A computer system with a first messaging application communicates a message to another computer system with a second messaging application via a coupling facility storage device. If the message does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the message is put onto the queue in the coupling facility. If the message does exceed a predetermined threshold, the message is put onto a log associated with the first messaging application and readable by the second messaging application. A pointer to the message is put onto the queue in the coupling facility. The pointer can be used to access the message in the log.