diff --git a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html
index 059b8596e..f872a938a 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html
+++ b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.html
@@ -118,8 +118,7 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="http request">
     <p>Provides a node for making http requests.</p>
-    <p>The URL and HTTP method can be configured in the node, but also
-       overridden by the incoming message:
+    <p>The URL and HTTP method can be configured in the node, if they are left blank they should be set in an incoming message on <code>msg.url</code> and <code>msg.method</code>:</p>
     <ul>
         <li><code>url</code>, if set, is used as the url of the request. Must start with http: or https:</li>
         <li><code>method</code>, if set, is used as the HTTP method of the request.
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@
                 return this.name;
             } else if (this.url) {
                 var root = RED.settings.httpNodeRoot;
-                if (root.slice(-1) != "/") { 
+                if (root.slice(-1) != "/") {
                     root = root+"/";
                 }
                 if (this.url.charAt(0) == "/") {
@@ -175,7 +174,7 @@
         },
         oneditprepare: function() {
             var root = RED.settings.httpNodeRoot;
-            if (root.slice(-1) == "/") { 
+            if (root.slice(-1) == "/") {
                 root = root.slice(0,-1);
             }
             if (root == "") {
diff --git a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js
index 86e42ec9e..509d60b8a 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js
+++ b/nodes/core/io/21-httpin.js
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 } else {
                     node.send({req:req,res:res});
                 }
-            }
+            };
 
-            var corsHandler = function(req,res,next) { next(); }
+            var corsHandler = function(req,res,next) { next(); };
 
             if (RED.settings.httpNodeCors) {
                 corsHandler = cors(RED.settings.httpNodeCors);
@@ -154,6 +154,9 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             node.status({fill:"blue",shape:"dot",text:"requesting"});
             var url;
             if (msg.url) {
+                if (n.url) {
+                    node.warn("Deprecated: msg properties should not override set node properties. See bit.ly/nr-override-msg-props");
+                }
                 url = msg.url;
             } else if (isTemplatedUrl) {
                 url = mustache.render(nodeUrl,msg);
@@ -165,7 +168,15 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 url = "http://"+url;
             }
 
-            var method = (msg.method||nodeMethod).toUpperCase();
+            var method;
+            if (msg.method) {
+                if (n.method) {
+                    node.warn("Deprecated: msg properties should not override set node properties. See bit.ly/nr-override-msg-props");
+                }
+                method = msg.method.toUpperCase();
+            } else {
+                method = nodeMethod.toUpperCase();
+            }
             //node.log(method+" : "+url);
             var opts = urllib.parse(url);
             opts.method = method;
@@ -240,4 +251,4 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             password: {type: "password"}
         }
     });
-}
+};
diff --git a/nodes/core/social/61-email.html b/nodes/core/social/61-email.html
index 37397083d..b93bbf2c0 100644
--- a/nodes/core/social/61-email.html
+++ b/nodes/core/social/61-email.html
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="e-mail">
     <p>Sends the <b>msg.payload</b> as an email, with a subject of <b>msg.topic</b>.</p>
+    <p>The default message recipient can be configured in the node, if it is left blank it should be set in an incoming message on <b>msg.to</b>.</p>
     <!-- <p>It sends the message to the configured recipient <i>only</i>.</p> -->
-    <p>You may dynamically overide the default recipient by setting a <b>msg.to</b> property.</p>
     <!-- <p><b>msg.topic</b> is used to set the subject of the email, and <b>msg.payload</b> is the body text.</p> -->
 </script>
 
diff --git a/nodes/core/social/61-email.js b/nodes/core/social/61-email.js
index 7d0f8cb93..74d24d6ab 100644
--- a/nodes/core/social/61-email.js
+++ b/nodes/core/social/61-email.js
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             if (smtpTransport) {
                 node.status({fill:"blue",shape:"dot",text:"sending"});
                 var payload = RED.util.ensureString(msg.payload);
+                if (msg.to && node.name) {
+                    node.warn("Deprecated: msg properties should not override set node properties. See bit.ly/nr-override-msg-props");
+                }
                 smtpTransport.sendMail({
                     from: node.userid, // sender address
                     to: msg.to || node.name, // comma separated list of addressees
@@ -243,4 +246,4 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             global: { type:"boolean"}
         }
     });
-}
+};
diff --git a/nodes/core/storage/50-file.html b/nodes/core/storage/50-file.html
index 5113a17db..e85c87604 100644
--- a/nodes/core/storage/50-file.html
+++ b/nodes/core/storage/50-file.html
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="file">
     <p>Writes <b>msg.payload</b> to the file specified, e.g. to create a log.</p>
-    <p>The filename can be overridden by the <b>msg.filename</b> property of the incoming message.</p>
+    <p>The filename can be configured in the node, if left blank it should be set in an incoming message on <b>msg.filename</b>.</p>
     <p>A newline is added to every message. But this can be turned off if required, for example, to allow binary files to be written.</p>
     <p>The default behaviour is to append to the file. This can be changed to overwrite the file each time, for example if you want to output a "static" web page or report.</p>
     <p>If a <b>msg.delete</b> property exists then the file will be deleted instead.</p>
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="file in">
     <p>Reads the specified file and sends the content as <b>msg.payload</b>, and the filename as <b>msg.filename</b>.</p>
-    <p>The filename can be overridden by the <b>msg.filename</b> property of the incoming message.</p>
+    <p>The filename can be configured in the node, if left blank it should be set in an incoming message on <b>msg.filename</b>.</p>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
diff --git a/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js b/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js
index b9cb7953f..9e997b6c1 100644
--- a/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js
+++ b/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js
@@ -25,7 +25,15 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         this.overwriteFile = n.overwriteFile;
         var node = this;
         this.on("input",function(msg) {
-            var filename = msg.filename || this.filename;
+            var filename;
+            if (msg.filename) {
+                if (n.filename) {
+                    node.warn("Deprecated: msg properties should not override set node properties. See bit.ly/nr-override-msg-props");
+                }
+                filename = msg.filename;
+            } else {
+                filename = this.filename;
+            }
             if (filename === "") {
                 node.warn('No filename specified');
             } else if (msg.hasOwnProperty('delete')) {
@@ -72,7 +80,15 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             options['encoding'] = this.format;
         }
         this.on("input",function(msg) {
-            var filename = msg.filename || this.filename;
+            var filename;
+            if (msg.filename) {
+                if (n.filename) {
+                    node.warn("Deprecated: msg properties should not override set node properties. See bit.ly/nr-override-msg-props");
+                }
+                filename = msg.filename;
+            } else {
+                filename = this.filename;
+            }
             if (filename === "") {
                 node.warn('No filename specified');
             } else {
@@ -92,4 +108,4 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         });
     }
     RED.nodes.registerType("file in",FileInNode);
-}
+};