diff --git a/ipojo/runtime/core-it/src/it/ipojo-core-configuration-test/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/runtime/core/TestArchitecture.java b/ipojo/runtime/core-it/src/it/ipojo-core-configuration-test/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/runtime/core/TestArchitecture.java
index 149a53f..68a0a5d 100644
--- a/ipojo/runtime/core-it/src/it/ipojo-core-configuration-test/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/runtime/core/TestArchitecture.java
+++ b/ipojo/runtime/core-it/src/it/ipojo-core-configuration-test/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/runtime/core/TestArchitecture.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 import static junit.framework.Assert.*;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertSame;
 
 public class TestArchitecture extends Common {
 
@@ -92,6 +93,9 @@
         assertEquals(2, hd.getProperties().length);
         assertEquals("FooProvider-3", hd.getManagedServicePid());
 
+        // Check the getInstance() method
+        assertSame(arch.getInstanceDescription().getInstance(), instance1);
+
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -110,6 +114,9 @@
         assertEquals(2, hd.getProperties().length);
         assertEquals("instance", hd.getManagedServicePid());
 
+        // Check the getInstance() method
+        assertSame(arch.getInstanceDescription().getInstance(), instance2);
+
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/ipojo/runtime/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/architecture/InstanceDescription.java b/ipojo/runtime/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/architecture/InstanceDescription.java
index 740689e..c1907e9 100644
--- a/ipojo/runtime/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/architecture/InstanceDescription.java
+++ b/ipojo/runtime/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/architecture/InstanceDescription.java
@@ -33,17 +33,17 @@
     /**
      * The list of handlers plugged on the component instance.
      */
-    protected HandlerDescription[] m_handlers = new HandlerDescription[0];
+    protected HandlerDescription[] m_handlers;
     
     /**
      * The Underlying component instance.
      */
-    protected ComponentInstance m_instance;
+    protected final ComponentInstance m_instance;
 
     /**
      * Component Type of the instance.
      */
-    protected ComponentTypeDescription m_type;
+    protected final ComponentTypeDescription m_type;
 
     /**
      * Creates the instance description.
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Gets the underlying component instance
+     * @return the component instance.
+     */
+    public ComponentInstance getInstance() {
+        return m_instance;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Gets the instance name.
      * @return the name of the instance.
      */
@@ -87,10 +95,10 @@
      */
     public void addHandler(HandlerDescription desc) {
         // Verify that the dependency description is not already in the array.
-        for (int i = 0; i < m_handlers.length; i++) {
-            if (m_handlers[i] == desc) {
+        for (HandlerDescription handler : m_handlers) {
+            if (handler == desc) {
                 return; // NOTHING TO DO, the description is already in the
-                        // array
+                // array
             }
         }
         // The component Description is not in the array, add it
@@ -107,9 +115,9 @@
      * @return the handler description or <code>null</code> if not found
      */
     public HandlerDescription getHandlerDescription(String handler) {
-        for (int i = 0; i < m_handlers.length; i++) {
-            if (m_handlers[i].getHandlerName().equalsIgnoreCase(handler)) {
-                return m_handlers[i];
+        for (HandlerDescription description : m_handlers) {
+            if (description.getHandlerName().equalsIgnoreCase(handler)) {
+                return description;
             }
         }
         return null;
@@ -160,8 +168,8 @@
         instance.addAttribute(new Attribute("component.type", m_type.getName()));
 
         // Handlers
-        for (int i = 0; i < m_handlers.length; i++) {
-            instance.addElement(m_handlers[i].getHandlerInfo());
+        for (HandlerDescription description : m_handlers) {
+            instance.addElement(description.getHandlerInfo());
         }
 
         return instance;