diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/DownstreamMessageEvent.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/DownstreamMessageEvent.java
index ac63b6f183..77ae6774b3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/DownstreamMessageEvent.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/DownstreamMessageEvent.java
@@ -77,7 +77,11 @@ public class DownstreamMessageEvent implements MessageEvent {
     }
 
     public SocketAddress getRemoteAddress() {
-        return remoteAddress;
+        if (remoteAddress != null) {
+            return remoteAddress;
+        } else {
+            return getChannel().getRemoteAddress();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/MessageEvent.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/MessageEvent.java
index e49bcdfd5f..63a3e54134 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/MessageEvent.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/MessageEvent.java
@@ -45,10 +45,7 @@ public interface MessageEvent extends ChannelEvent {
     Object getMessage();
 
     /**
-     * Returns the remote address.
-     *
-     * @return the remote address.  {@code null} if the remote address is
-     *         same with the default remote address returned by {@link Channel#getRemoteAddress()}.
+     * Returns the remote address of the message.
      */
     SocketAddress getRemoteAddress();
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/UpstreamMessageEvent.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/UpstreamMessageEvent.java
index 6fbaeedeef..d0b6b4cb7c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/UpstreamMessageEvent.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/channel/UpstreamMessageEvent.java
@@ -57,12 +57,7 @@ public class UpstreamMessageEvent implements MessageEvent {
         }
         this.channel = channel;
         this.message = message;
-
-        if (remoteAddress != null) {
-            this.remoteAddress = remoteAddress;
-        } else {
-            this.remoteAddress = channel.getRemoteAddress();
-        }
+        this.remoteAddress = remoteAddress;
     }
 
     public Channel getChannel() {
@@ -78,13 +73,16 @@ public class UpstreamMessageEvent implements MessageEvent {
     }
 
     public SocketAddress getRemoteAddress() {
-        return remoteAddress;
+        if (remoteAddress != null) {
+            return remoteAddress;
+        } else {
+            return getChannel().getRemoteAddress();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
     public String toString() {
-        // It's safe to use identity comparison in this case.
-        if (getRemoteAddress() == getChannel().getRemoteAddress()) {
+        if (getRemoteAddress() == null) {
             return getChannel().toString() + " RECEIVED: " +
                    StringUtil.stripControlCharacters(getMessage());
         } else {