diff --git a/examples/embedded/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/embedded/ManyHandlers.java b/examples/embedded/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/embedded/ManyHandlers.java
index 2bc37cb97e7..76061f92bad 100644
--- a/examples/embedded/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/embedded/ManyHandlers.java
+++ b/examples/embedded/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/embedded/ManyHandlers.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.HandlerCollection;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.HandlerList;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.HandlerWrapper;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.RequestLogHandler;
+import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.gzip.GzipHandler;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.util.ajax.JSON;
 
 /**
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ public class ManyHandlers
 
         // link them all together
         wrapper.setHandler(hello);
-        list.setHandlers(new Handler[] { param, wrapper, dft });
+        list.setHandlers(new Handler[] { param, new GzipHandler(), dft });
         handlers.setHandlers(new Handler[] { list, requestLog });
 
         // Handler tree looks like the following
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/AbstractHandlerContainer.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/AbstractHandlerContainer.java
index 45246726d71..4db474df125 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/AbstractHandlerContainer.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/AbstractHandlerContainer.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Handler;
 import org.eclipse.jetty.server.HandlerContainer;
+import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Server;
 
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
@@ -117,4 +118,21 @@ public abstract class AbstractHandlerContainer extends AbstractHandler implement
         }
         return null;
     }
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    @Override
+    public void setServer(Server server)
+    {
+        if (server==getServer())
+            return;
+        
+        if (isStarted())
+            throw new IllegalStateException(STARTED);
+
+        super.setServer(server);
+        Handler[] handlers=getHandlers();
+        if (handlers!=null)
+            for (Handler h : handlers)
+                h.setServer(server);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerCollection.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerCollection.java
index 4f39869c307..f799b3a4f85 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerCollection.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerCollection.java
@@ -134,17 +134,6 @@ public class HandlerCollection extends AbstractHandlerContainer
         }
     }
 
-    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
-    @Override
-    public void setServer(Server server)
-    {
-        super.setServer(server);
-        Handler[] handlers=getHandlers();
-        if (handlers!=null)
-            for (Handler h : handlers)
-                h.setServer(server);
-    }
-
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     /* Add a handler.
      * This implementation adds the passed handler to the end of the existing collection of handlers.
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerWrapper.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerWrapper.java
index 3e1d0c769a8..b5c966f764c 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerWrapper.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HandlerWrapper.java
@@ -120,23 +120,6 @@ public class HandlerWrapper extends AbstractHandlerContainer
     }
 
 
-    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
-    @Override
-    public void setServer(Server server)
-    {
-        if (server==getServer())
-            return;
-        
-        if (isStarted())
-            throw new IllegalStateException(STARTED);
-
-        super.setServer(server);
-        Handler h=getHandler();
-        if (h!=null)
-            h.setServer(server);
-    }
-
-
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     @Override
     protected void expandChildren(List<Handler> list, Class<?> byClass)
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HotSwapHandler.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HotSwapHandler.java
index 68eaad1b7e0..de87d977ef4 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HotSwapHandler.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/HotSwapHandler.java
@@ -122,20 +122,6 @@ public class HotSwapHandler extends AbstractHandlerContainer
         }
     }
 
-    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
-    @Override
-    public void setServer(Server server)
-    {
-        if (isRunning())
-            throw new IllegalStateException(RUNNING);
-
-        super.setServer(server);
-
-        Handler h = getHandler();
-        if (h != null)
-            h.setServer(server);
-    }
-
     /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     @Override
     protected void expandChildren(List<Handler> list, Class<?> byClass)
diff --git a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/gzip/GzipHandler.java b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/gzip/GzipHandler.java
index dd4c8805dff..e2aac872dba 100644
--- a/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/gzip/GzipHandler.java
+++ b/jetty-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/server/handler/gzip/GzipHandler.java
@@ -380,7 +380,8 @@ public class GzipHandler extends HandlerWrapper implements GzipFactory
 
         // install interceptor and handle
         out.setInterceptor(new GzipHttpOutputInterceptor(this,_vary,baseRequest.getHttpChannel(),out.getInterceptor()));
-        _handler.handle(target,baseRequest, request, response);
+        if (_handler!=null)
+            _handler.handle(target,baseRequest, request, response);
         
     }