diff --git a/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/stomp/StompBrokerRelayMessageHandler.java b/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/stomp/StompBrokerRelayMessageHandler.java
index 79b7163e03558d0b850ab128b7175ca4972dcc97..ce4156a173c6b6c936dea65ba3936963a05ab191 100644
--- a/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/stomp/StompBrokerRelayMessageHandler.java
+++ b/spring-messaging/src/main/java/org/springframework/messaging/simp/stomp/StompBrokerRelayMessageHandler.java
@@ -292,10 +292,36 @@ public class StompBrokerRelayMessageHandler implements MessageHandler, SmartLife
 
 		try {
 			if ((destination == null) || supportsDestination(destination)) {
+
 				if (logger.isTraceEnabled()) {
 					logger.trace("Processing message: " + message);
 				}
-				handleInternal(message, messageType, sessionId);
+
+				if (SimpMessageType.CONNECT.equals(messageType)) {
+					headers.setHeartbeat(0, 0); // TODO: disable for now
+					message = MessageBuilder.withPayloadAndHeaders(message.getPayload(), headers).build();
+					RelaySession session = new RelaySession(sessionId);
+					this.relaySessions.put(sessionId, session);
+					session.open(message);
+				}
+				else if (SimpMessageType.DISCONNECT.equals(messageType)) {
+					RelaySession session = this.relaySessions.remove(sessionId);
+					if (session == null) {
+						if (logger.isTraceEnabled()) {
+							logger.trace("Session already removed, sessionId=" + sessionId);
+						}
+						return;
+					}
+					session.forward(message);
+				}
+				else {
+					RelaySession session = this.relaySessions.get(sessionId);
+					if (session == null) {
+						logger.warn("Session id=" + sessionId + " not found. Ignoring message: " + message);
+						return;
+					}
+					session.forward(message);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		catch (Throwable t) {
@@ -312,32 +338,6 @@ public class StompBrokerRelayMessageHandler implements MessageHandler, SmartLife
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	protected void handleInternal(Message<?> message, SimpMessageType messageType, String sessionId) {
-		if (SimpMessageType.CONNECT.equals(messageType)) {
-			RelaySession session = new RelaySession(sessionId);
-			this.relaySessions.put(sessionId, session);
-			session.open(message);
-		}
-		else if (SimpMessageType.DISCONNECT.equals(messageType)) {
-			RelaySession session = this.relaySessions.remove(sessionId);
-			if (session == null) {
-				if (logger.isTraceEnabled()) {
-					logger.trace("Session already removed, sessionId=" + sessionId);
-				}
-				return;
-			}
-			session.forward(message);
-		}
-		else {
-			RelaySession session = this.relaySessions.get(sessionId);
-			if (session == null) {
-				logger.warn("Session id=" + sessionId + " not found. Ignoring message: " + message);
-				return;
-			}
-			session.forward(message);
-		}
-	}
-
 
 	private class RelaySession {