diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/mapping/DefaultFieldSet.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/mapping/DefaultFieldSet.java
index dac1632f1..ee363e6b6 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/mapping/DefaultFieldSet.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/mapping/DefaultFieldSet.java
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public class DefaultFieldSet implements FieldSet {
 	 * @see org.springframework.batch.io.file.mapping.IFieldSet#getValues()
 	 */
 	public String[] getValues() {
-		return tokens;
+		return (String[]) tokens.clone();
 	}
 
 	/*