diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/SimpleStepExecutionSplitter.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/SimpleStepExecutionSplitter.java
index 828f0176c..6f9cf20d7 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/SimpleStepExecutionSplitter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/partition/support/SimpleStepExecutionSplitter.java
@@ -218,8 +218,7 @@ public class SimpleStepExecutionSplitter implements StepExecutionSplitter, Initi
 		String stepName = stepExecution.getStepName();
 		StepExecution lastStepExecution = jobRepository.getLastStepExecution(jobInstance, stepName);
 
-		boolean isRestart = (lastStepExecution != null && lastStepExecution.getStatus() != BatchStatus.COMPLETED) ? true
-				: false;
+		boolean isRestart = (lastStepExecution != null && lastStepExecution.getStatus() != BatchStatus.COMPLETED);
 
 		if (isRestart) {
 			stepExecution.setExecutionContext(lastStepExecution.getExecutionContext());
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java
index e160114d2..db3c581f0 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/core/repository/dao/MapStepExecutionDao.java
@@ -37,11 +37,9 @@ import org.springframework.util.ReflectionUtils;
  */
 public class MapStepExecutionDao implements StepExecutionDao {
 
-	private Map<Long, Map<Long, StepExecution>> executionsByJobExecutionId = TransactionAwareProxyFactory
-			.createAppendOnlyTransactionalMap();
+	private Map<Long, Map<Long, StepExecution>> executionsByJobExecutionId = TransactionAwareProxyFactory.createAppendOnlyTransactionalMap();
 
-	private Map<Long, StepExecution> executionsByStepExecutionId = TransactionAwareProxyFactory
-			.createAppendOnlyTransactionalMap();
+	private Map<Long, StepExecution> executionsByStepExecutionId = TransactionAwareProxyFactory.createAppendOnlyTransactionalMap();
 
 	private AtomicLong currentId = new AtomicLong();
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/tasklet/TaskletStepTests.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/tasklet/TaskletStepTests.java
index 2d43c97c1..04576898f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/tasklet/TaskletStepTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/step/tasklet/TaskletStepTests.java
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ public class TaskletStepTests {
 
 		step.execute(stepExecution);
 		Throwable e = stepExecution.getFailureExceptions().get(0);
-		assertEquals("foo", e.getMessage());
+		assertEquals("foo", e.getCause().getMessage());
 		assertEquals(BatchStatus.UNKNOWN, stepExecution.getStatus());
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/log4j.properties b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/log4j.properties
index 0fa986064..c2b9d5503 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/log4j.properties
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/resources/log4j.properties
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ log4j.appender.stdout.layout.ConversionPattern=%d{ABSOLUTE} %5p %t %c{2} - %m%n
 log4j.category.org.apache.activemq=ERROR
 log4j.category.org.springframework.batch=DEBUG
 log4j.category.org.springframework.batch.support=INFO
+log4j.category.org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.ResourcelessTransactionManager=DEBUG
+log4j.category.org.springframework.core.repository=DEBUG
 # log4j.category.org.springframework.transaction=INFO
 log4j.category.org.springframework.jdbc=DEBUG
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/TransactionAwareProxyFactory.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/TransactionAwareProxyFactory.java
index 9e78c7efd..ae31900dd 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/TransactionAwareProxyFactory.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/TransactionAwareProxyFactory.java
@@ -168,11 +168,16 @@ public class TransactionAwareProxyFactory<T> {
 				if (appendOnly) {
 					String methodName = invocation.getMethod().getName();
 					if ((result == null && methodName.equals("get"))
-							|| (Boolean.FALSE.equals(result) && methodName.startsWith("contains"))) {
+							|| (Boolean.FALSE.equals(result) && (methodName.startsWith("contains")) || (Boolean.TRUE.equals(result) && methodName.startsWith("isEmpty")))) {
 						// In appendOnly mode the result of a get might not be
 						// in the cache...
 						return invocation.proceed();
 					}
+					if (result instanceof Collection<?>) {
+						HashSet<Object> set = new HashSet<Object>((Collection<?>) result);
+						set.addAll((Collection<?>) invocation.proceed());
+						result = set;
+					}
 				}
 
 				return result;