diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReader.java
index 7fcac9b9a..c660e05dc 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReader.java
@@ -51,6 +51,17 @@ public class JmsItemReader<T> implements ItemReader<T> {
 	 */
 	public void setJmsTemplate(JmsOperations jmsTemplate) {
 		this.jmsTemplate = jmsTemplate;
+		if (jmsTemplate instanceof JmsTemplate) {
+			JmsTemplate template = (JmsTemplate) jmsTemplate;
+			Assert
+					.isTrue(
+							template.getReceiveTimeout() != JmsTemplate.RECEIVE_TIMEOUT_INDEFINITE_WAIT,
+							"JmsTemplate must have a receive timeout!");
+			Assert
+					.isTrue(template.getDefaultDestination() != null
+							|| template.getDefaultDestinationName() != null,
+							"JmsTemplate must have a defaultDestination or defaultDestinationName!");
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemWriter.java
index 2046073ef..d95dedbd3 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemWriter.java
@@ -23,11 +23,13 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.jms.core.JmsOperations;
 import org.springframework.jms.core.JmsTemplate;
+import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
  * An {@link ItemWriter} for JMS using a {@link JmsTemplate}. The template
  * should have a default destination, which will be used to send items in
- * {@link #write(List)}.<br/><br/>
+ * {@link #write(List)}.<br/>
+ * <br/>
  * 
  * The implementation is thread safe after its properties are set (normal
  * singleton behavior).
@@ -44,10 +46,18 @@ public class JmsItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T> {
 	/**
 	 * Setter for JMS template.
 	 * 
-	 * @param jmsTemplate a {@link JmsOperations} instance
+	 * @param jmsTemplate
+	 *            a {@link JmsOperations} instance
 	 */
 	public void setJmsTemplate(JmsOperations jmsTemplate) {
 		this.jmsTemplate = jmsTemplate;
+		if (jmsTemplate instanceof JmsTemplate) {
+			JmsTemplate template = (JmsTemplate) jmsTemplate;
+			Assert
+					.isTrue(template.getDefaultDestination() != null
+							|| template.getDefaultDestinationName() != null,
+							"JmsTemplate must have a defaultDestination or defaultDestinationName!");
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReaderTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReaderTests.java
index 4cbdb3e6a..bef024bc2 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReaderTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemReaderTests.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import javax.jms.Message;
 import org.easymock.EasyMock;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.jms.core.JmsOperations;
+import org.springframework.jms.core.JmsTemplate;
 
 public class JmsItemReaderTests {
 
@@ -105,4 +106,18 @@ public class JmsItemReaderTests {
 		EasyMock.verify(jmsTemplate);
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected=IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void testTemplateWithNoDefaultDestination() throws Exception {
+		JmsTemplate jmsTemplate = new JmsTemplate();
+		jmsTemplate.setReceiveTimeout(100L);
+		itemReader.setJmsTemplate(jmsTemplate);		
+	}
+
+	@Test(expected=IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void testTemplateWithNoTimeout() throws Exception {
+		JmsTemplate jmsTemplate = new JmsTemplate();
+		jmsTemplate.setDefaultDestinationName("foo");
+		itemReader.setJmsTemplate(jmsTemplate);		
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemWriterTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..37a55275f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/jms/JmsItemWriterTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2006-2007 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.batch.item.jms;
+
+import java.util.Arrays;
+
+import org.easymock.EasyMock;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.jms.core.JmsOperations;
+import org.springframework.jms.core.JmsTemplate;
+
+public class JmsItemWriterTests {
+
+	JmsItemWriter<String> itemWriter = new JmsItemWriter<String>();
+
+	@Test
+	public void testNoItemTypeSunnyDay() throws Exception {
+		JmsOperations jmsTemplate = EasyMock.createMock(JmsOperations.class);
+		jmsTemplate.convertAndSend("foo");
+		EasyMock.expectLastCall();
+		jmsTemplate.convertAndSend("bar");
+		EasyMock.expectLastCall();
+		EasyMock.replay(jmsTemplate);
+
+		itemWriter.setJmsTemplate(jmsTemplate);
+		itemWriter.write(Arrays.asList("foo", "bar"));
+		EasyMock.verify(jmsTemplate);
+	}
+	
+	@Test(expected=IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void testTemplateWithNoDefaultDestination() throws Exception {
+		JmsTemplate jmsTemplate = new JmsTemplate();
+		itemWriter.setJmsTemplate(jmsTemplate);		
+	}
+
+}