diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java
index f60b57920..e2c2f7017 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBean.java
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 
 	private DataSource dataSource;
 
-	private JdbcOperations jdbcTemplate;
+	private JdbcOperations jdbcOperations;
 
 	private String tablePrefix = AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao.DEFAULT_TABLE_PREFIX;
 
@@ -87,6 +87,15 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 	public void setDataSource(DataSource dataSource) {
 		this.dataSource = dataSource;
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Public setter for the {@link JdbcOperations}. If this property is not set explicitly,
+	 * a new {@link JdbcTemplate} will be created for the configured DataSource by default.
+	 * @param jdbcOperations a {@link JdbcOperations}
+	 */
+	public void setJdbcOperations(JdbcOperations jdbcOperations) {
+		this.jdbcOperations = jdbcOperations;
+	}	
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the table prefix for all the batch meta-data tables.
@@ -112,7 +121,9 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 
 		Assert.notNull(dataSource, "DataSource must not be null.");
 
-		jdbcTemplate = new JdbcTemplate(dataSource);
+		if (jdbcOperations == null) {
+			jdbcOperations = new JdbcTemplate(dataSource);	
+		}	
 
 		if(serializer == null) {
 			XStreamExecutionContextStringSerializer defaultSerializer = new XStreamExecutionContextStringSerializer();
@@ -131,7 +142,7 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 	@Override
 	protected ExecutionContextDao createExecutionContextDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcExecutionContextDao dao = new JdbcExecutionContextDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setLobHandler(lobHandler);
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
 		dao.setSerializer(serializer);
@@ -142,7 +153,7 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 	@Override
 	protected JobInstanceDao createJobInstanceDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcJobInstanceDao dao = new JdbcJobInstanceDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setJobIncrementer(incrementer);
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
 		dao.afterPropertiesSet();
@@ -152,7 +163,7 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 	@Override
 	protected JobExecutionDao createJobExecutionDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcJobExecutionDao dao = new JdbcJobExecutionDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setJobExecutionIncrementer(incrementer);
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
 		dao.afterPropertiesSet();
@@ -162,7 +173,7 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 	@Override
 	protected StepExecutionDao createStepExecutionDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcStepExecutionDao dao = new JdbcStepExecutionDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setStepExecutionIncrementer(incrementer);
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
 		dao.afterPropertiesSet();
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBean.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBean.java
index ebea00ced..05e1e70f3 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBean.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBean extends AbstractJobRepositoryFactoryBean i
 
 	private DataSource dataSource;
 
-	private JdbcOperations jdbcTemplate;
+	private JdbcOperations jdbcOperations;
 
 	private String databaseType;
 
@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBean extends AbstractJobRepositoryFactoryBean i
 	public void setDataSource(DataSource dataSource) {
 		this.dataSource = dataSource;
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Public setter for the {@link JdbcOperations}. If this property is not set explicitly,
+	 * a new {@link JdbcTemplate} will be created for the configured DataSource by default.
+	 * @param jdbcOperations a {@link JdbcOperations}
+	 */
+	public void setJdbcOperations(JdbcOperations jdbcOperations) {
+		this.jdbcOperations = jdbcOperations;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the database type.
@@ -162,7 +171,9 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBean extends AbstractJobRepositoryFactoryBean i
 
 		Assert.notNull(dataSource, "DataSource must not be null.");
 
-		jdbcTemplate = new JdbcTemplate(dataSource);
+		if (jdbcOperations == null) {
+			jdbcOperations = new JdbcTemplate(dataSource);	
+		}		
 
 		if (incrementerFactory == null) {
 			incrementerFactory = new DefaultDataFieldMaxValueIncrementerFactory(dataSource);
@@ -198,7 +209,7 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBean extends AbstractJobRepositoryFactoryBean i
 	@Override
 	protected JobInstanceDao createJobInstanceDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcJobInstanceDao dao = new JdbcJobInstanceDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setJobIncrementer(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer(databaseType, tablePrefix + "JOB_SEQ"));
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
 		dao.afterPropertiesSet();
@@ -208,7 +219,7 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBean extends AbstractJobRepositoryFactoryBean i
 	@Override
 	protected JobExecutionDao createJobExecutionDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcJobExecutionDao dao = new JdbcJobExecutionDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setJobExecutionIncrementer(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer(databaseType, tablePrefix
 				+ "JOB_EXECUTION_SEQ"));
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
@@ -221,7 +232,7 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBean extends AbstractJobRepositoryFactoryBean i
 	@Override
 	protected StepExecutionDao createStepExecutionDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcStepExecutionDao dao = new JdbcStepExecutionDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setStepExecutionIncrementer(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer(databaseType, tablePrefix
 				+ "STEP_EXECUTION_SEQ"));
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
@@ -234,7 +245,7 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBean extends AbstractJobRepositoryFactoryBean i
 	@Override
 	protected ExecutionContextDao createExecutionContextDao() throws Exception {
 		JdbcExecutionContextDao dao = new JdbcExecutionContextDao();
-		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcTemplate);
+		dao.setJdbcTemplate(jdbcOperations);
 		dao.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
 		dao.setClobTypeToUse(determineClobTypeToUse(this.databaseType));
 		dao.setSerializer(serializer);
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBeanTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBeanTests.java
index 28a05bbac..393fc0eb2 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBeanTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/explore/support/JobExplorerFactoryBeanTests.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.batch.core.explore.support;
 
+import static junit.framework.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static junit.framework.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static junit.framework.Assert.fail;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.explore.JobExplorer;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.explore.support.JobExplorerFactoryBean;
+import org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcOperations;
+import org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcTemplate;
+import org.springframework.test.util.ReflectionTestUtils;
 
 /**
  * @author Dave Syer
@@ -49,6 +53,24 @@ public class JobExplorerFactoryBeanTests {
 		factory.setTablePrefix(tablePrefix);
 
 	}
+	
+	
+	@Test
+	public void testDefaultJdbcOperations() throws Exception {
+		
+		factory.afterPropertiesSet();
+		JdbcOperations jdbcOperations = (JdbcOperations) ReflectionTestUtils.getField(factory, "jdbcOperations");
+		assertTrue(jdbcOperations instanceof JdbcTemplate);
+	}	
+
+	@Test
+	public void testCustomJdbcOperations() throws Exception {
+		
+		JdbcOperations customJdbcOperations = mock(JdbcOperations.class);
+		factory.setJdbcOperations(customJdbcOperations);
+		factory.afterPropertiesSet();
+		assertEquals(customJdbcOperations, ReflectionTestUtils.getField(factory, "jdbcOperations"));
+	}		
 
 	@Test
 	public void testMissingDataSource() throws Exception {
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBeanTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBeanTests.java
index b848dcfc1..f1a96040d 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBeanTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/support/JobRepositoryFactoryBeanTests.java
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.dao.XStreamExecutionContextStri
 import org.springframework.batch.item.database.support.DataFieldMaxValueIncrementerFactory;
 import org.springframework.core.serializer.Serializer;
 import org.springframework.dao.DataAccessException;
+import org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcOperations;
+import org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcTemplate;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.support.incrementer.DataFieldMaxValueIncrementer;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.support.lob.DefaultLobHandler;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.support.lob.LobHandler;
@@ -173,7 +175,45 @@ public class JobRepositoryFactoryBeanTests {
 		factory.afterPropertiesSet();
 		assertEquals(customSerializer, ReflectionTestUtils.getField(factory, "serializer"));
 	}
+	
+	@Test
+	public void testDefaultJdbcOperations() throws Exception {
 
+		factory.setDatabaseType("ORACLE");
+
+		incrementerFactory = mock(DataFieldMaxValueIncrementerFactory.class);
+		when(incrementerFactory.isSupportedIncrementerType("ORACLE")).thenReturn(true);
+		when(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer("ORACLE", tablePrefix + "JOB_SEQ")).thenReturn(new StubIncrementer());
+		when(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer("ORACLE", tablePrefix + "JOB_EXECUTION_SEQ")).thenReturn(new StubIncrementer());
+		when(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer("ORACLE", tablePrefix + "STEP_EXECUTION_SEQ")).thenReturn(new StubIncrementer());
+		factory.setIncrementerFactory(incrementerFactory);
+
+		factory.afterPropertiesSet();
+		
+		JdbcOperations jdbcOperations = (JdbcOperations) ReflectionTestUtils.getField(factory, "jdbcOperations");
+		assertTrue(jdbcOperations instanceof JdbcTemplate);
+	}	
+
+	@Test
+	public void testCustomJdbcOperations() throws Exception {
+
+		factory.setDatabaseType("ORACLE");
+
+		incrementerFactory = mock(DataFieldMaxValueIncrementerFactory.class);
+		when(incrementerFactory.isSupportedIncrementerType("ORACLE")).thenReturn(true);
+		when(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer("ORACLE", tablePrefix + "JOB_SEQ")).thenReturn(new StubIncrementer());
+		when(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer("ORACLE", tablePrefix + "JOB_EXECUTION_SEQ")).thenReturn(new StubIncrementer());
+		when(incrementerFactory.getIncrementer("ORACLE", tablePrefix + "STEP_EXECUTION_SEQ")).thenReturn(new StubIncrementer());
+		factory.setIncrementerFactory(incrementerFactory);
+		
+		JdbcOperations customJdbcOperations = mock(JdbcOperations.class);
+		factory.setJdbcOperations(customJdbcOperations);
+		
+		factory.afterPropertiesSet();
+		
+		assertEquals(customJdbcOperations, ReflectionTestUtils.getField(factory, "jdbcOperations"));
+	}	
+	
 	@Test
 	public void testMissingDataSource() throws Exception {