diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/exception/WriteFailureException.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/exception/WriteFailureException.java
index 93d6aefdb..5387c02f4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/exception/WriteFailureException.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/exception/WriteFailureException.java
@@ -27,16 +27,31 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
  */
 public class WriteFailureException extends BatchCriticalException {
 	private static final long serialVersionUID = -1933213086873834098L;
+	
+	private final Object item;
 
-	public WriteFailureException(String msg, Throwable ex) {
+	public WriteFailureException(String msg, Throwable ex, Object item) {
 		super(msg, ex);
+		this.item = item;
 	}
 
 	public WriteFailureException(String msg) {
-		super(msg);
+		this(msg, null, null);
 	}
 
 	public WriteFailureException(Throwable nested) {
-		super(nested);
+		this("", nested, null);
+	}
+	
+	public WriteFailureException(String msg, Object item){
+		this(msg, null, item);
+	}
+	
+	public WriteFailureException(Throwable nested, Object item){
+		this("", nested, item);
+	}
+	
+	public Object getItem() {
+		return item;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionAttributes.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionAttributes.java
index 80be0ebc5..17cc5548e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionAttributes.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ExecutionAttributes.java
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * essentially a thin wrapper for a map that allows for type safety on reads. It
  * also allows for dirty checking by setting a 'dirty' flag whenever any put is
  * called.
+ * 
+ * @author Lucas Ward
  */
 public class ExecutionAttributes {