diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/JobLauncher.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/JobLauncher.java
index 557f02461..03dd171fe 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/JobLauncher.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/JobLauncher.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.batch.core.launch;
 
+import org.springframework.batch.core.BatchStatus;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.Job;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobParameters;
@@ -37,12 +38,17 @@ import org.springframework.batch.core.repository.JobExecutionAlreadyRunningExcep
 public interface JobLauncher {
 
 	/**
-	 * Start a job execution for the given {@link Job} and {@link JobParameters}.  If
-	 * a JobExecution was able to be created successfully, it will always be returned
-	 * by this method, regardless of whether or not the execution was successful.
+	 * Start a job execution for the given {@link Job} and {@link JobParameters}
+	 * . If a JobExecution was able to be created successfully, it will always
+	 * be returned by this method, regardless of whether or not the execution
+	 * was successful.
+	 * 
+	 * If there exists a past {@link JobExecution} and its status is
+	 * {@link BatchStatus#PAUSED}, the same JobExecution should be continued
+	 * instead of new one created.
 	 * 
 	 * @return the {@link JobExecution} if it returns synchronously. If the
-	 * implementation is asynchronous, the status might well be unknown.  
+	 * implementation is asynchronous, the status might well be unknown.
 	 * 
 	 * @throws JobExecutionAlreadyRunningException if the JobInstance identified
 	 * by the properties already has an execution running.
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/SimpleJobLauncherTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/SimpleJobLauncherTests.java
index fe31d7ae6..a3e126451 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/SimpleJobLauncherTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/SimpleJobLauncherTests.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.batch.core.BatchStatus;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.Job;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobExecution;
 import org.springframework.batch.core.JobInstance;
@@ -75,8 +76,6 @@ public class SimpleJobLauncherTests {
 
 		JobExecution jobExecution = new JobExecution(null, null);
 
-		// expect(jobRepository.isJobInstanceExists(job.getName(),
-		// jobParameters)).andReturn(false);
 		expect(jobRepository.getLastJobExecution(job.getName(), jobParameters)).andReturn(null);
 		expect(jobRepository.createJobExecution(job.getName(), jobParameters)).andReturn(jobExecution);
 		replay(jobRepository);
@@ -110,7 +109,6 @@ public class SimpleJobLauncherTests {
 		testRun();
 		try {
 			reset(jobRepository);
-//			expect(jobRepository.isJobInstanceExists(job.getName(), jobParameters)).andReturn(true);
 			expect(jobRepository.getLastJobExecution(job.getName(), jobParameters)).andReturn(
 					new JobExecution(new JobInstance(1L, jobParameters, job.getName())));
 			replay(jobRepository);
@@ -189,6 +187,24 @@ public class SimpleJobLauncherTests {
 		jobLauncher.setJobRepository(jobRepository);
 		jobLauncher.afterPropertiesSet(); // no error
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Same execution is used if the last found has PAUSED status.
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void testResumePausedInstance() throws Exception {
+		long id = 9;
+		JobExecution jobExecution = new JobExecution(null, id);
+		jobExecution.setStatus(BatchStatus.PAUSED);
+		expect(jobRepository.getLastJobExecution(job.getName(), jobParameters)).andReturn(jobExecution);
+		replay(jobRepository);
+	
+		jobLauncher.afterPropertiesSet();
+		JobExecution returned = jobLauncher.run(job, jobParameters);
+		assertEquals(jobExecution, returned);
+		
+		verify(jobRepository);
+	}
 
 	private boolean contains(String str, String searchStr) {
 		return str.indexOf(searchStr) != -1;