diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/DispatcherHandler.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/DispatcherHandler.java
index eaa72d55a0..58d6c986f0 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/DispatcherHandler.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/DispatcherHandler.java
@@ -25,16 +25,17 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Flux;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Mono;
 
-import org.springframework.beans.BeansException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactoryUtils;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContextAware;
 import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotationAwareOrderComparator;
 import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus;
+import org.springframework.http.server.reactive.HttpHandler;
 import org.springframework.http.server.reactive.ServerHttpRequest;
 import org.springframework.web.server.ResponseStatusException;
 import org.springframework.web.server.ServerWebExchange;
 import org.springframework.web.server.WebHandler;
+import org.springframework.web.server.adapter.HttpWebHandlerAdapter;
 
 /**
  * Central dispatcher for HTTP request handlers/controllers. Dispatches to registered
@@ -57,13 +58,13 @@ import org.springframework.web.server.WebHandler;
  */
 public class DispatcherHandler implements WebHandler, ApplicationContextAware {
 
-	private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(DispatcherHandler.class);
-
 	@SuppressWarnings("ThrowableInstanceNeverThrown")
 	private static final Exception HANDLER_NOT_FOUND_EXCEPTION =
 			new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND, "No matching handler");
 
 
+	private static final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(DispatcherHandler.class);
+
 	private List<HandlerMapping> handlerMappings;
 
 	private List<HandlerAdapter> handlerAdapters;
@@ -71,16 +72,24 @@ public class DispatcherHandler implements WebHandler, ApplicationContextAware {
 	private List<HandlerResultHandler> resultHandlers;
 
 
+	/**
+	 * Create a new {@code DispatcherHandler} which needs to be configured with
+	 * an {@link ApplicationContext} through {@link #setApplicationContext}.
+	 */
 	public DispatcherHandler() {
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Create a new {@code DispatcherHandler} for the given {@link ApplicationContext}.
+	 * @param applicationContext the application context to find the handler beans in
+	 */
 	public DispatcherHandler(ApplicationContext applicationContext) {
 		initStrategies(applicationContext);
 	}
 
 
 	@Override
-	public void setApplicationContext(ApplicationContext applicationContext) throws BeansException {
+	public void setApplicationContext(ApplicationContext applicationContext) {
 		initStrategies(applicationContext);
 	}
 
@@ -135,7 +144,7 @@ public class DispatcherHandler implements WebHandler, ApplicationContextAware {
 	}
 
 	private HandlerResultHandler getResultHandler(HandlerResult handlerResult) {
-		for (HandlerResultHandler resultHandler : resultHandlers) {
+		for (HandlerResultHandler resultHandler : this.resultHandlers) {
 			if (resultHandler.supports(handlerResult)) {
 				return resultHandler;
 			}
@@ -143,4 +152,28 @@ public class DispatcherHandler implements WebHandler, ApplicationContextAware {
 		throw new IllegalStateException("No HandlerResultHandler for " + handlerResult.getReturnValue());
 	}
 
+
+	/**
+	 * Expose a dispatcher-based {@link WebHandler} for the given application context,
+	 * typically for further configuration with filters and exception handlers through
+	 * a {@link org.springframework.web.server.adapter.WebHttpHandlerBuilder}.
+	 * @param applicationContext the application context to find the handler beans in
+	 * @see #DispatcherHandler(ApplicationContext)
+	 */
+	public static WebHandler toWebHandler(ApplicationContext applicationContext) {
+		return new DispatcherHandler(applicationContext);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Expose a dispatcher-based {@link HttpHandler} for the given application context,
+	 * typically for direct registration with an engine adapter such as
+	 * {@link org.springframework.http.server.reactive.ReactorHttpHandlerAdapter}.
+	 * @param applicationContext the application context to find the handler beans in
+	 * @see #DispatcherHandler(ApplicationContext)
+	 * @see HttpWebHandlerAdapter
+	 */
+	public static HttpHandler toHttpHandler(ApplicationContext applicationContext) {
+		return new HttpWebHandlerAdapter(new DispatcherHandler(applicationContext));
+	}
+
 }