invention recovers at least one and preferably a plurality of messages stranded in a destination internal to a first computer executable program and intended for original delivery to a second computer executable program delivery of the stranded messages is through a middleware type computer executable program the first and second computer executable programs are any computer program containing computer executable code stored on a computer readable storage medium and executable by a logical processor these computer programs can operate on any one of a number of computer platforms including dos windows unix vax and mainframe platforms in one embodiment the platform is an ibm mainframe the first and second computer executable programs can be the same program can be different programs can be on the same platform and can be on different platforms suitable first and second computer programs include information management system ims programs commercial available from ibm corporation of armonk n y the middleware program is selected to serve as a bridge between the first computer executable program and the second computer executable program for routing messages between the two programs the middleware program contains at least one message queue for receiving messages such as data or other types of files that are destined from the first program to the second program suitable middleware programs can connect to and interface with the programs and platforms of the first.