diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java
index e03f7d41e..a55a0fe50 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStep.java
@@ -320,7 +320,6 @@ public class ItemOrientedStep extends AbstractStep {
 				// check for interruption before each item as well
 				interruptionPolicy.checkInterrupted(execution);
 				ExitStatus exitStatus = itemHandler.handle(contribution);
-				contribution.incrementItemCount();
 				// check for interruption after each item as well
 				interruptionPolicy.checkInterrupted(execution);
 				return exitStatus;
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java
index c5ea475bd..c2d047c3f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SimpleItemHandler.java
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ public class SimpleItemHandler implements ItemHandler {
 	 * @param contribution current context
 	 */
 	protected void write(Object item, StepContribution contribution) throws Exception {
+		contribution.incrementItemCount();
 		doWrite(item);
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStepTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStepTests.java
index 1a5041755..48adb486e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStepTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/ItemOrientedStepTests.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.MarkFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ResetFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.support.ListItemReader;
 import org.springframework.batch.repeat.ExitStatus;
+import org.springframework.batch.repeat.policy.DefaultResultCompletionPolicy;
 import org.springframework.batch.repeat.policy.SimpleCompletionPolicy;
 import org.springframework.batch.repeat.support.RepeatTemplate;
 import org.springframework.batch.support.PropertiesConverter;
@@ -750,6 +751,22 @@ public class ItemOrientedStepTests extends TestCase {
 			assertTrue(stepExecution.getExecutionContext().getString("spam").equals("bucket"));
 		}
 	}
+	
+	public void testStepToCompletion() throws Exception {
+
+		RepeatTemplate template = new RepeatTemplate();
+
+		// process all items:
+		template.setCompletionPolicy(new DefaultResultCompletionPolicy());
+		itemOrientedStep.setStepOperations(template);
+
+		JobExecution jobExecutionContext = new JobExecution(jobInstance);
+		StepExecution stepExecution = new StepExecution(itemOrientedStep, jobExecutionContext);
+
+		itemOrientedStep.execute(stepExecution);
+		assertEquals(3, processed.size());
+		assertEquals(3, stepExecution.getItemCount().intValue());
+		}
 
 	/**
 	 * Exception in {@link StepExecutionListener#afterStep(StepExecution)}