diff --git a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/QueueChannel.java b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/QueueChannel.java
index 0f10d9ae88f..2cbc7deca72 100644
--- a/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/QueueChannel.java
+++ b/spring-integration-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/channel/QueueChannel.java
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ protected boolean doSend(Message<?> message, long timeout) {
 	}
 
 	@Override
+	@Nullable
 	protected Message<?> doReceive(long timeout) {
 		try {
 			if (timeout > 0) {
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ public List<Message<?>> clear() {
 			((BlockingQueue<Message<?>>) this.queue).drainTo(clearedMessages);
 		}
 		else {
-			Message<?> message = null;
+			Message<?> message;
 			while ((message = this.queue.poll()) != null) {
 				clearedMessages.add(message);
 			}