diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/reader/AbstractItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/reader/AbstractItemReader.java
index f8b723846..5b060d614 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/reader/AbstractItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/reader/AbstractItemReader.java
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 package org.springframework.batch.item.reader;
 
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemReader;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.exception.StreamException;
 
 /**
  * Base class for {@link ItemReader} implementations.
@@ -25,12 +24,5 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.exception.StreamException;
  *
  */
 public abstract class AbstractItemReader implements ItemReader {
-	
-	/**
-	 * Do nothing.
-	 * @see org.springframework.batch.item.ItemReader#close()
-	 */
-	public void close() throws StreamException {		
-	}
 
 }