diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/StepExecution.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/StepExecution.java
index 77dde9bab..bd8c5a215 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/StepExecution.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/StepExecution.java
@@ -363,12 +363,12 @@ public class StepExecution extends Entity {
 		return jobExecution.getJobInstance().getJobParameters();
 	}
 
-	public int getReadSkipCount() {
-		return readSkipCount;
+	public Integer getReadSkipCount() {
+		return new Integer(readSkipCount);
 	}
 
-	public int getWriteSkipCount() {
-		return writeSkipCount;
+	public Integer getWriteSkipCount() {
+		return new Integer(writeSkipCount);
 	}
 
 	public void setReadSkipCount(int readSkipCount) {
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
index b28d9de5d..2f5f69fa4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/JdbcStepExecutionDao.java
@@ -186,8 +186,7 @@ public class JdbcStepExecutionDao extends AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao implement
 				stepExecution.getEndTime(), stepExecution.getStatus().toString(), stepExecution.getCommitCount(),
 				stepExecution.getItemCount(), stepExecution.getExitStatus().isContinuable() ? "Y" : "N",
 				stepExecution.getExitStatus().getExitCode(), stepExecution.getExitStatus().getExitDescription(),
-				Integer.valueOf(stepExecution.getReadSkipCount()), Integer.valueOf(stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount()),
-				stepExecution.getRollbackCount() };
+				stepExecution.getReadSkipCount(), stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount(), stepExecution.getRollbackCount() };
 		getJdbcTemplate().update(
 				getQuery(SAVE_STEP_EXECUTION),
 				parameters,
@@ -322,8 +321,8 @@ public class JdbcStepExecutionDao extends AbstractJdbcBatchMetadataDao implement
 					stepExecution.getStatus().toString(), stepExecution.getCommitCount(), stepExecution.getItemCount(),
 					stepExecution.getExitStatus().isContinuable() ? "Y" : "N",
 					stepExecution.getExitStatus().getExitCode(), exitDescription, version,
-					Integer.valueOf(stepExecution.getReadSkipCount()),
-					Integer.valueOf(stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount()), stepExecution.getRollbackCount(),
+					stepExecution.getReadSkipCount(),
+					stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount(), stepExecution.getRollbackCount(),
 					stepExecution.getId(), stepExecution.getVersion() };
 			int count = getJdbcTemplate().update(
 					getQuery(UPDATE_STEP_EXECUTION),
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java
index 1cbd8bd5b..f41e43452 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/item/SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests.java
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ public class SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests extends TestCase {
 
 		
 		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount());
+		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount().intValue());
+		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount().intValue());
 		
 		// only write exception caused rollback
 		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getRollbackCount().intValue());
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ public class SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests extends TestCase {
 		step.execute(stepExecution);
 
 		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount());
+		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount().intValue());
+		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount().intValue());
 
 		// no rollbacks
 		assertEquals(0, stepExecution.getRollbackCount().intValue());
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ public class SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 
 		assertEquals(3, stepExecution.getSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount());
+		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount().intValue());
+		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount().intValue());
 
 		// writer did not skip "2" as it never made it to writer, only "4" did
 		assertTrue(reader.processed.contains("4"));
@@ -218,8 +218,8 @@ public class SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests extends TestCase {
 
 		step.execute(stepExecution);
 		assertEquals(4, stepExecution.getSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(3, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount());
+		assertEquals(3, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount().intValue());
+		assertEquals(1, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount().intValue());
 
 		// skipped 2,3,4,5
 		List expectedOutput = Arrays.asList(StringUtils.commaDelimitedListToStringArray("1,6"));
@@ -249,8 +249,8 @@ public class SkipLimitStepFactoryBeanTests extends TestCase {
 		System.err.println(writer.written);
 		System.err.println(reader.processed);
 		assertEquals(4, stepExecution.getSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount());
-		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount());
+		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getReadSkipCount().intValue());
+		assertEquals(2, stepExecution.getWriteSkipCount().intValue());
 
 		// skipped 2,3,4,5
 		List expectedOutput = Arrays.asList(StringUtils.commaDelimitedListToStringArray("1,6,7"));