diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java
index 48aa64415..6690db610 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ public class MapStepExecutionDao implements StepExecutionDao {
 
 	public List<StepExecution> getStepExecutions(JobExecution jobExecution) {
 		Map<String, StepExecution> executions = executionsByJobExecutionId.get(jobExecution.getId());
+		if (executions == null || executions.isEmpty()) {
+			return Collections.emptyList();
+		}
 		List<StepExecution> result = new ArrayList<StepExecution>(executions.values());
 		Collections.sort(result, new Comparator<Entity>() {
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java
index 2cc1f8e6a..e9c2f5bd7 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -226,6 +227,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractStepExecutionDaoTests extends AbstractTransactiona
 
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testGetStepExecutionsWhenNoneExist() throws Exception {
+		assertEquals("empty list is returned if no stepExecutions exist for given jobExecution", Collections
+				.emptyList(), dao.getStepExecutions(jobExecution));
+	}
+
 	private void assertStepExecutionsAreEqual(StepExecution expected, StepExecution actual) {
 		assertEquals(expected.getId(), actual.getId());
 		assertEquals(expected.getStartTime(), actual.getStartTime());