diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriter.java
index 9465117f8..0186237ee 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriter.java
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 
 /**
  * {@link ItemWriter} that uses a Hibernate session to save or update entities
- * that are not part of the current Hibernate session. It will also flush
- * and clear the session at chunk boundaries.<br/><br/>
+ * that are not part of the current Hibernate session. It will also flush and
+ * clear the session at chunk boundaries.<br/>
+ * <br/>
  * 
  * The writer is thread safe after its properties are set (normal singleton
  * behavior), so it can be used to write in multiple concurrent transactions.
@@ -71,25 +72,19 @@ public class HibernateItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T>, InitializingBean {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Save or update any entities not in the current hibernate session and then flush and 
-	 * clear the hibernate session.
+	 * Save or update any entities not in the current hibernate session and then
+	 * flush the hibernate session.
 	 * 
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter#write(java.util.List)
 	 */
 	public final void write(List<? extends T> items) {
 		doWrite(hibernateTemplate, items);
-		try {
-			hibernateTemplate.flush();
-		}
-		finally {
-			// This should happen when the transaction commits anyway, but to be
-			// sure...
-			hibernateTemplate.clear();
-		}
+		hibernateTemplate.flush();
 	}
-	
+
 	/**
-	 * Do perform the actual write operation. This can be overridden in a subclass if necessary.
+	 * Do perform the actual write operation. This can be overridden in a
+	 * subclass if necessary.
 	 * 
 	 * @param hibernateTemplate the HibernateTemplate to use for the operation
 	 * @param items the list of items to use for the write
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriter.java
index 949056b48..e3e72afeb 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriter.java
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public class JpaItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T>, InitializingBean {
 
 	/**
 	 * Merge all provided items that aren't already in the persistence context
-	 * and then flush and clear the entity manager.
+	 * and then flush the entity manager.
 	 * 
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter#write(java.util.List)
 	 */
@@ -80,16 +80,12 @@ public class JpaItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T>, InitializingBean {
 			throw new DataAccessResourceFailureException("Unable to obtain a transactional EntityManager");
 		}
 		doWrite(entityManager, items);
-		try {
-			entityManager.flush();
-		}
-		finally {
-			entityManager.clear();
-		}
+		entityManager.flush();
 	}
-	
+
 	/**
-	 * Do perform the actual write operation. This can be overridden in a subclass if necessary.
+	 * Do perform the actual write operation. This can be overridden in a
+	 * subclass if necessary.
 	 * 
 	 * @param entityManager the EntityManager to use for the operation
 	 * @param items the list of items to use for the write
@@ -113,7 +109,7 @@ public class JpaItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T>, InitializingBean {
 				logger.debug((items.size() - mergeCount) + " entities found in persistence context.");
 			}
 		}
-		
+
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriterTests.java
index dff648d84..5d2dc6b94 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateItemWriterTests.java
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ public class HibernateItemWriterTests {
 		expectLastCall().andReturn(false);
 		ht.saveOrUpdate("bar");
 		ht.flush();
-		ht.clear();
 		replay(ht);
 		
 		List<String> items = Arrays.asList(new String[] { "foo", "bar" });
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriterTests.java
index c70cbbbfc..8ea3ef7c5 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JpaItemWriterTests.java
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ public class JpaItemWriterTests {
 		em.merge("bar");
 		expectLastCall().andReturn("bar");
 		em.flush();
-		em.clear();
 		replay(em);
 		replay(emf);
 		TransactionSynchronizationManager.bindResource(emf, new EntityManagerHolder(em));