diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationContextUtils.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationContextUtils.java
index 5adc4954151..40e0bf66a41 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationContextUtils.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/context/IntegrationContextUtils.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2018 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2019 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.
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
  * @author Josh Long
  * @author Artem Bilan
  * @author Gary Russell
+ * @author Oleg Zhurakousky
  */
 public abstract class IntegrationContextUtils {
 
@@ -105,6 +106,8 @@ public abstract class IntegrationContextUtils {
 
 	public static final String DISPOSABLES_BEAN_NAME = "integrationDisposableAutoCreatedBeans";
 
+	public static final String MESSAGE_HANDLER_FACTORY_BEAN_NAME = "integrationMessageHandlerMethodFactory";
+
 	/**
 	 * @param beanFactory BeanFactory for lookup, must not be null.
 	 * @return The {@link MetadataStore} bean whose name is "metadataStore".
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.java
index 242a40a68d4..8f29286dc13 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2017-2018 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2017-2019 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.
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@
  * @author Gary Russell
  *
  * @since 5.0
- *
+ * @deprecated as of 5.1.2. Instead simply configure your own MessageHandlerMethodFactory as a bean.
  */
+@Deprecated
 public class HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder {
 
 	private final List<HandlerMethodArgumentResolver> resolvers;
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/MessagingMethodInvokerHelper.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/MessagingMethodInvokerHelper.java
index 24cdfcc1609..451f3bc1713 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/MessagingMethodInvokerHelper.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/support/MessagingMethodInvokerHelper.java
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.Headers;
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.Payload;
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.support.DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory;
+import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.support.MessageHandlerMethodFactory;
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.invocation.HandlerMethodArgumentResolver;
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.invocation.InvocableHandlerMethod;
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.invocation.MethodArgumentResolutionException;
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ public class MessagingMethodInvokerHelper<T> extends AbstractExpressionEvaluator
 		SPEL_COMPILERS.put(SpelCompilerMode.MIXED, EXPRESSION_PARSER_MIXED);
 	}
 
-	private final DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory messageHandlerMethodFactory =
+	private MessageHandlerMethodFactory messageHandlerMethodFactory =
 			new DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory();
 
 	private final Object targetObject;
@@ -295,7 +296,14 @@ public void setUseSpelInvoker(boolean useSpelInvoker) {
 	@Override
 	public void setBeanFactory(@NonNull BeanFactory beanFactory) {
 		super.setBeanFactory(beanFactory);
-		this.messageHandlerMethodFactory.setBeanFactory(beanFactory);
+		if (isProvidedMessageHandlerFactoryBean()) {
+			this.messageHandlerMethodFactory = beanFactory.getBean(IntegrationContextUtils.MESSAGE_HANDLER_FACTORY_BEAN_NAME,
+					MessageHandlerMethodFactory.class);
+		}
+		else {
+			((DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory) this.messageHandlerMethodFactory).setBeanFactory(beanFactory);
+		}
+
 		if (beanFactory instanceof ConfigurableListableBeanFactory) {
 			BeanExpressionResolver beanExpressionResolver = ((ConfigurableListableBeanFactory) beanFactory)
 					.getBeanExpressionResolver();
@@ -309,8 +317,8 @@ public void setBeanFactory(@NonNull BeanFactory beanFactory) {
 	@Override
 	public void setConversionService(ConversionService conversionService) {
 		super.setConversionService(conversionService);
-		if (conversionService != null) {
-			this.messageHandlerMethodFactory.setConversionService(conversionService);
+		if (conversionService != null && !isProvidedMessageHandlerFactoryBean()) {
+			((DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory) this.messageHandlerMethodFactory).setConversionService(conversionService);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -403,6 +411,11 @@ private MessagingMethodInvokerHelper(Object targetObject, Class<? extends Annota
 		this.jsonObjectMapper = mapper;
 	}
 
+	private boolean isProvidedMessageHandlerFactoryBean() {
+		return getBeanFactory() != null
+				&& getBeanFactory().containsBean(IntegrationContextUtils.MESSAGE_HANDLER_FACTORY_BEAN_NAME);
+	}
+
 	private void setDisplayString(Object targetObject, Object targetMethod) {
 		StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(targetObject.getClass().getName());
 		if (targetMethod instanceof Method) {
@@ -503,37 +516,39 @@ private void initializeHandler(HandlerMethod candidate) {
 		candidate.initialized = true;
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
 	private synchronized void initialize() throws Exception {
 		if (!this.initialized) {
-			BeanFactory beanFactory = getBeanFactory();
-			if (beanFactory != null &&
-					beanFactory.containsBean(IntegrationContextUtils.ARGUMENT_RESOLVER_MESSAGE_CONVERTER_BEAN_NAME)) {
-
-				try {
-					MessageConverter messageConverter =
-							beanFactory.getBean(IntegrationContextUtils.ARGUMENT_RESOLVER_MESSAGE_CONVERTER_BEAN_NAME,
-									MessageConverter.class);
-
-					this.messageHandlerMethodFactory.setMessageConverter(messageConverter);
-
-					HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder handlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder =
-							beanFactory.getBean(this.canProcessMessageList
-											? IntegrationContextUtils.LIST_ARGUMENT_RESOLVERS_BEAN_NAME
-											: IntegrationContextUtils.ARGUMENT_RESOLVERS_BEAN_NAME,
-									HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.class);
-
-					this.messageHandlerMethodFactory.setCustomArgumentResolvers(
-							handlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.getResolvers());
+			if (!isProvidedMessageHandlerFactoryBean()) {
+				BeanFactory beanFactory = getBeanFactory();
+				if (beanFactory != null &&
+						beanFactory.containsBean(IntegrationContextUtils.ARGUMENT_RESOLVER_MESSAGE_CONVERTER_BEAN_NAME)) {
+
+					try {
+						MessageConverter messageConverter =
+								beanFactory.getBean(IntegrationContextUtils.ARGUMENT_RESOLVER_MESSAGE_CONVERTER_BEAN_NAME,
+										MessageConverter.class);
+
+						((DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory) this.messageHandlerMethodFactory).setMessageConverter(messageConverter);
+
+						HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder handlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder =
+								beanFactory.getBean(this.canProcessMessageList
+												? IntegrationContextUtils.LIST_ARGUMENT_RESOLVERS_BEAN_NAME
+												: IntegrationContextUtils.ARGUMENT_RESOLVERS_BEAN_NAME,
+										HandlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.class);
+
+						((DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory) this.messageHandlerMethodFactory).setCustomArgumentResolvers(
+								handlerMethodArgumentResolversHolder.getResolvers());
+					}
+					catch (NoSuchBeanDefinitionException e) {
+						configureLocalMessageHandlerFactory();
+					}
 				}
-				catch (NoSuchBeanDefinitionException e) {
+				else {
 					configureLocalMessageHandlerFactory();
 				}
+				((DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory) this.messageHandlerMethodFactory).afterPropertiesSet();
 			}
-			else {
-				configureLocalMessageHandlerFactory();
-			}
-
-			this.messageHandlerMethodFactory.afterPropertiesSet();
 			prepareEvaluationContext();
 			this.initialized = true;
 		}
@@ -551,7 +566,7 @@ private void configureLocalMessageHandlerFactory() {
 			messageConverter = getBeanFactory()
 									.getBean(IntegrationContextUtils.ARGUMENT_RESOLVER_MESSAGE_CONVERTER_BEAN_NAME,
 											MessageConverter.class);
-			this.messageHandlerMethodFactory.setMessageConverter(messageConverter);
+			((DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory) this.messageHandlerMethodFactory).setMessageConverter(messageConverter);
 		}
 		else {
 			messageConverter = new ConfigurableCompositeMessageConverter();
@@ -579,7 +594,7 @@ private void configureLocalMessageHandlerFactory() {
 
 		customArgumentResolvers.add(mapArgumentResolver);
 
-		this.messageHandlerMethodFactory.setCustomArgumentResolvers(customArgumentResolvers);
+		((DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory) this.messageHandlerMethodFactory).setCustomArgumentResolvers(customArgumentResolvers);
 	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingMessageProcessorTests.java b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingMessageProcessorTests.java
index 59962ca1720..dcc0896f24e 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingMessageProcessorTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/handler/MethodInvokingMessageProcessorTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2018 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2019 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.
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.AnnotationConfigApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
+import org.springframework.context.support.GenericApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.Expression;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelCompilerMode;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelEvaluationException;
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.ServiceActivator;
 import org.springframework.integration.annotation.UseSpelInvoker;
 import org.springframework.integration.config.EnableIntegration;
+import org.springframework.integration.context.IntegrationContextUtils;
 import org.springframework.integration.gateway.GatewayProxyFactoryBean;
 import org.springframework.integration.gateway.RequestReplyExchanger;
 import org.springframework.integration.handler.support.MessagingMethodInvokerHelper;
@@ -83,6 +85,8 @@
 import org.springframework.messaging.MessagingException;
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.Header;
 import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.Payload;
+import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.support.DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory;
+import org.springframework.messaging.handler.annotation.support.MessageHandlerMethodFactory;
 import org.springframework.messaging.support.GenericMessage;
 import org.springframework.util.StopWatch;
 
@@ -107,6 +111,27 @@ public class MethodInvokingMessageProcessorTests {
 	@Rule
 	public ExpectedException expected = ExpectedException.none();
 
+	@Test
+	public void testHandlerMethodFactoryInjection() throws Exception {
+		SingleMethodJsonWithSpELMessageWildBean bean = new SingleMethodJsonWithSpELMessageWildBean();
+		MessagingMethodInvokerHelper<?> helper = new MessagingMethodInvokerHelper<>(bean,
+				SingleMethodJsonWithSpELMessageWildBean.class.getDeclaredMethod("foo", Message.class), false);
+		GenericApplicationContext context = new GenericApplicationContext();
+		DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory handlerMethodFactory = new DefaultMessageHandlerMethodFactory();
+		context.registerBean(IntegrationContextUtils.MESSAGE_HANDLER_FACTORY_BEAN_NAME,
+				MessageHandlerMethodFactory.class, () -> handlerMethodFactory);
+		context.refresh();
+		helper.setBeanFactory(context);
+
+		Object injectedHandlerMethodFactory = TestUtils.getPropertyValue(helper, "messageHandlerMethodFactory");
+		assertThat(injectedHandlerMethodFactory, equalTo(handlerMethodFactory));
+
+		Message<?> message = new GenericMessage<>("baz",
+				Collections.singletonMap(MessageHeaders.CONTENT_TYPE, "application/json"));
+		helper.process(message);
+		assertThat(bean.foo.getPayload(), equalTo("baz"));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testHandlerInheritanceMethodImplInSuper() {
 		class A {