diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractCursorItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractCursorItemReader.java
index 17f5ac9a9..2c4aead01 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractCursorItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/AbstractCursorItemReader.java
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 
 	private boolean useSharedExtendedConnection = false;
 
-	private boolean connectionAutoCommit;
+	private Boolean connectionAutoCommit;
 
 	private boolean initialConnectionAutoCommit;
 
@@ -396,7 +396,9 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 		rs = null;
 		cleanupOnClose();
 
-		this.con.setAutoCommit(initialConnectionAutoCommit);
+		if(this.con != null) {
+			this.con.setAutoCommit(this.initialConnectionAutoCommit);
+		}
 
 		if (useSharedExtendedConnection && dataSource instanceof ExtendedConnectionDataSourceProxy) {
 			((ExtendedConnectionDataSourceProxy)dataSource).stopCloseSuppression(this.con);
@@ -445,7 +447,7 @@ implements InitializingBean {
 
 			this.initialConnectionAutoCommit = this.con.getAutoCommit();
 
-			if (this.con.getAutoCommit() != this.connectionAutoCommit) {
+			if (this.connectionAutoCommit != null && this.con.getAutoCommit() != this.connectionAutoCommit) {
 				this.con.setAutoCommit(this.connectionAutoCommit);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java
index 04670fe60..ee1b7adfd 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public class JdbcCursorItemReaderCommonTests extends AbstractDatabaseItemStreamI
     @Override
 	protected ItemReader<Foo> getItemReader() throws Exception {
 
-		JdbcCursorItemReader<Foo> result = new JdbcCursorItemReader<Foo>();
+		JdbcCursorItemReader<Foo> result = new JdbcCursorItemReader<>();
 		result.setDataSource(getDataSource());
 		result.setSql("select ID, NAME, VALUE from T_FOOS");
 		result.setIgnoreWarnings(true);