diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ItemWriter.java
index 798ab614a..4c467f5cd 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ItemWriter.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.item;
  * @author Dave Syer
  * @author Lucas Ward
  */
-public interface ItemWriter {
+public interface ItemWriter<T> {
 
 	/**
 	 * Process the supplied data element. Will be called multiple times during a
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public interface ItemWriter {
 	 * retry or a batch the framework will catch the exception and convert or
 	 * rethrow it as appropriate.
 	 */
-	void write(Object item) throws Exception;
+	void write(T item) throws Exception;
 
 	/**
 	 * Flush any buffers that are being held. This will usually be performed
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapter.java
index 25a9960aa..46bfe0b9c 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapter.java
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
  * 
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  */
-public class ItemWriterAdapter extends AbstractMethodInvokingDelegator<Object> implements ItemWriter {
+public class ItemWriterAdapter<T> extends AbstractMethodInvokingDelegator<T> implements ItemWriter<T> {
 	
-    public void write(Object item) throws Exception {
+    public void write(T item) throws Exception {
     	invokeDelegateMethodWithArgument(item);
     }
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter.java
index 27e0f37ab..cdbb62a10 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * 
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  */
-public class PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter extends AbstractMethodInvokingDelegator<Object> implements ItemWriter {
+public class PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter<T> extends AbstractMethodInvokingDelegator<T> implements ItemWriter<T> {
 	
 	private String[] fieldsUsedAsTargetMethodArguments;
 	
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public class PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter extends AbstractMethodInvoki
 	 * Extracts values from item's fields named in fieldsUsedAsTargetMethodArguments
 	 * and passes them as arguments to the delegate method.
 	 */
-	public void write(Object item) throws Exception {
+	public void write(T item) throws Exception {
 		// helper for extracting property values from a bean
 		BeanWrapper beanWrapper = new BeanWrapperImpl(item);
 		
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReader.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReader.java
index 782feaef5..7026224bb 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReader.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReader.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
  * @author Robert Kasanicky
  * @author Dave Syer
  */
-public class HibernateCursorItemReader extends AbstractBufferedItemReaderItemStream implements ItemStream,
+public class HibernateCursorItemReader<T> extends AbstractBufferedItemReaderItemStream<T> implements ItemStream,
 		InitializingBean {
 
 	private SessionFactory sessionFactory;
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ public class HibernateCursorItemReader extends AbstractBufferedItemReaderItemStr
 		this.fetchSize = fetchSize;
 	}
 
-	protected Object doRead() throws Exception {
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	protected T doRead() throws Exception {
 		if (cursor.next()) {
 			Object[] data = cursor.get();
 			Object item;
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ public class HibernateCursorItemReader extends AbstractBufferedItemReaderItemStr
 				item = data[0];
 			}
 
-			return item;
+			return (T)item;
 		}
 		return null;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemStreamItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemStreamItemWriter.java
index c2905224a..1d9e1e53d 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemStreamItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemStreamItemWriter.java
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
  * @author Dave Syer
  *
  */
-public abstract class AbstractItemStreamItemWriter extends ItemStreamSupport implements ItemWriter {
+public abstract class AbstractItemStreamItemWriter<T> extends ItemStreamSupport implements ItemWriter<T> {
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemWriter.java
index 06d571da7..5f1d9b6e4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/support/AbstractItemWriter.java
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
  * 
  * @author Lucas Ward
  */
-public abstract class AbstractItemWriter implements ItemWriter {
+public abstract class AbstractItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T> {
 
 	public void flush() throws FlushFailedException {
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapterTests.java
index 32f6420ca..549b6e63c 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/ItemWriterAdapterTests.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import org.springframework.test.AbstractDependencyInjectionSpringContextTests;
  */
 public class ItemWriterAdapterTests extends AbstractDependencyInjectionSpringContextTests {
 
-	private ItemWriter processor;
+	private ItemWriter<Foo> processor;
 
 	private FooService fooService;
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class ItemWriterAdapterTests extends AbstractDependencyInjectionSpringCon
 	}
 
 	// setter for auto-injection
-	public void setProcessor(ItemWriter processor) {
+	public void setProcessor(ItemWriter<Foo> processor) {
 		this.processor = processor;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemProccessorIntegrationTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemProccessorIntegrationTests.java
index ad68fcfd6..a33c22225 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemProccessorIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/adapter/PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemProccessorIntegrationTests.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import org.springframework.test.AbstractDependencyInjectionSpringContextTests;
 public class PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemProccessorIntegrationTests extends
         AbstractDependencyInjectionSpringContextTests {
 
-	private PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter processor;
+	private PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter<Foo> processor;
 
 	private FooService fooService;
 
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemProccessorIntegrationTests extends
 
 	}
 
-	public void setProcessor(PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter processor) {
+	public void setProcessor(PropertyExtractingDelegatingItemWriter<Foo> processor) {
 		this.processor = processor;
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReaderIntegrationTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReaderIntegrationTests.java
index 2236d6673..35bb243f1 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReaderIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/database/HibernateCursorItemReaderIntegrationTests.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public class HibernateCursorItemReaderIntegrationTests extends AbstractDataSourc
 
 		String hsqlQuery = "from Foo";
 
-		HibernateCursorItemReader inputSource = new HibernateCursorItemReader();
+		HibernateCursorItemReader<Foo> inputSource = new HibernateCursorItemReader<Foo>();
 		inputSource.setQueryString(hsqlQuery);
 		inputSource.setSessionFactory(sessionFactory);
 		inputSource.setUseStatelessSession(isUseStatelessSession());
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public class HibernateCursorItemReaderIntegrationTests extends AbstractDataSourc
 	 * called only in uninitialized state.
 	 */
 	public void testSetUseStatelessSession() {
-		HibernateCursorItemReader inputSource = ((HibernateCursorItemReader) reader);
+		HibernateCursorItemReader<Foo> inputSource = (HibernateCursorItemReader<Foo>)reader;
 
 		// initialize and call setter => error
 		inputSource.open(new ExecutionContext());
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterFunctionalTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterFunctionalTests.java
index 614ad1ff3..32d2d1a0e 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterFunctionalTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterFunctionalTests.java
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ public class ItemTransformerItemWriterFunctionalTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 	}
 	
-	private static class BarWriter implements ItemWriter{
+	private static class BarWriter implements ItemWriter<Bar>{
 
-		public void write(Object item) throws Exception {
+		public void write(Bar item) throws Exception {
 		  assertTrue(item instanceof Bar);
 		}
 		
@@ -99,9 +99,9 @@ public class ItemTransformerItemWriterFunctionalTests extends TestCase {
 		
 	}
 	
-	private static class FoobarWriter implements ItemWriter{
+	private static class FoobarWriter implements ItemWriter<Foobar>{
 
-		public void write(Object item) throws Exception {
+		public void write(Foobar item) throws Exception {
 		  assertTrue(item instanceof Foobar);
 		}
 		
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java
index 49b1ccf71..f2eaeae20 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/item/transform/ItemTransformerItemWriterTests.java
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ public class ItemTransformerItemWriterTests extends TestCase {
 	private ItemTransformerItemWriter processor = new ItemTransformerItemWriter();
 
 	private ItemTransformer transformer;
-	private ItemWriter itemWriter;
+	private ItemWriter<Object> itemWriter;
 
 	private MockControl tControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemTransformer.class);
 	private MockControl outControl = MockControl.createControl(ItemWriter.class);
 
 	protected void setUp() throws Exception {
 		transformer = (ItemTransformer) tControl.getMock();
-		itemWriter = (ItemWriter) outControl.getMock();
+		itemWriter = (ItemWriter<Object>) outControl.getMock();
 		
 		processor.setItemTransformer(transformer);
 		processor.setDelegate(itemWriter);
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AbstractTradeBatchTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AbstractTradeBatchTests.java
index 19ff4f4de..9d7f0326f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AbstractTradeBatchTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AbstractTradeBatchTests.java
@@ -65,12 +65,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractTradeBatchTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 	}
 
-	protected static class TradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter {
+	protected static class TradeWriter extends AbstractItemWriter<Trade> {
 		int count = 0;
 
 		// This has to be synchronized because we are going to test the state
 		// (count) at the end of a concurrent batch run.
-		public synchronized void write(Object data) {
+		public synchronized void write(Trade data) {
 			count++;
 			System.out.println("Executing trade '" + data + "'");
 		}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AsynchronousRepeatTests.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AsynchronousRepeatTests.java
index 085e94fee..8386b7a36 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AsynchronousRepeatTests.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/repeat/support/AsynchronousRepeatTests.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class AsynchronousRepeatTests extends AbstractTradeBatchTests {
 				assertNotSame(threadName, Thread.currentThread().getName());
 				threadNames.add(Thread.currentThread().getName());
 				Thread.sleep(100);
-				Object item = provider.read();
+				Trade item = provider.read();
 				if (item!=null) {
 					processor.write(item);
 				}