new StubBinder1();
+		ConfigurableApplicationContext outerContext = null;
+		try {
+			outerContext = (ConfigurableApplicationContext) beanFactory.getBean("outerContext");
+		}
+		catch (BeansException be) {
+			//Pass through
+		}
+		if (outerContext != null) {
+			stubBinder1.setOuterContext(outerContext);
+		}
+		return stubBinder1;
 	}
 
 	@Bean